Measuring several hundred acres in size, each BP location can be responsible for the daily production of millions of barrels of various petroleum products.

Symbol was called upon to streamline data communications across each facility. The wireless vendor will deploy its PDT 8146 rugged terminals and Spectrum24 wireless network to provide the data collection infrastructure to transmit and receive critical information in real-time. Symbol turned to business partner Systems Application Engineering, Inc. (SAE) to develop the commercially available software platform, which provides equipment management and reporting capabilities for BP’s workforce.

Workers equipped with Symbol terminals can easily scan the bar codes affixed to thousands of pieces of equipment to collect and input process and condition monitoring data, including pump pressure, vibrations and temperatures, to assess the health of the equipment and to respond if necessary.

Commenting on the tangible benefits of Symbol’s wireless solutions, Paul Pruitt, senior reliability specialist at BP, said, "There are many cost-savings and facility efficiencies to be realized with use of real-time information in the petrochemical industry. Symbol and SAE not only address these issues, but have the bandwidth to rapidly deploy this technology across immense facilities operating under the harshest of conditions."