Research challenges in applying intelligent wireless sensors in the oil, gas and resources industries

The monitoring of oil, gas and resources plant performance and the operational environment through sensors allows for greater insight into potential safety problems and operational requirements. Such solutions promote a safe and healthy work environment for all stakeholders and optimized operations. Intelligent techniques and the monitoring of key historical operational properties can be used to realize certain characteristics and patterns in operation data. Such solutions may enhance operational visualization, foresight, forecasting and maintenance schedules for effective and efficient operation and maintenance. This optimizes plant safety, production, turnarounds, shutdowns and maintenance and improves error tolerance and recovery. However, the development of robust devices that are able to perform in these remote and hostile requirements along with the intelligent solutions to structure, store, process and retrieve this information are difficult to realize. This paper investigates the use of wireless sensors and the related intelligent solutions in the oil, gas and resource industries.