Tecpetrol takes another technological leap forward with its Real Wear visor, updating its communications in remote operations.

Real Wear is a head device with a visor and a Full HD camera, the latest in Tecpetrol’s arsenal of technological tools, and one which the company believes will shift the paradigm of in-field presence. The device is suitable for use at operations and meets all the relevant safety standards, designed to respond to voice commands, enabling the user to carry out their task while transmitting what is happening.

According to Matías Martínez, IT Regional Senior Manager for Argentina operations, “After observing the operation and seeing what was available in the market, the IT Service Desk Coordinator in Neuquén, Raúl Sánchez, came up with this project. The boom in virtual meetings, which is our new way of working today, created the conditions to identify an option able to meet specific in-field demands. The new scenario that came out of the pandemic prompted us to research innovative solutions so we could have the right people where we wanted them and when we wanted them, without the need for travel or delays.”

Like all good ideas, this one came about as the response to a need: “We had to travel to the operation to deal with a small, but specific, incident. If we’d been able to use Real Wear, we could have sorted it all out in fifteen minutes without needing to go anywhere. The device is designed precisely for this kind of situation: they tell us where the problem is and we can help and guide them in real-time from the base,” explains Raúl.

Real Wear has a viewfinder visor that creates an image the size of a tablet. On the front, an HD camera broadcasts what it sees in real-time, and four microphones provide perfect sound quality.

Its potential uses are many: documentation, visualizing plans, training, remote assistance, analysis of critical operations. Looking to the future, Raúl affirms that: “The idea is to provide support to an increasingly broader range of areas in the operation using technology. As well as sending and receiving video, the device also reads barcodes. For example, during a plant shutdown: you can use the tool to organize the equipment blockages and read them with the viewer, which automatically checks the information with the server. You can save a lot of steps and time.”

Matías adds that, "The project was initially focused on Maintenance, Facilities and Plants in the Neuquén Basin as this was where we detected the largest number of instances for application according to previous meetings. We also have another set of equipment to carry out Proofs of Concept (PoC), which are being used in the HSE and HR sectors (Training), with excellent results. This year we have been incorporating more devices for the different Tecpetrol regions, such as Colombia and Mexico.”

New technology for use in multiple scenarios: “The main objective is to enhance Tecpetrol's operations by focusing on process optimization and adopting technologies aimed at minimizing risks, guaranteeing service availability and reducing costs. For this we are constantly working to update and research innovative options, and, as always, alert to the needs of our internal customer,” concludes Matías.