PROCESSING POWER
OLIVER VELLACOTT LOOKS HOW IP VIDEO IS ADDRESSING THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY’S SURVEILLANCE NEEDS
The security issues facing petrochemical sites are many and complex. A plant-wide surveillance system is therefore an essential tool to monitor incidents, protect assets, manage health and safety, and detect theft and combat terrorism. Petrochemical sites, which are highly volatile environments spread out over large areas, require many different operators to have access to the same CCTV images. This demands a flexible and truly distributed CCTV system that delivers the very highest quality video.
It is clear from the security challenges facing petrochemical sites that it is absolutely essential to have a CCTV surveillance system that can deliver the very highest quality video images from cameras located over large geographic areas. In addition the ability for multiple users to access the same footage from different locations, both locally and remotely, is a fundamental requirement. This is exactly what a good distributed IP video surveillance system will do, unlike traditional analogue CCTV systems, which would be far too expensive.
The combination of the video management software and the IP network creates a ‘virtual matrix’ which allows video from any camera or Network Video Recorder (NVR) to be switched to any monitor or PC workstation, no matter where any component is located on the network. This provides a flexible and scalable solution – it is easy and inexpensive to add cameras and other components to any point on the network in the future without the need for extra cabling.
The leading IP video systems use advanced compression based on MPEG-4 or H.264, which allows high-quality video to be transmitted around the network with minimal impact on the bandwidth. This often means that a site’s existing corporate LAN can accommodate the IP video system without the need for a network upgrade.
Different people from different departments, located in different offices around the site can therefore view live and recorded video from any camera or NVR via a workstation at their desk. For example, CCTV workstations can be used by:
■ Security
■ Operational management
■ Engineering
■ Health and safety
■ General managemen t
This gives a petrochemical plant the flexibility to easily and cost effectively integrate CCTV surveillance into their operations and establish off-site control rooms or monitor multiple sites from one central point. In fact, many plants are using IP video for operational management as well as security.
Video performance
Petrochemical plants demand the highest standard video quality – full frame rate live viewing and review of recorded footage is essential. Any lowered frame rates; dropped frames or jerky stop-start video can hinder investigations that require intense video review.
High quality IP video systems stream and record high-resolution (4CIF) video continuously at 25/30fps, without frame dropping at very low latency. Therefore PTZ camera control over very long distances is achievable. A petrochemical site is a high motion, 24/7 operation, therefore, the surveillance system needs to be performing to these high standards at all times.
Video analysis and analytics
Camera-based real-time analytics and tools for post-event analysis of recorded footage in the video management software allow operators to use the IP video system for a wide range of applications:
■ Theft and criminal activity – deterrence and detection of theft, acts of terrorism and other criminal activity
■ Security perimeter breeches – virtual tripwire and motion detection analytics can automatically trigger intrusion alarms
■ Auditing – time-stamped video allows confirmation of site activity, product loss, deliveries and conflict resolution
■ Health and safety breeches – video clips of incidents can be exported as training aids and evidence to the authorities
■ Vehicle movement – vehicles such as fuel tankers can be monitored for deviation from normal routes or behaviour
■ Operational effectiveness – post analysis of plant activity and incidents can help improve processes and procedures
■ Access control integration – recording of people and/or vehicle registrations when entering the plant, triggered by normal access control entry or illegal access alarms
Video recording and offsite replication
The fault tolerance and reliability that petrochemical companies and regulators insist upon must be reflected in their CCTV systems. A good IP video system addresses this with robust hardware design of video encoders and Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and flexible system configurations. This provides fail-safe redundancy through means of back-up NVRs, and dual network connections providing zero-point failure systems.
The distributed architecture and NVR solutions of IP video systems allow CCTV footage and alarms to be easily recorded offsite for postevent analysis, should a major site incident occur.
Installation and migration
IP video vendors typically offer a range of encoding hardware that provide options for a total IP-based system or an analogue/IP hybrid solution where existing analogue hardware can be integrated. At the heart of the system is the video management and alarm monitoring software. A secure login workstation allows operators to view and analyse live and recorded video from any camera on the network whilst also providing a powerful alarm handling environment, duplex audio switching, site reference maps and analytics. Often the software is provided licence-free and can be deployed throughout a site at no additional cost. Hardwired or wireless IP networks allow rapid deployment of new cameras for new construction areas or security hot-spots. Any analogue CCTV camera can be connected to the network using transmitter/receiver modules.
The majority of petrochemical plants are still running analogue systems, whether it is an analogue video switcher or an analogue input-based DVR solution. IP video systems provide the necessary components to allow a staged upgrade to total IP. Importantly, this approach also allows a ‘hot transition’, whereby the digital system is installed in parallel to the existing system and no camera feeds are lost while the system is commissioned and tested.
 Integrated security
Many IP video solutions can be fully integrated with other security systems such as access control and perimeter protection and can consolidate all alarms from these systems within the video management software. This tight integration between systems can bring significant benefits to the user. For example, when an attempted intrusion is detected at a perimeter fence, an alarm is triggered which displays a map on the IP video workstation showing the location of the intrusion and displays video from the nearest CCTV camera that has been automatically panned to view the incident.
 Oliver Vellacott is CEO of IndigoVision. www.indigovision.com (opens a new window)
Security threats and challenges
Petrochemical processing plants, refineries and storage and distribution terminals face a myriad of threats and challenges
Geography: Sites cover large geographic areas with petrochem groups having many such sites nationwide
Environment: Processing and storage of highly volatile materials that need to be environmentally controlled
Terrorism: Major petrochemical plants are prime targets for terrorists
Theft: The size and nature of the sites make them obvious targets for theft of stored product, plant and materials
Health & Safety: Breaches of health and safety rules can have disastrous consequences and lead to large fines
Disruption: In the event of an incident, the disruption caused can have a major impact on the business and the surrounding area
Immigration: Majority of refineries and terminals are located on the coast for access to shipping, creating more demanding immigration control
Taxation: Stored product, such as petroleum, must be accounted for in the event of a spillage or theft
|