INSIGHTS
Our present world relies heavily on both oil and gas to sustain our required levels of daily energy consumption. Despite the recession and the recent debates regarding extensive oil usage due to both economic and environmental concerns, the oil and gas industry continues to grow and expand while reliable alternative sources of energy have yet to be found. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers in the U.S., a total of 39 business deals within the oil and gas sector were reported and made in a span of three months since July 2010, with a value totaling US$17.6 billion. Due to the combustible nature of oil, gas and other chemicals, these facilities must be fully equipped to prevent a disaster. A fully integrated system can allow for faster response times during emergencies. Everyone who enteres and exits the facility must be fully authorized by means of a secure access control system since these facilities are prime targets for sabotage. Should an accident or miscalculation occur, it can result in a tremendous loss of life as well as negatively affect both the business and the environment, as seen in the disastrous Macondo well leak.
Preventing Disaster in Petrochemical Facilities
Date: 2011/05/10
Source: The Editorial Team
Explosion-Resistant
The use of explosion-resistant cameras and cabling is a must for the operators securing oil and gas facilities, Songe-Moller said. These solutions are designed for hazardous locations. “Such areas are typically characterized as having potential explosion risks associated with the presence of combustible gases, vapors or liquids under normal operating conditions,” Liong said.
More importantly, equipment must not cause any sparks that might ignite an explosion. A spark could completely demolish a facility, making explosion-proof equipment mandatory, Liong said.
Integrated Solutions
Currently, most security systems are still not fully integrated and coordinated. “The new holistic approach will take a few more years to pick up,” Liong said.
Despite a slow uptake, integration with access, video and intrusion detection will be a trend, with a noticeable increase in high-security markets. “Although integration is not anything new, its uptake to the security market is now coming to fruition, particularly in the U.K. and Asia,” Verner said. “Large customers want the ideal integrated solution of video, intrusion detection, fire, perimeter and elevator security — with the access control system acting as the central security management system. The aim of integration is to provide a single GUI for all the functions required in a control room while also providing a single reporting tool for management.”
All alarms can be integrated with surveillance for visual verification. “Often, the surveillance system is at the front end, and external alarms and inputs are integrated into the system. One can set the surveillance system to perform specific actions when an alarm is triggered — any type of coordination can be set up, which includes bookmarks set to the video, audio and written alarm lists,” Songe-Moller said. “All alarms should automatically inform security guards of any alerts using blackmonitor technology. The guards are forced to acknowledge the alarm, since e-mail messages are sent to key personnel and all recordings are tagged accordingly.”
It is critical that the overall integrated system can provide convenience in terms of usuage and analyzing the received information, Ostrovskaya said. “By effectively integrating the system at both the high- and low-level protocols, the result is a comprehensive platform which addresses all security response and mangement requirements.”
IP Uptake
Many oil and gas facilities focus on stability, reliability and network redundancy. Latency is an issue, especially for operators using the safety systems to perform dangerous actions, such as operating a crane, Songe-Moller said.