Liaodong Bay Offshore Platform Realizes Full Mobile Signal Coverage

Week-long testing of 4G offshore signals on platforms on the Suizhong 36-1 oil field in the Liaodong Bay area was recently completed by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and China Telecommunications Corporation. Since then, all of the over 30 offshore platforms in the area are fully covered by mobile phone signals.

"Ten years ago, as platforms are far off the land, mobile phones were only functional as alarm clocks. The only thing we could use to stay in contact with families was an IP landline, so there was always a long waiting line for it," said Liao Weiping, operational head of the CEPD platform on the Jinzhou 9-3 oil field. "Now, with mobile phone signals, we have more communication with families. It is also a way to stay in touch with what's happening out there."

Workers on the platforms have been using their phones to communicate with families and co-workers offshore and onshore through apps such as WeChat and QQ. Many were delighted about the change as better communications helps to address many of their practical problems.

In recent years, in response to the nation's call for information-led development among energy companies, CNOOC has been working on expanding offshore communication and IT service platforms for better marine communication.

In May 2017, the company installed a 4G communication station in the Qikou 18-1 area of the Bohai Sea, the first of its kind in the whole area. In June this year, having tackled complex technical issues in realizing high-quality transmission and ultra-long range coverage frequency, the company installed the first 4G station in the South China Sea at Yacheng area, 104 kilometers southeast of Hainan Island.

"We have been working against all odds and promoting cooperation with regional operators in order to realize full signal coverage on these platforms. In the case of production platforms on the Bohai Sea, a 65 percent coverage rate is expected to be achieved within the year, and a 100 percent coverage rate by the end of next year," said IT manager Yang Haibin of the Bohai Petroleum Administration. 

(Executive editor: Zhang Tianyuan)