Using ZigBee for Wireless Remote Monitoring and Control

Wireless sensing technology can collect pressure, temperature, and flow measurements in remote and often unsafe locations that is common in the offshore/on land oil and gas industry without cables and the associated problems. However, the severe offshore conditions make it necessary to develop reliable and cost-effective real-time monitoring structures when building offshore control and monitoring systems. Nowadays, ZigBee RF standard is deployed. This has opened new perspectives for wireless control networks. ZigBee is powerful and easy to install because it was developed in order to be installed in a new or existing sensor network. RASHPETCO has many geographically distributed offshore platforms. Some types of ZigBee radio modules provide a transmission range over 40 km with multi-hop communication capability to extend the coverage. Many oil and gas applications, where ZigBee technology can be deployed, can be overseen. (1) The use of ZigBee to build a redundant wireless controlling/monitoring system for remote installed valves and metering stations; (2) Monitoring pressure/temperature at the well head, i.e., intrinsically safe sensors use ZigBee technology to transmit well head readings from a hazardous area to a safe area. This paper proposes an innovative method for designing remote monitoring and control systems of offshore platforms based on ZigBee wireless sensor networks. The fundamental idea, as studied in this work, is of great value for building reliable and economically affordable real-time monitoring systems for subsea production arrangements (offshore and on land) with enhanced safety and efficiency.