Oil and Gas Industry
Improving Operations with 5G-Enabled Drones at a Refinery Area
Summary
This case study research represents an oil and gas industry which is characterized by long-term ambitious sustainability targets. The case company Neste is also in the middle of a major renewal: moving from fossil oil to renewable and circular solutions. Digitalization is seen as an important tool to transform its industrial processes in a large refinery area, where drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) are used for video surveillance of pipelines, plants, and infrastructure, to increase both safety and efficiency. Real-time streaming of high-definition video from drones, combined with analytics for detection, can help energy providers identify risks and defects, such as a leaking pipe. 5G technology enables a new level of wireless communications, including enhanced data security and reliability, and low latency to support increased density of remote applications and video analytics.