Offshore Oil Rig Hose Management Transformed by RFID Inventory System
An Efficient Asset Management Solution for Challenging Conditions
Imagine trying to manage the operations of 1,000 to 3,000 hoses on an offshore oil rig. The work is dirty, and equipment is exposed to a wide range of weather extremes, harsh sun exposure, and corrosive ocean water. When a hose fails on an offshore rig, it’s no small thing. Work must halt until it is repaired at the cost of $25,000 an hour. Offshore rigs aren’t easy to access, making it vital to carefully manage hose replacement inventory.
RFID Supported by a Functional Offline System
An asset management company for oil and gas saw an opportunity in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to streamline hose maintenance and inventory management. RFID tags were the perfect answer to this problem because nothing visual is required for them to function. RFID technology works even if the tags are covered in dirt and oil. When RFID tags are scanned, they return a unique identifier. The unique identifier represents a unique hose record in the database and allows it to retrieve the information for a given hose. A picture of the hose is taken and assessed over 3, 6, and 9 months to help oil workers troubleshoot the lifespan of different types of hoses.
A key member of Argis Solutions’ current development team architected the system supporting these magnetically charged tags.
Faster, Easier Inventory Management
A large oil company in the Middle East began testing the new RFID inventory system with great success. When rigs were surveyed, the surveyor tagged all the hoses in a given location. The hose data was then uploaded into a system that could work offline, an element necessary due to the remote location of these oil rigs. If a hose failed or was near failure, a worker scanned the RFID tag and immediately obtained data needed for hose replacement. Then they checked their current hose inventory. If the needed hose wasn’t available, they could quickly order a new one to keep downtime to a minimum.
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