The digitalization of the liquid terminals industry continues to be a popular topic because of the increasing need for data and the efficient management of assets, including oil and gas terminals.
The Internet of Things (IoT) enables companies to optimize the management and operation of facilities through data visibility, while improving safety and reducing upfront and ongoing expenditures. For liquid terminals operators looking to digitize their businesses with IoT data, it’s best to find ways to remove complexity from the project anywhere possible.
I will be on-site at ILTA’s International Operating Conference & Trade Show and can discuss with you how Blues Wireless simply and affordably connects your assets to the internet to quickly start gaining data insights for your business. Feel free to message me, Raghu Balijepalli, on LinkedIn to ask questions about our edge-to-cloud connectivity solution.
If you would like to discuss your next steps in-person, please set up a meeting with me during the event. I hope to see you there.
About the International Liquid Terminals Association Conference
The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) is an advocacy and professional networking organization for the liquid terminals industry, and it will hold its annual conference and trade show June 13-15 in Houston, TX. ILTA hosts the largest industry gathering, attracting over 4,000 liquid terminals industry professionals.
Participants learn about issues impacting the industry, discuss new ways to improve operations, and foster relationships with other professionals from around the world. A common topic within this year’s session tracks is how to digitalize liquid terminals operations.
The Liquid Terminals Industry is Changing
Employing affordable, user-friendly, innovative technologies will allow businesses to become safer, more profitable, efficient, and sustainable. The Internet of Things (IoT) brings real world assets online by connecting physical and digital environments with hardware and software.
Uses of the IoT within the liquid terminals industry are wide, and some of the applications of new technologies being discussed include:
- Robotic tank cleaning
- Smart glasses for remote worker safety
- Remote terminal and pipeline monitoring
- Digital inspections and data tracking
Top 3 IoT Use Cases for Liquid Terminals
Analog Tank Monitoring with Machine Learning at the Edge
Snapshot: Collecting data from legacy, analog, or closed LNG systems is unobtrusive and affordable with machine learning at the edge. Retrofitting your existing systems with an IoT device powered by Blues Wireless allows you to digitize your assets without overhauling systems. Advantages include digital visualization, data trends, alarming and reporting, and predictive maintenance.
- Project time: 8 hours
- Cost of materials: < $300
- Get started with: Blues Wireless Raspberry Pi Starter Kit
Global Supply Chain Asset Tracking
Snapshot: Adding asset tracking capabilities to an existing device and tracking data on your terms is easy with the integrated GPS and accelerometer of the Blues Wireless Notecard. Essentially functioning off-the-shelf as an asset tracker, you can focus on customizing your device and integrating the data into your existing ecosystem. Advantages include near real-time location monitoring of high value assets, condition monitoring, and asset utilization tracking.
- Project time: 1 hour
- Cost of materials: < $200
- Get started with: Blues Wireless Notecarrier-A and Notecard
Digitization of Legacy Systems with Retrofit IoT Devices
Snapshot: Using a thermal imaging device to detect and alert for anomalies helps prevent major catastrophes, predict maintenance, monitor cold supply chains, and ensure worker safety. The device can be built into a handheld device or retrofitted to legacy systems, eliminating the need for expensive system overhauls.
- Project time: 3 hours
- Cost of materials: < $200
- Get started with: Blues Wireless Raspberry Pi Starter Kit
How Blues Helps Transform IoT Projects
For operators, it can be a challenge to know where to begin the process of digitalization. Blues Wireless has contacts in consulting firms and our own team of experts to help you get started.
For the builders of IoT devices, Blues Wireless provides a fully integrated edge-to-cloud solution. The Notecard, our hardware component, provides instant cellular connectivity on a tiny System-on-Module about the size of a half dollar. We also have a Wi-Fi version for fast prototyping and proof of concept. Our data routing service, Notehub, is a thin cloud communication layer. The JSON-based interface allows you to easily customize when and how your data is transferred, as well as where it is sent. There is no MCU or cloud lock-in, so you can fully customize your device to suit your business needs.
Competitive Pricing
With Blues Wireless, you only pay for what you use, and you’ll never worry about monthly subscription fees or contracts. Usage is based on data routing services and events performed through Notehub, which are paid for using Consumption Credits. The purchase of a Notecard automatically credits 5,000 Consumption Credits to the associated billing account, and each account is refreshed to 5,000 credits each month. This is generally more than enough to get a project off the ground without paying any additional fees. As projects scale, operators can purchase more Consumption Credits with volume discounts available.
Blues Wireless Evaluation Process
3 Steps to Evaluate Blues Wireless:
1. Select a Starter Kit
Each starter kit comes with a Notecard and a Notecarrier compatible with your MCU of choice. You can pick a starter kit based on ESP32, Raspberry Pi, or our own Feather-compatible microcontroller, Swan.
2. Unbox Your New Hardware
Plug the Notecard into the provided Notecarrier, then connect to your existing hardware.
3. Start Collecting Data
Follow along with our quickstart. In 30 minutes, you’ll have a device connected to the global cellular data network, and data flowing from device to cloud, and back to device again.
Pro-Tips
- Feather kit and Swan kit contain MCUs. If you want our Raspberry Pi kit, you’ll need your own Pi.
- Swan lets you write code in C/C++, Arduino, and CircuitPython. It’s also a powerful MCU and ready to run on edge-based machine learning like Edge Impulse. We have a guide for that.
Make Operations More Efficient with IoT
IoT technology enables the efficient management and operation of liquid terminals facilities through data visibility. When you’re ready to explore IoT solutions for your business, finding ways to remove complexity from your project will be critical to its success. Blues Wireless solves your connectivity challenges with an edge-to-cloud solution that works out of the box. Contact me today to discuss the next steps for your business.
