Remote site communication is not always easy but doing it well can help build trust and connection with your team.

Just ask our remote communications team who investigate, test and manage innovative technologies for us and other clients throughout Australia and New Zealand. 

Trialing new technologies expands our creativity to provide the best possible connectivity for our users, clients, and families. 

Read on for some examples of our work. 

Is Starlink a game changer in remote communications? 

In our Rig & Well Services business, our people work in extremely remote locations of Australia, relying on remote satellite communication technology for day-to-day operations and emergency situations.

Low Earth orbit technologies like Starlink are thought to be a step change from the traditional geostationary satellites traditionally used in remote operations.

When Starlink was made available in Australia, our teams put it to the test to see if it lived up to the hype and could improve our remote communication capabilities.

So far Starlink is performing well, and we are installing kits on some of our camps and rigs to see how the hardware stands up to the extreme environmental conditions in southwest Queensland.

Solar power security system - another bright idea 

Our Resources & Industrial Services business needed a solution for site security without access to traditional power sources.

In remote locations, generators are often used, however they are both a significant fossil fuel consumer as well as expensive to operate when used for extended periods of time such as overnight on weekends. 

Our remote communication team developed a solar and battery powered security system to monitor the worksite without additional cost to our client or the environment.

Mobile solution for rapid remote communications

Did you know that today there are over 2,500 satellites in orbit around earth, and many are bigger than a city bus?

In our Rig & Well Services business we operate in remote locations outside the domestic mobile networks.

As new technology emerges, our remote communications team are researching new ways to provide robust connectivity to field teams. 

We are trialing a flat panel satellite dish and installing it on our rapid deploy communication trailers. We suspect the flat panel style antenna will provide a longer life span, improved resiliency to the harsh environments we operate in and improved mobility.

Partnering with a global data network provider

We have expanded our experience in our field-based communications over the years to support the unique and challenging communication needs of our Rig & Well Services business. 

We have partnered with Rig Net, a global data network provider that manages nearly 2,000 communication network sites across the globe.

In support of the remote communication needs of the broader oil and gas industry, we've been able to provide their business and clients with specialised field support services.

A significant job included the restoration of critical site communication for a rig and well services business in Queensland. We were able to minimise downtime with the restoration of satellite communications. 

We look forward to further opportunities to partner with Rig Net.

Dust proof design improves lifespan of equipment

Data communication cabinets are necessary to keep our equipment in good condition, especially when travelling on bumpy and dusty roads in remote locations.

After realising our team was spending too much time cleaning dust out of old cabinets to maintain the equipment, we researched a better solution to reduce our electronic waste and help extend the life of our equipment.

The dustproof design of the new cabinets' limits exposure of the equipment to environmental particles and with the air-to-air heat exchange also lowering the internal temperature up to 25 degrees without a heat exchanger.

The cabinets are made of heavy-duty recyclable materials designed to withstand vibrations often encountered on the roads to our remote locations. 

Remote water site better connected in New Zealand

A remote water site in Paihia, located three hours north of Auckland, often experiences inclement weather and congestion on the 4G network.

Through our remote communications team's experience with satellite communication technology, we successfully implemented a Low Earth orbit network using Starlink to improve the site's communication capabilities.

The onsite team now experience seamless communication connectivity ensuring our teams can deliver essential services for our client.