Australian satellite and IT comms provider Speedcast has deployed a private LTE network across four natural gas plants for Brazilian energy integrator Origem Energia in the state of Alagoas in the northeast of the country. The project has been carried out by Speedcast’s local entity, SC Caprock, and uses Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud networking solution and MX Industrial Edge (MXIE) edge platform. It utilises Band 28 spectrum at 700 MHz.
The new network, billed as “mission critical”, is upgradeable to 5G, said Nokia. It will be used to connect workers at the gas plants, as well as associated wells, plus local residents in the region. It will stand up voice and video (push-to-talk and push-to-video) communications, as well as sundry automation cases, security cameras, asset tracking, and health and safety applications, said Nokia. Speedcast’s own satellite IoT capabilities are included too.
Origem Energia is the first energy company to deploy private LTE for with onshore production in Brazil, said Nokia. SC Caprock is handling regulatory approval and providing network management “support”. Speedcast has been working with Nokia on private LTE projects for mining and energy customers since 2020; the pair have a “long-term agreement”, they say.
André Gustavo Sant’Anna, country manager for Speedcast in Brazil, said: “In addition to voice and video, we are looking at carrying telemetry data from wells, providing a video-based AI application to detect unauthorised access to wells in remote locations, worker tracking and health and safety wearables. Wherever technology can add value to operations, integrating it is straightforward and cost-effective.”
Nokia claims to have installed “mission-critical networks” for 2,200 enterprises, and private LTE/5G for 485 “large” enterprises. Marcelo Entreconti, head of enterprise for Nokia in Latin America, said: “Nokia’s… private wireless networks are the backbone and best starting point for the energy sector’s digital transformation…. We are looking forward to new projects with [SC Caprock and Origem Energia] in the years to come.”
