Savi and partners launch RFID solution
Automation, Nov  16  2009 (Digital Energy Journal)

- Savi, a Lockheed Martin company, has formed a strategic alliance with Shipcom Wireless and KBR Wireless to offer a complete software solution with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking.

The Savi SmartChain Enterprise Platform and Asset Management application is the basis of the alliance’s combined solution, which uses real-time data from Savi’s active RFID tags and KBR’s passive RFID tags, which can be fixed to all kinds of oil and gas assets.

As a result, supplies and equipment will be automatically located and managed as they are moved from onshore operations facilities, through port transfer facilities, and finally to offshore rigs.

Typical supplies include vital consumable goods and equipment such as risers, choke valves, wire rope, stud tensioners, slings and wellheads, in addition to various containment and transport units that store and deliver material to oil platforms.

The fully integrated solution can help the oil and gas industry minimize rig downtime, enhance asset utilization, reduce manual processing, and lessen data errors, write-offs, shrinkage and theft, says Savi. Although new to the oil and gas industry, this type of solution already has proven successful in the chemical, aerospace, defense and other industries, the company says.

The solution works like this: KBR Wireless passive RFID tags are fixed to consumables and assets, which are then loaded into Cargo Carrying Units (CCUs) tagged with Savi’s own battery-powered RFID sensor tags. Savi’s fixed and mobile RFID infrastructure are designed to collect tag data as the assets move through the supply chain to oil and gas production facilities.

Savi and Shipcom Wireless integrated software has been developed to process and manage the RFID data, providing real-time visibility, and transforming the data into reports, analytics, automated alerts and other actionable knowledge on the location, condition and security of assets and shipments.

The system can also use environmental sensors to monitor security breaches as well as heat and humidity conditions inside the container that might affect supplies. Real-time information about the contents and security status of the containers also can be integrated into government customs and national security systems.

Savi

<<BACK