SCADA System in Oil and Gas Fields: How Can Industrial 4G LTE Modem Meet the Challenges of Explosion-Proof Environments and High Temperature Variations?
In the development of oil and gas fields, the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system is a core tool for ensuring production safety and enhancing efficiency. However, the environment in oil and gas fields is extremely complex—explosion-proof areas contain flammable and explosive gases, and the temperature variation range can span from -40°C to 70°C. Traditional communication devices are highly prone to frequent failures due to environmental incompatibility, which can even trigger safety incidents. How to enable industrial 4G LTE modem to operate stably in explosion-proof and high-temperature-variation environments has become a critical pain point in the digital transformation of oil and gas fields. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of how industrial 4G LTE modem can overcome this challenge from three dimensions—technical principles, real-world cases, and solutions—to help enterprises build a safe and reliable SCADA system for oil and gas fields.
The wellheads and refining equipment areas in oil and gas fields are classified as Class I Division 1 explosion-proof zones, where the air is filled with flammable and explosive gases such as methane and hydrogen. Traditional electronic devices can produce electrical sparks due to circuit short circuits, component aging, or static electricity, which can directly ignite the gases and lead to explosion accidents. For example, an oil field once experienced a wellhead explosion caused by a non-explosion-proof device failure, resulting in significant casualties and economic losses. Therefore, explosion-proof certifications (such as ATEX and IECEx) have become the "admission tickets" for devices to enter oil and gas fields.
The temperature variation in oil and gas fields is extreme: in winter, the temperature in desert areas can drop as low as -40°C, while in summer, the internal temperature of equipment can rise above 70°C due to direct sunlight and equipment operation. Extreme temperatures can cause performance degradation of electronic components, shortened battery life, and embrittlement of plastic parts. For example, tests conducted in an oil field showed that the startup time of a conventional industrial 4G LTE modem increased by 300% at -30°C, and the failure rate of communication modules surged fivefold at 70°C.
Communication interruptions: Explosion-proof and high-temperature conditions cause frequent device crashes, leading to delays in data collection by the SCADA system and the inability to monitor critical parameters such as wellhead pressure and pipeline leaks in real time.
High maintenance costs: Manual inspections in remote oil fields can take several hours, and the replacement cycle for faulty devices is long, with single maintenance costs exceeding ten thousand yuan.
Safety risks: Non-explosion-proof devices can become sources of accidents, while high temperatures accelerate equipment aging, increasing the accumulation of safety hazards.
Industrial 4G LTE modems achieve explosion-proof capabilities through the following technologies:
Explosion-proof enclosures: High-strength alloys or 316L stainless steel enclosures with a thickness of ≥3 mm and explosion-proof gaps of ≤0.1 mm can withstand internal explosion pressures without rupturing. For example, the explosion-proof design of the USR-DR154 has passed ATEX certification and is suitable for Class I Division 1 areas.
Intrinsically safe circuits: The device limits current and voltage to safe thresholds (such as 24V DC and 100mA), ensuring that even short circuits do not generate enough energy to ignite gases.
Sealing and corrosion resistance: An IP67 protection rating prevents the ingress of dust and liquids, while surface-applied anti-corrosion coatings resist salt spray and chemical corrosion, extending device lifespan.
Industrial 4G LTE modems address high temperature variations through the following technologies:
Industrial-grade components: Wide-temperature-range chips operating from -40°C to 85°C are selected, and the temperature resistance range of capacitors, resistors, and other components is expanded to -55°C to 125°C, ensuring low-temperature startup and high-temperature stability.
Efficient heat dissipation design: Fin-type heat sinks and thermal conductive silicone grease are used to rapidly dissipate internal heat; some models integrate temperature-controlled fans that automatically activate to enhance heat dissipation at high temperatures.
Low-temperature battery technology: Lithium iron phosphate batteries are used, offering a 30% improvement in low-temperature discharge efficiency compared to traditional lithium batteries and maintaining 80% capacity at -40°C.
Multiple watchdogs: Hardware watchdogs monitor CPU operation status, while software watchdogs detect task execution. Any abnormalities trigger a system reset to prevent crashes.
Link redundancy: Support for dual SIM cards and dual communication modules enables automatic switching to a backup link in the event of a primary link failure, ensuring "always-on" connectivity.
Data caching and breakpoint resumption: Data is stored locally during network interruptions and prioritized for upload upon recovery, preventing data loss.
A desert oil field originally used commercial industrial 4G LTE modems, which frequently crashed in summer due to high temperatures, resulting in 2-3 network outages per month. This led to missing SCADA system data and delayed wellhead pressure monitoring. In 2024, the oil field deployed USR-DR154 industrial 4G LTE modems, utilizing explosion-proof design and wide-temperature-range operation technologies. The devices operated continuously for 18 months without failure, reducing annual economic losses by 1.2 million yuan and decreasing maintenance frequency by 67%.
Key technological applications:
The explosion-proof enclosure resisted sand and high temperatures, keeping the internal temperature stable below 60°C.
Dual SIM card redundancy design enabled automatic switching to China Unicom's network when mobile signals were weak.
The data caching function ensured complete data during network outages, with prioritized upload upon recovery.
An offshore platform originally used non-explosion-proof industrial 4G LTE modems, which suffered from rusted explosion-proof threads due to salt spray corrosion. During maintenance, the devices had to be forcibly destroyed, increasing safety risks. In 2025, the platform switched to the USR-DR154, which features a 316L stainless steel enclosure and anti-corrosion coatings. Regular automatic positive pressure purging prevents dust accumulation, and the devices have operated continuously for 2 years without corrosion-related failures, reducing operation and maintenance costs by 40%.
Key technological applications:
An IP67 protection rating resists seawater splashes.
802.1X port authentication prevents unauthorized device access, enhancing network security.
Remote network management enables unmanned operation, with maintenance personnel monitoring device status via the cloud.
In an Arctic oil field, winter temperatures dropped as low as -40°C, and conventional industrial 4G LTE modems took up to 10 minutes to start up, failing to meet emergency well shutdown requirements. In 2025, the oil field tested the USR-DR154, which achieved a 3-second startup in -40°C environments due to its low-temperature battery and wide-temperature-range chip. The SCADA system monitored wellhead pressure in real time, successfully preventing a pipeline rupture accident caused by freezing blockage.
Key technological applications:
The lithium iron phosphate battery maintained 80% capacity at -40°C.
The hardware watchdog ensured stable system operation at low temperatures.
The MQTT protocol reduced communication latency, with key instruction transmission times of <500 ms.
The USR-DR154 is an industrial-grade industrial 4G LTE modem launched by USR IOT for oil and gas field environments, integrating explosion-proof, wide-temperature-range, and high-reliability features. Its core advantages include:
Explosion-proof certification: Passed ATEX and IECEx certifications, suitable for Class I Division 1 areas.
Wide-temperature-range operation: Stable operation in environments ranging from -40°C to 70°C, adapting to extreme scenarios such as deserts, the Arctic, and offshore platforms.
Multiple redundancies: Dual SIM cards, dual communication modules, and dual power inputs ensure "always-on" connectivity.
Ease of use: Supports remote configuration via the USR Cloud platform, eliminating the need for on-site debugging by professionals.
Low cost: Pre-installed data SIM cards and cloud integration without development reduce initial investment and operation and maintenance costs.
With the development of 5G, edge computing, and AI technologies, industrial 4G LTE modems are evolving from "data transmission tools" to "intelligent terminals":
5G integration: 5G RedCap modules reduce latency to within 50 ms, supporting real-time early warning of abnormal wellhead pressures.
Edge computing: Industrial 4G LTE modems with built-in AI chips enable localized data analysis, reducing cloud transmission pressure.
Security enhancement: Support for the IEC 62443 standard, with intrusion detection and data encryption capabilities to resist advanced cyberattacks.
In the digital transformation of oil and gas fields, industrial 4G LTE modems serve as the "nerve center" connecting sensors and the SCADA system, with their explosion-proof and wide-temperature-range performance directly determining system reliability. The USR-DR154 provides an "explosion-resistant, heat-tolerant, and always-on" communication solution for oil and gas fields through its explosion-proof design, wide-temperature-range components, and high-reliability mechanisms, helping enterprises achieve the dual goals of safe production and cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
Take Action Now: If you are facing challenges such as communication interruptions, equipment corrosion, or low-temperature startup issues in oil and gas fields, contact USR IOT experts to obtain a free trial of the USR-DR154 and experience stable communication effects in extreme environments!
