We’re in the era of high-performance, intelligent electronic devices known as the edge. These ready-to-be-installed technologies perform advanced and sophisticated autonomous operations. The availability of edge solutions is ripe; many manufacturers and suppliers now include edge devices as a standard offering.
For the oil and gas industry, edge computing can provide real-time surveillance, control, automation, complex analytics and autonomy right at the wellbore, alongside production surface equipment, across long hydrocarbon pipelines, and in carbon capture injection wells, among other uses.
But the choices are immense. Major computer manufacturers are even offering advanced field computers as hardware ready to be programmed and installed on site.
Given this, a question arises: How do you select the appropriate edge device that best aligns with your requirements, budget and long-term vision?
Making the Choice Clearer
To make the selection process easier for you, here is a set of capabilities and features an edge device should comply with to be successful.
Hardware and Software: An edge device should offer a symbiotic combination of hardware and software, closely interlaced in providing a functional, safe and robust solution. Obtaining only hardware, selecting an operating system, and then building applications from there may be a long, tortuous and expensive process that requires resources and time.
Robust Hardware: Make sure the edge hardware you select can operate in harsh environments and over a wide operating range.
