Inmarsat Maritime partners with Aramco to trial over-water 5G mesh network
Inmarsat Maritime and Aramco, the world’s largest energy company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake trials aimed at providing high bandwidth 5G connectivity for Aramco’s offshore operations in the Arabian Gulf. The partners plan to test high-speed systems and their resilience in meeting regional climate issues including extreme heat, sandstorms, wind, and water evaporation.
The 5G technology is more reliable than existing networks. Successful outdoor tests at Rutland Water in the UK during February had demonstrated reliable and high-throughput millimetre Wave (mmWave) signal propagation over water, Inmarsat said.
Tests in the Arabian Gulf later this year will focus on the resilience of the 5G mobile Integrated Access and Backhaul (mIAB) network. The aim is to demonstrate successful operation of the world’s first long-range high-throughput mIAB deployment at sea, over distances far beyond the 1km range that has been possible until now.
The technology has the potential to allow Aramco to optimise its offshore operations via the 5G mesh, and enable capabilities such as intelligent remote maintenance and remote operations. This will include monitoring and metering with IoT sensors, assisted operations for staff equipped with augmented reality headsets, novel safety and security features, and potential for cost reductions and efficient energy use, the partners said.
Inmarsat Maritime president, Ben Palmer OBE, explained: “Our technologies provide the ingredients for a truly bespoke solution, and our exciting new partnership with Aramco is the latest example of this. This new 5G mesh technology will be a significant step in helping Aramco maximise site efficiency, improve sustainability, provide a better experience for crew and protect the business from cyber-attacks.”
Nabil Al-Nuaim, senior vice president Digital & Information Technology, added: “By extending high speed connectivity to our remote and harsh offshore sites through 5G mesh technology, we aim to accelerate our plans to deploy advanced use cases under the corporate digital transformation vision. This is expected to help us further optimise our operations and improve the work environment for our operators.
“Our collaboration with Viasat to run the first maritime trial in the world for 5G mesh technology is a testament to our commitment to develop and deploy advanced technologies. Working with technology leaders and capitalising on our operational experience in the field are key components for successful technology developments,” he concluded.
