What is your role with IEC Telecom and your main responsibilities?
As the managing director of IEC Telecom Middle East, global providers of managed network communication solutions, I am responsible for providing the vision, the overall leadership and also the strategic management of the company across a number of regions including the Middle East, East Africa and also the CIS countries. With solutions provided in various sectors, the vertical markets that we serve include oil and gas, maritime and humanitarian sectors.
What sort of involvement does your firm have with the oil and gas industry?
We work closely with our customers and are involved from consultation and implementation right through to the servicing stages. Our links are in the core network of major E&P operators, and our solutions are in many remote rigs. We provide tailored corporate solutions as well as solutions that are aimed at staff welfare. We work closely with satellite providers to develop products and solutions to enable the digital platform concept to optimise the operation efficiency and enhance workflow automation.
Do you think the oil price is linked to how much E&P operators choose to utilise the services of telecom providers in monitoring and assessing their sites?
Definitely, we are in a world where we have a proliferation of software applications, and a global distribution of work teams. Having the right tools and connections can facilitate data sharing and collaboration between different teams across the world. It also helps make faster and easier decision-making providing valuable and instant support. Integration of data from different oilfields and different systems can be a solid base for full automation of workflow.
What are the latest technologies which could benefit oil and gas operators in your view?
There are many technologies and applications that can help oil and gas operators work more efficiently. The possibility of sharing data is one of the most important enablers. Important benefits include advanced data sharing − with high throughput satellite (HTS) remote oil rigs can stay connected, while cloud based applications also allow instant collaboration and access to data.
In your view, what is the outlook for the oil and gas industry in 2018?
The downturn of oil prices once again highlights the genuine importance for companies to evaluate their operations, while looking at a number of different ways to improve their overall profitability and equally their efficiency. One of the emerging trends in this sector is the adoption of digital technologies to improve performance. New solutions have been consistently introduced to the market, supporting teams both based onshore and at sea to stay connected at all times and be more productive and more efficient.
