Large Chinese oilfields use metal RFID tag tracking mobile pole transformers

On September 16, 2014, a large oilfield in eastern China used Xerafy metal tags to track the mobile pole transformers used in onshore oil extraction. This passive RFID technology-based asset management solution targets about 30,000 transformer devices in the oilfield and is believed to be the largest outdoor asset RFID management project in China's oil and gas industry to date. The large oil field also plans to install labels on other assets such as pipelines and valves in the future.

　　This automated asset inspection and maintenance system was jointly developed by Shandong Shengruan Technology Co., Ltd. and Xerafy. The solution uses Xerafy Trak series Cargo Trak tags, which are installed on transformers using high-strength specialty epoxy adhesive to become a permanent identification for the equipment. This oilfield needs to better adapt to the recently introduced industry standards by upgrading its current asset management model. Transformers are live devices located at high places and need to be moved frequently; ordinary barcode recognition is not suitable. According to the petroleum industry safety production standards issued by the State Administration of Work Safety in early 2013, refining and chemical enterprises are required to establish complete and accurate asset maintenance and inspection archives to ensure safe production and long-term operation.

With handheld tag readers and tablet devices, asset managers can aim at tags within 12 meters of the transformer to read asset information. The long-distance read/write performance of cargo traks became one of the key factors in the entire project implementation. Transformers are usually installed at high places and are live, making it dangerous for workers to climb up and approach the equipment. Oilfields have long wanted to use RFID technology to replace existing barcode scanning methods, but they needed to find RFID tags that could be robust and durable in hazardous oilfield environments, yet still capable of long-distance reading and writing.

Dennis Khoo, founder and CEO of Xerafy, stated, "This project fully demonstrates the advantages of RFID in improving asset management efficiency and security, and we have many customers."In industries with extremely hazardous working environments such as oil fields and nuclear energy, RFID has become an irreplaceable technology for intelligent asset management in these special environments. ”

Xu Haiting, Manager of the Petroleum Technology Development Department at Shengruan Technology, stated: "By using electronic tags to identify physical outdoor assets, we solve the problem of barcode marking being easily damaged and easily lost.

Cargo Trak is a very good tag—sturdy and durable, long-distance reading, easy to install, and eye-catching, making it very suitable for use in oil fields. ”The Cargo Trak complies with EPCglobal Commercial Gen 2 and ISO 18000-6C international standards, featuring readability on both metal and non-metal surfaces with an ultra-long reading distance of 12 meters.Its IP68 environmental rating ensures that the label's performance is not affected by liquids, dust, or other substances, and the label can be read normally within a temperature range of -40°C to +85°C.