Cameras on rigs provide drillers and investors with well site info and reduce sie visits
Video cameras are becoming more common in derricks, on the rig floor, and around drill sites. Installations range from a small number of fixed cameras on a land rig to as many as 100 motorized cameras accompanying an automated drilling system on a semisubmersible.
Cameras provide additional security and can increase operator profitability by reducing operations downtime. Onsite video footage can be an excellent training aid, showing new recruits what takes place in a live oilfield environment as well as coaching advanced trouble-shooting.
Closed-circuit systems that transmit real-time data are well established, and providing video footage along with streaming data is a natural step.
Vancouver Canada based Acura Embedded Systems Inc. provides live, streaming video services to operators and drilling contractors. The company leases high-resolution video systems for drill sites, transmits activity via satellite, and provides real-time coverage viewable over the Internet. Its proprietary AcuVision Surveillance System allows operators and investors to monitor operations through live video bundled with data feeds, provided through a secure content delivery network, and run operating systems at the same time. Having cameras at the drill site increases accountability, safety, and security. A typical installation on a land rig includes three cameras on the rig floor providing views of the driller’s console, the rotary table, and the v-door, with a fourth camera near the edge of the drilling pad to provide a full-site view, but installations are fully customizable and can include additional cameras.