Telecom leader in Kashagan. An article in the RBC magazine. No. 10 (16), October 2014

Telecom leader in Kashagan On July 1, 2014, ASTEL signed an agreement with NC Production Operations Company B.V. (NCPOC) on technical support of telecom systems at their facilities of the North Caspian project until 2017. The editors of the Real Business of Kazakhstan magazine asked the head of marketing of ASTEL Artem Urazimbetov to tell about this cooperation in more detail.

 

- Artem, please tell us what kind of technical support for NCPOC telecom systems ASTEL provides.

 

- We support and service data transmission devices, telephone systems, public address systems, as well as video surveillance at all facilities of the North Caspian NCPOC project, fiber-optic communication lines, access control systems and much more.

Moreover, ASTEL provides technical support at both onshore and offshore facilities of the client. In short, we fully service the telecommunications infrastructure at NCPOC's oil production and refining facilities, as well as along their pipeline. Our specialists are located at Kashagan and Karataban, who constantly work at these facilities on a rotational basis.

 

- Do your employees have special safety approvals to work at such important oil facilities?

 

- Oh sure! All our employees have undergone special safety training. For example, recently our specialists were trained to work with explosion-proof electrical equipment. Prior to that, they had already received permits for work at height, hydrogen sulfide and survival at sea. In general, ASTEL takes the issue of security very seriously. We have a dedicated Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSEE) service that is responsible for ensuring that all safety rules for employees and the environment are followed.

 

- Does this mean that in ASTEL from the point of view of approach to the issue of security, they work according to any ISO standards? If so, how?

 

- Yes exactly. We work strictly according to the OHSAS-18001 standard (HSE and B). Also, over the years of work on such important projects, we have confirmed our level, having received such international certificates as ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 20000 (provision of telecommunications services). At ASTEL we have implemented special policies on safety, labor protection, health, and the environment. These policies apply to all company personnel.

 

- Let's get back to cooperation with NCPOC. Will this cooperation give ASTEL something else something new?

 

- Under an agreement with NC Production Operations Company B.V. ASTEL signed 10 subcontracting agreements.

Thus, we are the general telecom contractor for NCPOC. And this point, I think, is worth emphasizing, since it can be said that for the first time a telecommunications Kazakhstani company (and we are a Kazakhstani company one hundred percent) received the status of a general contractor on such an important project as the North Caspian. As you know, ASTEL has previously cooperated with NCPOC. Artem, please tell us about the history of joint work of the companies in more detail.

In general, ASTEL has been working at Kashagan for a very long time, since 2005. As for cooperation with NCPOC, earlier we were engaged in providing the client with communication services, including satellite. Now the need for satellite communications from NCPOC has disappeared, since today fiber optic has been laid at all facilities. Our specialists will take care of its maintenance! Over the years of cooperation, we have proven ourselves perfectly, have implemented all the necessary international safety standards, and also adopted the HSSE policy. Our two contracts for the provision of NCPOC services in 2009 were extended to 2012, and then to 2014.

 

- Now we have signed a cooperation agreement until 2017. You mentioned that ASTEL has been working at Kashagan since 2005. What interesting projects have you been able to accomplish during this time?

 

- In 2005, our company developed a project to organize communication between the Agip KCO office in the West Eskene camp and the artificial island D in the Caspian Sea. A satellite data and voice channel was organized at a speed of 16 Mbit / s. In 2006, we became the first in Kazakhstan who managed to organize a wireless network over the water surface in the marine environment. ASTEL managed to establish 2 RRL channels with a speed of 34 Mbit / s between islands A and D and 15 base stations for WiMAX wireless data transmission, which covered an area of ​​about 85 km. km. in the water area between these islands. In 2007, we established a satellite voice and data network at 11 Agip KCO onshore and offshore facilities.

In 2009, ASTEL provided Agip KCO with a fiber-optic channel Astana-Milan and Atyrau-Astana at a speed of 34 Mbit / s. A year later, the Atyrau-Aktau terrestrial channel was added at a speed of 10 Mbit / s. In addition, in 2010, our specialists organized high-speed radio relay flights between artificial islands EPC2, EPC3 and EPC4, as well as at pipeline monitoring stations in the West Eskene camp. In conclusion, I would like to add that thanks to such a truly unique experience, we at ASTEL have no doubt that our further cooperation with NCPOC will give the same worthy results as before.