Petrobas Peru Selects FreeWave Technologies for Wireless Communications Network

BOULDER, Colo., June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- FreeWave Technologies, (http://www.freewave.com), manufacturer of the most reliable, high-performance spread spectrum and licensed radios for critical data transmission, has been chosen by Petrobas, the sixth largest energy company in the world, for the automation of several SCADA applications in Peru and several other countries. Currently, Petrobas Peru has many FreeWave radios operating in the field and the network continues to grow. Petrobas currently uses FreeWave FGR09CSU serial radios and several HTplus Ethernet radios at oil collection sites, treatment plants, water ejection sites and compression stations.

Prior to selecting FreeWave radios, Petrobas Peru started a pilot test using a competing brand of wireless radios. The goal was to have several test sites reporting to a gateway and then into a SCADA system. The challenge of the installation was to communicate to sites that were located in depressions, canyons or small streams that do not have clear Line-of-Site (LOS). Radios were installed at 18 different locations. Engineers at Petrobas Peru attempted to get the pilot network working for several weeks, but the radios they were using caused large amounts of ambient noise and failed to establish reliable or consistent links.

"Without working links we would have to consider the pilot a failure," explained Carlos Cieza, project engineer, at Petrobas Peru. "We had some FreeWave FGR09CSU Series radios that were used for other SCADA applications, so we decided to install them in an attempt to save the pilot. After a quick set-up, we were able to establish a link almost immediately. We were extremely impressed with the flexibility and reliability of FreeWave's radios, especially considering how difficult it had been to set up the other vendor's radios."

The FreeWave board level FGR09CSU 900 MHz serial radios demonstrated better performance and versatility in the applications with virtually no LOS. After deploying FreeWave radios, the pilot was determined to be a success. The board level radios offer a cost-effective solution that allows users to incorporate wireless communications into a wide variety of applications. Additionally, it offers a variety of interface options including, a 6-30 VDC operating voltage, a temperature range of -40 degrees C to +75 degrees C, surface mount design, no additional RF shielding, and a unit with Class 1 Div 2 classification.

For projects that require a lot of transmission of data, such as at the oil collection sites, Petrobas Peru also uses the FreeWave HTplus Ethernet radio for backhaul. The FreeWave Technologies' HTplus is ideal for customers who need an industrial grade high-speed Ethernet radio that operates in harsh environments and noisy RF conditions. Delivering data at a rate of up to 867Kbps, the HTplus is an excellent radio for SCADA backhaul networks. The HT product family supports UDP, TCP and serial communications, all in one package.

"The Petrobas Peru installation is a perfect example of how our radios work in some of the world's most challenging environments," said Roy Rosado, business development executive for Latin American Markets at FreeWave Technologies. "The FreeWave radios are located in a coastal environment in Piura, Peru where the local average temperature is 35 degrees C [95 F]. Small rivers and large amounts of rain in the summer add to the Line-of-Site (LOS) difficulty. Yet, with all these complications, we have seen our radios continually transmit critical data and seamlessly integrate into the SCADA system for Petrobas Peru."

About FreeWave Technologies

Founded in 1993, FreeWave Technologies manufactures the most reliable, high performing, lowest power consumption, spread spectrum and licensed radios for mission-critical data transmission. Through engineering excellence and a relentless commitment to best-in-class manufacturing, FreeWave customers enjoy superior radio up-time, range and the lowest cost of ownership available. Based in Boulder, Colorado, FreeWave designs and manufactures radios that are the leading choice for oil and gas, utility, military and numerous other industrial applications. Organizations that count on radio data communications for operational success – where failure and down-time are not an option – trust FreeWave for custom network design, system engineering and customer support that are unparalleled in the market. For additional information, contact FreeWave directly at 866.399.4930 or at [email protected]. Visit the company's website at www.freewave.com.

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Christin Jeffers
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SOURCE FreeWave Technologies