There are many factors challenging the industry today. Domestically in the US, there are concerns with uncertainty from Washington DC and the fallout from the Macondo oil spill and subsequent moratorium on offshore drilling. There is a shortage of young people entering the oil and gas industry at a time when the workforce is reaching retirement age. Globally, there has been a trend toward increasing demand for oil and gas in the face of a decline in exploration over the last 24 months. And political unrest in major producing countries in the Middle East has made countries that are reliant on hydrocarbon imports uncomfortably aware of their vulnerability. In the face of all of these challenges is the demand to reduce time to deployment despite higher-than-ever development costs.

This situation is compounded by the “do more with less” mentality that is so ingrained it is hard to think about innovative ways to tackle these issues.

The good news is that technology can help ease the pressure. Collaboration tools have come of age and hold the promise of addressing many of these concerns – and very cost-effectively.

Technologies, networks mature

Videoconferencing has been around for years. While it is a well understood technology, the endpoint products historically have been costly. Most products only liked to “talk” to the same brand of equipment worldwide, and the major expense was the cost of a quality network. In certain parts of the world, high-speed circuits simply were not available.

Cisco’s Telepresence is the market leader in the high-end video arena. (Photo courtesy of Temple Webber Photography)

Both sides of the equation have changed dramatically in recent years.

Conferencing equipment is largely standardized, and pricing for endpoints have dropped significantly. Newer products also use bandwidth much more efficiently than products produced as recently as five years ago. The spectrum of offerings is impressive, ranging from basic, low-end offerings that are essentially free, to complete Telepresence suites that provide lifelike HD experiences.

In the same time frame, options for high-speed Internet access have expanded, even in countries where it takes years to get a telephone line. The same is true of offshore networks – high-speed Internet is now an expectation on the rig and one can take advantage of that to collaborate with co-workers around the world, bringing the best minds on the planet together to make important decisions or to solve a problem.

Baby steps

For many energy companies the first use of collaboration and video tools was not initiated by the IT department. Individuals who saw the need took matters into their own hands and deployed webcams or handheld video devices like Cisco’s Flip camera and used free products like Skype and Google Video Chat to share information and collaborate. Every iPhone user can videoconference and now expects to be able to do at least that in the workplace.

These low-cost entry level collaboration tools are surprisingly good and in many cases are free but for the cost of a webcam (most laptops and tablets today come equipped with at least one camera whether buyers want it or not). When troubleshooting a problem on a rig, this approach may not be technically pristine, but it gets the job done. Some of these free video chat tools are surprisingly effective, and the price is certainly right.

Most laptops and tablets today come equipped with at least one camera

Another option to consider is Microsoft’s Lync product, formerly known as Office Communication Services (OCS). Most of the Lync functions are embedded in existing Microsoft products. Many large energy companies already have some of these functions as a result of existing enterprise license agreements. Lync includes easy-to-deploy Instant Messaging (IM) and video chat sessions and also can provide basic telephony services that can be useful in settings where deploying a traditional phone system is impractical.

Many energy companies spend thousands of dollars with third-party conferencing companies, unaware that conferencing and collaboration servers are cost-effective options. For any company spending more than $2,500 a month with a third-party provider, a conferencing server may make sense. They are available in a variety of configurations, but all replicate the basic bridging function of a third-party provider, complete with controls for the host. Many offer a collaboration tool that permits everyone on the call to view an image or document, and some also offer video chat. The better offerings integrate with Outlook, providing conferencing as an option when sending a meeting invitation. Some also offer recording and archiving for those who cannot participate in the real-time conference. One example is Avaya’s conferencing server, which is part of the Avaya Aura product set. Webex can be an equally effective method of collaborating and is available for purchase as a secure corporate server or as an affordable pay-by-the-use service.

Cost-effective videoconferencing

With high-speed Internet access available in much of the world, the challenge of delivering a quality video circuit is to some degree resolved. An HD quality experience may not be possible everywhere in the world, but even the most basic Internet connection can provide a reasonable video experience. Consider how often news correspondents broadcast from a remote location using a satellite Internet connection – not the most elegant video quality, but effective nonetheless.

While it is nice to see a person’s face on the screen, in many cases the purpose of a videoconference is not to interact with an individual – the more important aspect of the conversation is to collaborate and review a piece of information, a seismic image, some interesting data. Video conferencing and collaboration tools provide the ability to do that in HD, accomplishing most of the objectives of a face-to-face meeting. Reduction in travel is appreciated by both employees and employers, but the real benefit is better decision-making and a substantial reduction in the time required to make important choices. Mainstream providers such as Tandberg (recently acquired by Cisco), Polycom, and Lifesize offer quality products that are surprisingly affordable.

Videoconferencing has become standard practice in many companies.

When the key objective is personal interaction, Cisco, Hewlett Packard, and Polycom offer very lifelike high-end conferencing systems. Cisco’s Telepresence is the market leader in the high-end video arena. The company has deployed more than 1,000 purpose-built Telepresence rooms worldwide.

Each provider offers a wide array of products, large and small, so even a remote location can participate cost effectively.

There is little doubt that the floodgates are opening, and video conversations are soon to be the norm. Although most company IT networks are not prepared to make the leap to video anywhere/anytime, the time to start planning and deploying video is now.