Ever vigilant in their quest to increase decision quality and decrease decision times, energy companies both large and small are investigating a number of new initiatives on rigs, including the use of radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID tags aid in the tracking of people and assets, and they enhance existing ERP and asset tracking systems. RFID technology is affordable and quick to deploy, with RFID readers needing only a 12 volt or POE (power over Ethernet) connection and network connection.   
    Down-hole instrumentation likely will take a quantum leap forward with the development of down-hole fiber optic sensors. The amount of data from each well is anticipated to be 2 terabytes per day. This amount of data will require some pre-processing at the rig site before it is sent to the supercomputers for additional number crunching, but it is easy to see these initiatives will drive additional demand for bandwidth.   
    The development of collaborative systems on drilling rigs is one of the most important trends of the future. Expect to see more work done onshore through real-time data centers. The development of high-speed satellite links allows computers to handle more of the load on a rig, which translates to smaller crew sizes. Energy companies are tight-lipped about these developments and many companies are developing customized applications. The technical resources needed to drill a well no longer have to be located on the rig and can be relocated at a company office. The development of these systems will create additional demand for satellite bandwidth.
    Satellite links connect drilling rigs around the world, allowing engineers and geophysicists to augment the tool pusher’s expertise, which in turn leads to better and faster decisions. The greater reliance on computing systems will eventually lead to smaller crew sizes. As computing capabilities have advanced, the amount of data to be processed on a rig and reviewed has increased. This has increased the demand for satellite bandwidth, with multi-megabit circuits now commonplace. Satellite modems and stabilized antennas have improved to provide higher throughputs and hardware manufacturers are being called on to develop even higher throughput solutions. Expect these trends to continue.
    The rig of the past was fueled by grit and determination. The rig of the future will rely heavily on computers, sensors, instrumentation and expert systems to help cut drilling time and make rigs a safer place to work. All of this bodes well for the satellite sector.