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Satellite Leader Offers Invulnerability, Resilience

Pedro Hoyos - GlobalSat
CCO

STORY INLINE POST

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 12:30

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Q: How has GlobalSat’s relationship with the oil and gas industry developed?

A: GlobalSat mainly works in the gas transportation and refined products segment of the oil and gas industry. With liquid and gas transportation, we monitor what is being transported by the pipelines. This service is available for companies receiving the liquids and gas and for those transporting them. We also have services in E&P but they are mainly for fixed onshore rigs because those adapt better to our business model. Offshore communications need facilities for maintenance and support at the ports where the platforms are docked and are therefore serviced by local companies. We plan to start offering these services in the future, possibly through a joint venture with a support company that manages installation and services while we provide capacity but that is yet to be decided. We are in the planning stages for offshore business; we are not in a rush.

Q: What services does GlobalSat offer its customers?

A: Our service can be associated to a public or private network. At our satellite hub we decide which kind of access is offered, be it open or private, according to each client’s needs. Most of our large corporate clients have monitoring activities and they often want to receive training from us on how to install Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) routers and Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs). They are therefore the only ones who know the physical location of their instruments. This makes their information as close to invulnerable as possible.

This invulnerability also offers resilience. All our hubs have a backup system both in the software and hardware as well as in the power input. Software and hardware backup is achieved through a 1-to-1 redundancy received from our service provider, ensuring all systems are always available and in optimal condition. As for power input, our facilities are backed up by two power plants with the capacity to produce electricity for 16 hours straight. If either plant starts running out of gas we also have a contract with a gas provider that ensures a resupply in just two hours. Our installations are guarded and monitored by private security and a CCTV system running 24/7. We have all these systems in place because we are aware that our clients’ information is extremely sensitive.

Q: How are innovations in telecommunication technologies affecting the oil and gas industry?

A: New services in the Ka band are expected to boom in the coming years but although it is a more affordable technology with a larger bandwidth, companies must be aware of its limitations in availability compared to Ku bands. Under unstable environmental conditions such as rain and fog Ka band loses connection quickly. Furthermore, locations where Ka would be most useful, such as the Mexican south-east, have the harshest environments, making Ka even more unstable. For companies that depend on live, reliable connectivity, Ka band is not an option, it is best suited to residential purposes. That is why all our services involve Ku band, providing our customers with the most reliable and secure connection possible.

Of course, once Ka band achieves the level of reliability that KU band offers, we will consider changing to it. Many companies are short on budget and would therefore be willing to try Ka band to reduce expenses but it is important that they understand that this technology is not yet mature enough to provide the reliability they need.

Q: What are GlobalSat’s expectations for the coming years?

A: With the Energy Reform everyone expected the market to suddenly grow but that did not happen. Instead, 2016 brought a fall in oil prices and a devaluation of the peso against the dollar. This affected the companies we serve so it also affected us. We expect market demand to rebound in 2017 and 2018. GlobalSat is preparing for this by getting the best prices for our customers while ensuring that our services remain personal and reliable. We are also aware that technology markets change rapidly, so there is the possibility of opening a new branch for mass consumers in the future but that is not part of our current five-year plan.

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