SCADA Remote Monitoring Powered by Cradlepoint and NetCloud

Overview | An Oil and Gas Company Launched A SCADA System Across Oklahoma and Texas

As a Colorado-based, private equity-backed organization that provides crude oil and gas liquids midstream and marketing/logistics solutions in North America was preparing to launch its new cloud-centric Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system across Oklahoma and Texas, it realized that it was also time to replace its costly VSAT satellite connectivity solutions.

The organization wanted to ensure that whatever solutions they implemented and deployed would meet their current and future needs. They also wanted to ensure that the solutions were financially responsible while addressing concerns around operational efficiency.

Challenges

Deploying A Reliable, Cost-Efficient, and Secure WAN With A Small Team And Strict Budget

The organization required reliable and cost-efficient WAN connections for its Lease Automatic Custody Transfer (LACT) units that gauge the volume and quality of crude oil before transportation. LTE-based broadband was the top choice for transmitting data from the field to the cloud, which offered remotely managed carrier flexibility.

The Operational Technology Manager at the organization emphasized the critical importance of connectivity at highly automated oil and gas sites, stating, "At highly automated oil and gas sites, connectivity is essential. If we lose communications, that site will shut itself down. We simply can't let that happen."

While the team's ultimate goal was to find a solution enabling them to deploy the WAN connections for the LACT, they also had other challenges to overcome.

Costly and Complex Information Security Solutions

Protecting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) data from potential attacks was a critical concern, but traditional approaches had their own obstacles to overcome. For example, MPLS offers secure transport but there are better solutions for the organization's budgetary requirements. IPSec tunnels were another option, but the intensive deployment process would have required so much effort, manpower, and time that it would have no longer been cost-effective for the multi-site project.

Dependence on Static IP Addresses

Acquiring a new IP address for each device would have been expensive and cumbersome to manage, potentially straining the company's finances. Additionally, integrating recently acquired sites into the company's corporate network and manually reconfiguring LAN settings would have been time-consuming.

Limited IT Team for Managing a Widespread IIoT Network

Since the company's IT team consisted of only three members and no dedicated networking specialists, managing cellular connectivity and security for oil measurement units across numerous locations would have been daunting.

Solution

Cradlepoint’s NetCloud Service for IoT and IBR600 LTE Routers

Ultimately, the business opted for Cradlepoint's NetCloud Service for IoT, a solution that offers cloud-managed cellular connectivity and robust data security for its LACT units. This choice ensures the secure and uninterrupted transmission of vital IIoT data across each state within the deployment.

Speaking about the solution, the Operational Technology Manager said, "Many of our oil and gas pipeline sites are way out in areas that lack sufficient coverage with a particular carrier. Cradlepoint's dual-modem solutions keep our SCADA information moving at the rate of business, which is nonstop."

The NetCloud Service encompasses various features, including edge computing, SD-Perimeter technology for device-to-cloud security, and cloud configuration and troubleshooting. These capabilities are seamlessly delivered through a Cradlepoint IBR600 router with built-in LTE connectivity. Additionally, some locations have implemented a COR Extensibility Dock with the router, facilitating automatic and immediate failover between different carriers when needed. For more robust applications, we recommend the newer R920 router.

Results

A Cost-Effective Solution That Improved Operational Efficiency

As a result of this implementation, the company has enjoyed a more cost-effective solution that features seamless carrier switching, robust segregation of IIoT data from corporate data, and heightened operational efficiency. This strategic shift has allowed the organization's operations to benefit from increased network reliability, enhanced resilience, and the ability to maintain the integrity of critical data, fostering both cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency.

Benefits

Enhanced Performance, Network Security, and Fast Deployment

WAN Adaptability

The organization traded its costly VSAT connections for LTE connectivity. When configuring an IIoT router with dual LTE modems, the system seamlessly switches from one carrier to another in the event of a network outage, accomplishing this switch automatically within a brief 5-10 seconds.

Cradlepoint's versatile multi-WAN routers also cater to locations where the business requires multi-carrier connectivity and a backup satellite link.

Segregation of IIoT Data

To establish a cost-effective private overlay network for the IIoT data collected from its widely dispersed LACT units, the company employed Cradlepoint's NetCloud Perimeter, powered by SD-Perimeter technology. This approach allowed the company to maintain the existing LAN configurations at each site without reconfiguring subnets, IP addresses, and related settings. Each exclusive, invite-only, zero-trust network fully isolates and conceals data transmitted over the public Internet. Additionally, NetCloud Perimeter's private IP space eliminated the need for the organization to purchase new addresses for each router.

Rapid and Effortless Deployment

With zero-touch router deployment facilitated by NetCloud Manager and the ability to set up a perimeter-secured overlay network in mere minutes using NetCloud Perimeter, the company possesses a highly scalable edge solution as it continues to expand with new sites.

Remote Troubleshooting

Both the organization and contracted third parties utilize Cradlepoint NetCloud Manager to monitor LTE uptime and performance centrally. They can promptly and simultaneously implement cellular configuration adjustments, security updates, and patches across all their SCADA sites. This approach proves far more efficient and cost-effective than the traditional and time-consuming method of dispatching an IT professional to each location whenever network modifications are required.

About MCA and Our CNS Team

MCA is one of the largest and most trusted integrators in the United States, offering world-class voice, data, and security solutions that enhance the quality, safety, and productivity of customers, operations, and lives. More than 65,000 customers trust MCA to provide carefully researched solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace.

Our Cellular Networking Solutions (CNS) team (formerly known as USAT) is made up of certified experts in designing and deploying fixed and mobile wireless data connectivity solutions for public and private enterprises nationwide - complete with implementation, training, proof of concept (POC), system auditing, and on-site RF surveying services with optional engineering maintenance contracts.

Our extensive catalog of world-class routers, gateways, and software designed for remote monitoring and management in even the harshest environments allows us to deliver a full suite of reliable technologies capped with a service-first approach.

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