Queensland Gas completes $32 million TETRA comms network
The microwave and TETRA digital radio system provides a wide area communication network linking the central processing plant in the gas fields to QGC’s processing plants, field compression stations, main line valve stations, Chinchilla office and logistic
Queensland Gas Corporation (QGC) has finished implementation of a dedicated communications network for a liquefied natural gas project in southern QLD.
QGC’s liquefied natural gas project is one of Australia’s largest capital infrastructure projects, involving expanding exploration and development in southern and central Queensland, and transporting gas through a 540 km underground pipeline network to Curtis Island, near Gladstone, where it will be liquefied.
The new Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) network is valued at $32 million and was set up by Motorola Solutions. The 28-site digital radio network has been in development since 2011.
Since the network implementation began, it has more than doubled in scope to include all communications needs in the field while a fibre network is deployed, Motorola said.
QGC will use the network to gather telemetry information at the wellhead and transmit data in real-time to its central command centres, said Motorola.
The network will also be used for critical communications in the field, it said. The backbone microwave network is currently supporting CCTV cameras in remote areas as well as email, telephony and printing.
The microwave and TETRA digital radio system provides a wide area communication network linking the central processing plant in the gas fields to QGC’s processing plants, field compression stations, main line valve stations, Chinchilla office and logistics facility, and its corporate office in Brisbane.
The network today supports more than 1,500 devices, including vehicle terminals with GPS tracking, hand-held terminals, desk terminals, dispatcher console and voice recording equipment.
“Digital communications is fast becoming an integral part of unified communications across the resources industry—particularly to mobilise workers quickly and enhance safety across what are often remote and rugged locations,” said Steven Crutchfield, managing director, Motorola Solutions ANZ.
“The ability to support business applications as well as provide secure, cost-effective voice communications in the field not only ensures increased worker safety but also increased efficiency, opening greater opportunities for critical data to be transmitted across sites as remote as wellheads.”
Source: MCCResources
