How 5G Can Transform MENA’s Oil & Gas Sector

Since the Middle East and Africa (MENA) is one of the largest net energy exporters in the world, the region is projected to be one of the first to utilize such the latest 5G networks to update its Internet of Things (IoT) projects. While production costs are among the lowest in the world, the MENA region must step up by supporting operational excellence across 5G and IoT in order to sustain and raise its share of the oil and gas markets.

Establishing a comprehensive database of workflow operations that can be evaluated and visualized – with workflows coordinated across the business units – is one of the critical factors of operational excellence. 

Furthermore, the advent of 5G offers MENA producers the opportunity to integrate advanced manufacturing and operations techniques with smart digital technology. They can build a digital enterprise that is not only integrated and decentralized but can also interact, interpret, and leverage data to push more strategic intervention back into the physical environment.

Key Technologies Transforming The O&G Sector

MENA’s national oil and gas sector is uniquely situated to harness 5G, IoT, and R&D capabilities to develop at speed and scale, resolving existing and new challenges. There are some key technologies that would be crucial to the usage of oil and gas over the next years.

The replacement of wired LAN ecosystems is one of the biggest prospects for 5G technologies. Through the launch of 5G, providers will change the wired networked approach to wireless connectivity.

Another technology is the OEM Failsafe Condition Monitoring. For certain high-speed high-risk infrastructure, operators are exploring the implementation of IoT overlay technology to track, collect data, and initiate shutdown instructions. Connectivity across 5G fast capacity networks is key to make such investments viable. 

Since the introduction of field-proven and affordable devices, the capacity to produce reliable data is no longer a constraint. The biggest challenge is the expense of bringing computational computing power to the ground. For 5G, this issue is partially mitigated by Intelligent Resource Management.

The improved decision support rendered possible by augmented reality (AR) would also transform mobile field operations in the oil and gas sector. Every development and maintenance method that leverages AR would allow operators to conduct field functions more productively by collaboration with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) via shared virtual environments.

Ultimately, 5G modems can improve cybersecurity with built-in identification keys that can continually verify approved devices that are sent to the domains of the network. This also allows the third level of protection by running cloud-centric AI/ML algorithms to detect abnormal processes for networked components.

MENA is Leading the World’s 5G Development

MENA is well ahead of the majority of the world in the race to deploy commercial 5G networks. The Global Network for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) predicted that there would be more than 50 million 5G connections throughout the MENA region by 2025, accounting for about 30% of the region’s population.

The GCC countries, including Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, have become the forerunners of the implementation of 5G networks in the Middle East region in 2019. While, countries including Oman, Lebanon, Egypt, and Turkey are projected to push the next 5G surge of expansion in the world in the next few years. Across these countries, authorities have either auctioned or are preparing to grant a 5G spectrum, and, on the other hand, mobile network providers are building 5G network infrastructures and performing 5G trials.