Strengthening WSN Applications in Oil and Gas Industries for Multiple Monitoring Frameworks

Abstract

The IEEE 802.15.4 technical standard has enabled low-power, low-cost and smart Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) capable of reliable multi-hop communications. The companies like International Oil and Gas Company (IOC), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have become the first multinational Oil and Gas Companies operating in the Nigeria Niger Delta region switched from wired to wireless sensor technology. Thus, eliminated the need for cables thereby allowing data collection in remote, swampy areas and enabling new applications. However, using these Wireless Sensor Networks, there are concerns such as reliability, standardisation, energy consumption, data and physical security issues especially in the monitoring of oil and gas installations and infrastructures such as pipelines, oil wells, oil rigs and flow stations. Vandalising and sabotaging of oil pipelines and other infrastructure is common by oil thieves in a region even after the Wireless Sensor deployment. In this paper, the mechanisms that can be carried out to secure oil facilities and wireless sensors being attacked physically or remotely and report incidents on time are discussed.