ITC Global, a leading provider of satellite communications services, and global satellite operator SES announced a capacity deal to connect remote oil, gas and mining operations throughout North America.

As part of the renewed agreement, ITC Global is using the extensive reach and C-band capacity aboard the SES-2 satellite to deliver high-speed broadband to crews operating exploration vessels and oil rigs from the Gulf of Mexico to Northern Canada. SES-2 and its broad footprint is enabling oil, gas and mining companies to operate more effectively and efficiently by extending corporate network capabilities into some of the remotest and harshest locations in the world, including the resource-rich Yukon region of the Canadian far North.

Crew welfare and the increasing need for real-time rig and pipeline monitoring is driving demand for reliable satellite coverage. Cellular providers are utilizing GSM backhaul services over SES-2 to extend their mobile communications networks offshore to meet operational connectivity needs aboard manned and unmanned rigs deep in the Gulf.

ITC Global utilizes capacity across a number of SES satellites. SES’ AMC-9 spacecraft enables a broad range of applications across the U.S. and beyond, including unique maritime applications across the Canadian Great Lakes. SES’ NSS-10 satellite is playing an important role in ITC Global’s rapid growth in Africa’s oil and gas market, while its NSS-12 satellite is also serving the oil rich coasts of Africa and Australia.

“As ITC Global continues to grow in Canada, we benefit from the reach and flexibility of SES satellites, along with their commitment to providing world-class satellite services in even the remotest stretches of Northern Canada,” said Michael Spytek, Vice President of Satellite Engineering, ITC Global. “The SES-2 satellite provides broad coverage we require to serve the needs of the evolving oil, gas and mining markets throughout North America.”

“SES is pleased to be supporting ITC with reliable and cost effective communications in the Canadian North,” noted John Matlaga, Vice President of Mobility and Enterprise Services for SES in North America. “Our SES-2 satellite is strategically positioned to enable ITC Global to provide both primary and backup connectivity in some of the world’s most isolated locations. This latest agreement represents the next step in a long-lasting partnership aimed at extending the communications boundaries for innovators in oil and gas.”