Perth’s Resources Technology Showcase 2019: Time for telcos to get smart

Telcos have to work harder to keep up with the smart technologies transforming mining and oil and gas operations, delegates to the Resources Technology Showcase heard yesterday.

Panellists on a session about robotics suggested that telcos behind the communications services supporting resources companies operating in remote locations are not keeping pace with the growing pressures being put on networks by the rising use of automation.

“There’s definitely work to be done,” Jean Savage, the vice-president of US giant Caterpillar’s surface mining and technology division, said.

“The biggest problem, apart from change management, is going to be the network.”

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Ms Savage said described it as “the next big area (we) need to make sure we improve”.

Any sites hosting autonomous operations demanded “great network coverage”.

“If you have any type of blip, it can affect operations,” Ms Savage said.

“For us, we stop everything. You don’t want a truck ... running around not knowing whether you have control or what’s in its path. We need to make sure it’s (the network) is stable and robust enough to survive all-weather companies.”

Delegates also heard that resources companies are looking further afield for new talent and stepping up and revising training programs to fill the demand for expertise in automation, digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

WesTrac chief executive Jarvas Croome said the Caterpillar dealer, already a registered training organisation which supports apprenticeships and short industry courses, was incorporating more technology training into its curriculums.

“We’re also pulling from non-traditional areas, so people with military backgrounds in radar, communications technology are being brought into our industry to help with our automation projects,” he said. “The way we fill those jobs is partly about what we are doing at this conference, talking about the opportunities and getting people interested in our industry.”

Fugro’s director of asset integrity Chris Eastwell tipped a growing migration of technology jobs across industries including mining, oil and gas, space and agriculture.

• Back to full coverage of all our panel sessions
• More news from the Resources Technology Showcase 2019
• Everything to see and do at the free RTS2019 exhibition