Subsea Communications Advance with New Free-Space Optical Standard
Subsea Wireless Group (SWiG), an oil and gas industry network, has released a new industry specification for free-space optical communications, providing a common protocol for modems from different manufacturers
SWiGoptical Level 1 sets out a simple protocol to satisfy interoperability and interchangeability requirements for subsea free-space optical communication devices. It can support applications including process control, equipment and process monitoring, diagnostics and maintenance, and data exchange and harvesting across autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and other connected subsea systems.
SWiG is a joint industry project (JIP), managed by OTM Networks, established to enable vehicles, infrastructure, and equipment from different suppliers to work together seamlessly. It has 27 members representing all parts of the supply chain, from major energy operators to subsea service providers and integrators to specialist instrumentation companies.
Shreekant Mehta, senior vice president, Energy Sector at Sagentia Innovation, says SWiGoptical Level 1 represents an important step towards optical modem interoperability for subsea systems.
Mehta said, “SWiG’s goal is to create a common subsea ecosystem where devices from different manufacturers interact seamlessly. As subsea communication technologies continue to mature, a collaborative approach to developing open standards supports cost management and provides a common framework, reducing deployment risk, simplifying integration and supporting scalability. Achieving interoperability across subsea operations is essential if the industry is to realise the full benefits of autonomy.”
The new specification expands on the earlier SWiGacoustic standard and is the latest in a family of complementary SWiG standards that cover radio frequency, inductive data and power and hybrid communications. SWiGoptical Level 1 is available to the wider industry, with Level 2 and Level 3 specifications for high-performance protocols under development.