Queensland LNG project gets Motorola digital comms

Motorola Solutions has completed installation of a dedicated TETRA network for Queensland Gas Corporation’s (QGC) liquefied natural gas project in southern Queensland.

Built at a cost of $32 million, the system is now one of the largest TETRA wireless networks in Australia, having expanded beyond its original scope to include all communications in the field while the organisation’s fibre network is being deployed. The expansion has ensured QGC meets its exploration schedule by enabling the gathering of telemetry at the wellhead and transmission of data in real time to its command centres.

In addition, TETRA’s data capabilities have enabled QGC to use the network for all of its critical communications in the field. The backbone microwave network is currently supporting CCTV cameras in remote areas, as well as operational functions such as email, telephony and printing.

Motorola began working with QGC on the deployment of the 28-site network in 2011. The microwave and TETRA wide-area network links the central processing plant in the gas fields to the company’s processing plants, field compression stations, main line valve stations, Chinchilla office and logistics facility, and its corporate office in Brisbane.

The infrastructure includes vehicle terminals with GPS tracking, handheld terminals, desk terminals, dispatcher console and voice recording facility. To date, more than 1500 devices have been deployed for staff on the ground.

With microwave infrastructure throughput capacity reaching 200 MB on larger links within the network, QGC has been able to use the network to help meet its exploration schedule through the gathering of telemetry and transmission of critical data such as maps and seismic readings across its remote sites.

QGC’s liquefied natural gas project is one of Australia’s largest capital infrastructure projects, involving expanding exploration and development in southern and central Queensland, and transporting gas through a 540 km underground pipeline network to Curtis Island, near Gladstone, where it will be liquefied.