Tech Information.

By Bhavana Navuluri

Schlumberger Information Solutions, a supplier of information technology to the oilfield industry, has launched wireless broadband service for offshore and remote oil and gas drilling rigs and production platforms, in partnership with BT Openzone.

The service, which the companies says is the first-of-its-kind, offers email, instant messaging and webcam facilities to offshore workers to keep in touch with their friends and family onshore.

Demetrios Stellas, vice president for digital infrastructure at SIS, said: "Increasingly, offshore workers expect to have access to the internet services that they can get at home. We believe that this new service will be recognised as a real benefit by oil workers who often work in harsh and difficult environments both offshore and in frontier locations."

The Wi-Fi service has successfully completed a three-month trial at the Byford Dolphin rig in the North Sea by providing wireless connectivity over the rig's main satellite link. It has enabled about 100 workers on the rig to use their laptops and PDAs to access the internet. The connectivity remained unaffected by the movements and distances of the rig.

Tim Passingham, general manager for BT oil and gas, said: "The BT and Schlumberger Offshore wireless connectivity service allows the industry to realise further the benefits promised by the Digital Oilfield."

Schlumberger will now offer the Wi-Fi service globally for remote and offshore drilling and production operations. Users can buy vouchers onboard or can subscribe to the service online. The service is also offered to UK-based BT Total Broadband customers, who are members of the BT FON community.