Oil and gas facilities are essential elements of the supply chain and beyond. How can we help ensure that they stay protected and operational?
The importance of oil and gas security.
The oil and gas industry is essential to our society – it provides the fuel that keeps our people and economy moving. When thieves strike at oil and gas facilities, the effects reverberate through the supply chain and impact everyone along the way.
Oil theft has significant financial and logistical impacts, and thieves target them for a variety of materials – including precious metals, natural gas, and petroleum based products that are at risk of being stolen in the blink of an eye. There is also significant risk of property damage and equipment tampering, which in turn affects production and the supply chain overall. Machinery such as drilling rigs, distillation units, catalytic converters, and other essential and expensive equipment are at risk of theft, tampering, and damage. There are also serious health and safety risks that thieves take when they target these properties, and as such, these facilities require a high level of security and protection.
Oil and gas theft is both illegal and dangerous.
We are only a few months into 2024 and there have already been major incidents that only bolster the call for improved oil refinery security. In January, RCMP arrested two men after conducting a months-long investigation into a string of oil and gas thefts. The two were responsible for multiple incidents at oil and gas sites throughout Grand Prairie, AB; a province where the local economy depends on the oil and gas industry. The actions of the thieves were not only illegal but also very dangerous, as oil sites contain many hazards within that could cause potential injury or even death. A proactive security solution could have prevented the thefts in the first place, potentially avoiding a lengthy and costly investigation (1)
Another January incident at oil and gas facilities has also raised the cause for alarm. Three people were arrested in connection with theft from several oil sites in Drumheller, AB. The thieves were able to make their getaway without detection, but didn’t get very far. Police caught up with the suspects in their truck and discovered a large amount of stolen copper wire in the truck’s bed. The incident occurred over a weekend when there was less activity on the site. The thieves’ actions were very serious, as theft of copper wire has very destructive consequences on oil facilities and their production pipeline. (2)
Proactive security and Live Remote Video Monitoring could have made the difference by deterring the criminals and alerting law enforcement before they left the property.
How can we help provide effective oil security?
Site Planning and Assessment builds a custom security solution
Deploying effective security in oil and gas refineries is essential to property and asset protection. Our Logistics Team, comprised of highly skilled security professionals, will first conduct a Site Assessment of your property for potential vulnerabilities, outlining the best vantage points for camera placement, and building a custom security solution that fits the need of your site. Oil facilities are complex properties with many angles that require protection, and our team can ensure the proper areas are adequately covered. One of the first steps in establishing proactive security on-site is placing highly visible deterrence signage around the perimeter fencing as an initial layer of deterrence. The needs and requirements of effective oil and gas security systems are much different than those of other sites, and our team will ensure your security plan is fully suited to your property.
Artificial Intelligence increases accurate and effective detections
Artificial intelligence is changing the face of proactive security. Through our revolutionary AI platform, our Monitoring team have the ability to accurately detect suspects as they approach an oil & gas facility. AI differentiates human movement from other objects on-site – machinery, inventory, weather conditions, and more. As soon as a trespasser is detected by AI, our Monitoring team will immediately intervene to issue proactive deterrents.
Video Security Units provide oil and gas surveillance
Our Video Security Units are marvels of modern security. They are equipped with two high-resolution stationary cameras that establish perimeter protection and situational awareness, as well as a high-res PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera that zooms in on important details. Oil and gas facilities are multifaceted properties with many areas that require surveillance, and a complete grid of video units can be easily installed on-site to cover all the angles. All units leverage our revolutionary cellular LTE+ platform, which creates a wireless security grid network free of cabled Internet infrastructure which may be lacking on oil sites. All footage is transmitted over our secure MPLS network, back to our UL Certified Monitoring Centre.
Live Remote Video Monitoring deters criminals before they continue
The key to proactive security is deterring criminals by letting them know the site is off limits. Our Live Remote Video Monitoring team proactively deter crime by issuing live deterrents to warn criminals that they are being live monitored. They accomplish this by utilizing loud, authoritative voice commands and bright LED strobe lights to signal to criminals not to continue. If they persist, our team will contact law enforcement to attend the scene if, and when required.
IR Night Vision & Thermal Cameras capture criminals in dark conditions
Oil and gas facilities have many areas that may be concealed due to darker conditions, and these facilities are also more likely to be targeted at night when there is less activity. Infrared night vision fills the camera view with infrared light that makes it easier for our Monitoring team to detect suspects in the dark – bringing them into the light before they can go any further.
In addition, sites can also be protected by optional thermal cameras that detect human heat signatures and bolster the power and effectiveness of our proactive security solutions. When criminals are caught in the heat of the moment, they often leave faster than they arrived.
syncroDetect provides additional protection
In addition to leveraging our Video Security Units, we can offer supplemental protection through our wireless intrusion alarm system, syncroDetect. It can be especially helpful for oil tank security, as our motion sensors will monitor movement through vulnerable areas that may be difficult to cover. Door and window sensors will alert our team if entry points are breached – creating a full envelope of proactive protection. syncroDetect is an affordable security solution that offers additional protection when and where it matters most.
syncroReports is a full service security reporting platform
We believe in providing full transparency for our clients, creating trusting relationships where we all contribute to your site security. Our proprietary reporting platform, syncroReports, brings this transparency to you with the click of a button. Available on any digital device, you’ll be able to view detailed Log Reports, control PTZ camera movement, and view and blacklist vehicles in our syncroPlates license plate database. This revolutionary platform was designed to keep you up to date with your site security and provide effective project management from nearby or remotely – creating a full suite of proactive security protection and reporting.
Through proactive security, oil and gas facilities can deter criminals before they act, protect from the threat of trespassing, theft, and tampering, and ensure the supply chain stays operational.
Resources:
- “Two charged in connection thefts from oil and gas sites”, Cole Fortner, City News Edmonton, January 24, 2024
- “Copper wire stolen from oil sites, 3 people charged: Alta. RCMP”, Brendan Ellis, CTV News Calgary, January 30, 2024