Hughes Deploys Private LTE to Power Connectivity at Remote Natural Gas Plants in Brazil
“The main benefits of choosing Hughes were their experience in previous projects and the scalability of their solution. In this project, we also hope to use the network in the future to enable visibility and tracking of Internet of Things (IoT) devices across Eneva’s operations.”
– João Areias, IT Operations Manager at Eneva
Customer
With a mission of providing the best energy solutions for a responsible and secure energy transition, Eneva is Brazil’s largest private natural gas operator. The integrated energy company has operations spanning exploration, production, and commercialization of natural gas and liquids, as well as the generation and trading of electric power.
Challenge
Eneva operates in some of the most remote areas of the world and relies on constant connectivity for operational productivity and safety. An offline power plant means manual data collection and the inability for teams to access information remotely and in real time. The company needed to integrate a reliable, secure network into the operations at its Parnaíba natural gas plant, located in the state of Maranhão, and the Azulão plant, in the state of Amazonas.
Hughes Solution
Eneva’s unique challenges required a tailored solution designed for their site’s specific needs regarding tower installation location, connection capacity and speed, infrastructure, technology, and topology. A private LTE network solution offered by Hughes do Brasil, a subsidiary of Hughes, ended up being the best solution.
The solution included an exclusive 4G tower that transmits signals to both plants. With the private LTE network, employees gain access to a private network to communicate with one another, as well as a VoIP application that allows interconnection with the public network, resulting in a significant boost in agility and efficiency. The solution also has the advantage of enabling machine and process automation—something standard for industries in areas with internet access, but transformative in more remote regions.
In addition to providing the technology and equipment for tower installation and LTE network deployment, Hughes acts across all fronts of the project as a service integrator. It manages multiple vendors, reducing the need for Eneva staff to resolve connection issues, monitor technical visits, and clear frequencies with Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).
Outcome
Enhanced operational efficiency, improved worker safety, and consistent connectivity across power generation and natural gas production sites, supporting real-time communications and industrial applications in remote environments.
Learn more about our fully managed private wireless networks for enterprise operations.