B3.1 - Ship Telemetry in the Oil and Gas Industry: Challenges and Impacts on Operational and Environmental Efficiency
- Event
- ETTC 2026 - European Test and Telemetry Conference
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-11
Nuremberg - Chapter
- Sustainable Testing & Materials
- Author(s)
- M. F. L. Calixto, D. D. S. Lima - Petrobras Transporte S.A., Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), M. B. dos Santos, L. F. R. Sauerbronn - Petrobras Transporte S.A., Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
- Pages
- 211 - 216
- DOI
- 10.5162/ettc2026/B3.1
- Price
- free
Abstract
Transpetro, the largest integrated hydrocarbon logistics company in Latin America, is implementing a ship telemetry program to increase operational visibility, improve maintenance planning, and support energy-performance management across its fleet. This paper presents the architecture, deployment challenges, and early applications of the program. The solution addresses the collection, standardization, transmission, historization, and use of real-time data from heterogeneous onboard systems. The architecture combines industrial gateways, OPC UA-based interoperability, edge buffering, secure satellite communications, IPsec VPN connectivity, and integration with the corporate Process Information Management System (InfoSCADA). The first implementation was carried out on the Suezmax tanker Henrique Dias and is being scaled to 25 additional vessels with different levels of instrumentation complexity. The resulting data environment supports dashboards for propulsive efficiency, main engine condition monitoring, vessel operational status, energy efficiency, and alarm management. By reducing dependence on manual data collection and improving the frequency, traceability, and quality of operational data, the project establishes a practical foundation for predictive maintenance, condition-based monitoring, and data-driven decision-making. Preliminary business-case estimates indicate relevant potential benefits in fuel efficiency, lubricant management, corrective maintenance reduction, and operational reliability, subject to progressive validation during fleet deployment. Key words: ship telemetry, maritime automation, OPC UA, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, decarbonization.