Globalstar Solutions
To Monitor Fleets
and Safeguard Oil
Industry Workers In
Tunisia
November
17, 2016
Globalstar Europe
Satellite Services
Ltd, announced
today three
contract wins in the
North African oil
industry. These new
customers have
chosen to deploy
iVMS (Integrated
Vehicle Monitoring
System) from
Tunisian Globalstar
partner, Virtual
Mobile Data (VMD).
iVMS switches
seamlessly between
Globalstar’s simplex
satellite network
and the land-based
GSM/GPRS network to
ensure the safety of
people and equipment
even in the most
remote areas.
VMD worked with
local technology
partner,
Neuron Technology
Systems
(NTS), to design
iVMS, which switches
automatically to
simplex satellite
communications when
the GSM network
becomes unreliable
or if a GPRS
transmission fails
for any reason.
In VMD’s most recent
deployment, a
Ukrainian oil
services company is
using 30 iVMS
devices, which
incorporate
Globalstar’s
SmartOne B simplex
tracker, to help its
oil exploration and
production customers
monitor their
vehicle fleets and
safeguard staff
across Tunisia. The
devices monitor
vehicles used for
transporting heavy
engineering
equipment, including
scientific engines
for seismic
measurement, as well
as monitoring
vehicles used to
transport personnel.
Early in 2016, a
Tunisian civil works
contractor,
Kilani Enterprise
for Public Works,
deployed iVMS
to track its fleet
of
4x4 vehicles, for
better fleet
security and to help
monitor driver
behaviour.
iVMS gives
Kilani Entreprise
the precise
location of its
fleet as well as
transmitting engine
data which indicates
driver performance
such as sudden
braking or
unexpected
acceleration.
In addition,
Kilani Enterprise
has been
using Globalstar’s
SPOT handheld
devices since 2013
as its only means of
safeguarding staff
carrying out
operations in
southern Tunisia’s
vast desert.
In a third recent
iVMS deployment, VMD
integrated SmartOne
B transmitters with
GPRS devices from
another local
reseller, MYCOM, for
a Tunisian services
company whose
support for oil
industry firms
includes providing
equipment,
transportation, site
maintenance and
staff services. The
company is using 56
iVMS devices to
track transporters
and containers
carrying mechanical
and oil rig
equipment used in
petroleum production
and refining.
VMD customised
solutions for all
three deployments by
adding a one-touch
SOS button onto the
drivers’ dashboards
which alerts the
respective
companies’ in-house
security teams if
anyone is in danger,
requires emergency
medical help or if
the intervention of
security forces is
needed. This level
of always-on
connectivity is an
essential security
measure in the
remote regions in
which oil operations
take place. iVMS
integration with
VMD’s own partner
platform enables
security
notifications to be
sent via email, SMS
or other means.
For all three wins,
VMD’s
Globalstar-based
solution was
selected after a
thorough evaluation
of other
technologies and was
chosen because its
reliability,
affordability and
network coverage.
VMD decided to put
Globalstar’s
SmartOne B simplex
asset manager at the
heart of its
dual-technology
communications
solution because of
its dependability,
long battery life
and ability to
automatically switch
between battery and
line-power as
required. SmartOne
uses motion sensors
and comparative GPS
positions to gather
and transmit asset
status information
over Globalstar’s
satellite
constellation, the
only complete next
generation mobile
satellite network in
orbit today.
Jamel Hajji, Sales &
Marketing Manager at
VMD, said:
“As oil exploration
and production once
again starts growing
in Africa, providers
of logistics and
other support
services are being
called upon to work
in more and more
remote regions.
Knowing the location
of assets 24/7, and
safeguarding
personnel as they
transit to and from
remote oil
operations sites, is
essential.”
“The operational
challenges posed by
inadequate GSM
coverage in the
regions where oil is
extracted are
compounded by
remote, inhospitable
terrain, and
additional security
risks,” commented
Karim Chagra, Health
Safety Security
Environment (HSSE)
Manager with Kilani
Entreprise for
Public Works.
“Thanks to the
expertise and
support of VMD and
Globalstar, we have
a cost-effective and
capable tracking and
monitoring system
that enables us to
work more
efficiently and
securely.”
