The new "Smart Control Room" in the Misión Block is a major step up for the company, a strategic investment designed to enhance operations while improving safety, efficiency, and comfort for the team on the ground.

Prioritizing safety, comfort, and productivity, we inaugurated our brand new control room at the Misión Block in late September. Equipped with advanced technology, it enables real-time monitoring of production and maintenance processes, strengthening decision-making on the ground.

Alexander Pineda, Division Director of the Misión Block, explains the reasoning behind the project: “Being in the border region between Mexico and the United States makes us particularly vulnerable to organized crime activities, which restricts our access to the fields. In our more traditional operations, stations are staffed around the clock, but here, our window is much narrower. That’s why implementing remote monitoring and control is essential.”

Leandro Carmona, Operation Technology Manager, emphasizes the importance of precision: “The unique nature of our operations requires real-time access to accurate information. That’s why we’re utilizing top-tier tools in the Oil & Gas industry, providing added value through features like early alerts that are quickly displayed and support detailed data analysis.”

The new Smart Control Room boasts high-performance workstations and high-resolution displays showcased on a Video Wall, complemented by ergonomic furniture designed for comfort and efficiency. It features system integration, real-time data analysis, advanced visualization tools, process automation, virtual alerts, automatic notifications, and enhanced security measures.

The control room oversees 120 wells, nine gas collection stations, and two pumping stations, continuously monitoring pressure levels and weighted flow rates. "In this operation, we produce around 60 million cubic feet of gas per day, so accurate data transmission from measurement points is crucial for invoicing the gas we deliver," Alexander explains.

"With 24/7 data analysis, we can quickly identify when a transmission point stops sending data and take immediate action to address the issue, preventing any penalties. We also monitor liquid levels in the tanks, which typically fluctuate during the day. However, if we notice levels dropping at night or in the early morning, it's often a sign of illicit activity. Gas condensate, a substance similar to very light oil or gasoline, is highly valuable and can be smuggled across the border as part of illegal trade," he adds.

Leandro notes, "A key goal across our industry, one that’s on everyone’s roadmap, is to establish integrated regional centers, and this project at Tecpetrol aligns with that vision. In our new control room, we've introduced an innovative web-based software tool called PI Vision, developed by Aveva. It enables us to build dashboards and visualize all our field data in real time in Buenos Aires, Argentina."

Alexander adds that the team's response has been overwhelmingly positive: "The feedback has been excellent, with a lot of enthusiasm. We've received numerous proposals for different display matrices—essentially how information is distributed across screens based on specific needs—and the team is thrilled with the new facilities. This truly represents a leap in excellence."