Saudi Aramco has partnered with Hytera Communications Corporation Limited, a global provider of professional communications technologies and solutions, to provide a dedicated communication solution for Saudi Aramco Jubail Refinery Company (SASREF).
SASREF, wholly owned by Saudi Aramco, is located in Jubail Industrial City, with a refining capacity of 305,000 barrels per day. It has had communication problems with the long-term deployment of the PMR analog MPT1327 system—it had a short-range coverage, especially indoors, and the remote cruise ship area coverage was poor. Customer frequency resources were also limited, and channel utilization rates were low, so the system was constantly busy, leaving users unable to make calls when needed. Finally, the system was beyond service life, and too old to be well-maintained and fully functional.
Hytera developed a customized solution to answer SASREF’s problem, carrying out detailed simulations and tests according to the company’s previous coverage blind area. In order to fully leverage existing network facilities, Hytera designed a new indoor DAS system to ensure reliable coverage. It also provided the Tetra DMO Gateway solution to cover the dark area on the cruise ship.
To address the remaining issues, considering the limitations of 400Mhz band resources and the difficulty in obtaining them, Hytera customized 360-360Mhz Tetra products.
Working with a refiner presents specific challenges, so taking into account the hazards of the worksite, including flammable gas, Hytera provided SASREF with the Hytera PT790Ex, the first Tetra intrinsically-safe radio meeting the highest explosion-proof standards in the world. This system complies with the highest grade “ia” of ATEX standards to ensure that it helps without compromising worker safety.
It is also designed to comply with MILSTD 810G and IP67 Protection Ratings, ensuring the best performance even in the toughest conditions.
Hytera helped the refinery company with communications coverage that is both wide-reaching and reliable, while incorporating best work practices to maximize profits and minimize safety risks to workers and to the environment.
