PMS Upgrade

As an additional safety measure during offshore loading, shuttle tankers can transmit all sensor data from our PMS over to the FPSO/FSO/Offshore installation. This data is transmitted from the tankers via radio.

A few years back, the manufacturer of the radio module withdrew the product from the market. Therefore, we had to develop the PMS™ Radio-Link MKII.

The Challenge

The challenge was that the new radio, MKII, was not compatible with the older version, MKI. Therefore, both tankers and loading points had to switch to MKII simultaneously for the communication to work. Tankers are not just at one loading site, and if a boat switched to MKII, it could only load at installations with MKII radio as well.

The Solution

To solve this, the PMS Team set out to develop a module that allowed tankers to operate with both MKI and MKII, the PMS™ Radio Dual Solution. With better range and the ability to see both signal strength and communication status, this became a clear improvement for the system.

In early 2023, we entered into discussions with both the field operator and shipping company on how to conduct the first upgrades. It was agreed to switch the offshore installation to MKII, and also implement the PMS™ Radio Dual Solution on 4 tankers operating in the field. The last tanks were successfully mounted and installed in September 2023.

Several players in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea have expressed interest in the upgrade, and we look forward to many exciting challenges in the coming time.