Dennis Choi, General Manager, IDIS Middle East & Africa

For large scale video surveillance systems (enterprise solutions) it’s crucial not only to choose the right technologies but also the right project partners to deliver them. We often see a  disconnect between the optimistic promises made in manufacturers’ brochures – or in project proposals -  and what is eventually delivered, after the inevitable on-site obstacles and snags are dealt with.

This gap between the promise and the reality often comes down to  common factors that we see repeated time and again.

Having been involved in large-scale, multi-site projects across the region -  from remote drilling, storage and transportation facilities, to national banks -  we understand that the key factors are: how capable, robust, and flexible is the video tech itself; how experienced is the integrator (or integrators); how much support is provided by the different vendors whose technologies are being integrated; and how effectively, and willingly, do the various parties collaborate (the more suppliers and vendors there are, the more crucial this becomes).

The risks of running into problems are amplified on enterprise projects because mistakes and additional costs will quickly add up. But, on the plus side, any benefits and savings will also be multiplied, so for the project designers and managers there are big potential rewards to getting it right.

Surveillance Challenges for Upstream and Midstream Oil & Gas in the Middle East

The Middle East, a global hub for oil and gas production, is central to the upstream (exploration and extraction) and midstream (transportation and storage) sectors. These industries are critical for meeting global energy demands, yet they face a myriad of security and safety challenges that threaten operational continuity and regional stability.

Geopolitical instability is one of the most significant threats to upstream and midstream oil and gas operations in the Middle East. Conflicts, political unrest, and territorial disputes in countries like Iraq, Syria, and Yemen can disrupt production and transportation networks. Pipelines and storage facilities are often targeted during conflicts, either as acts of sabotage or collateral damage. These disruptions not only halt operations but also lead to financial losses and increased risks for personnel.

The oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East is a frequent target for terrorist groups and other hostile actors. Pipelines, refineries, and storage facilities are vulnerable to attacks that can cause severe damage and operational downtime. 

As the oil and gas industry becomes increasingly digitized, the threat of cyberattacks has grown significantly. Midstream operations rely on advanced technologies, such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, for real-time monitoring and control. Cyberattacks targeting these systems can lead to operational disruptions, data breaches, and even safety hazards. Developing robust cybersecurity frameworks and training employees to recognize potential threats are essential steps to protect critical assets.

Compliance with local and international regulations presents another challenge. Countries in the Middle East have diverse regulatory frameworks governing environmental protection, worker safety, and operational practices. Companies must navigate these regulations while maintaining global standards, which can be a complex and resource-intensive process. Failure to comply can result in fines, legal action, and reputational damage.

The oil and gas sector is divided into three key sectors: upstream, midstream, and downstream. While upstream focuses on exploration and production, midstream encompasses the transportation, storage, and processing of oil and gas. Both sectors operate in complex and often hazardous environments, making video surveillance essential for ensuring safety, security, and operational efficiency. However, implementing effective video surveillance systems in these sectors presents unique challenges. Below, we explore the key obstacles faced in upstream and midstream operations.

Harsh and Diverse Environments and Remote Locations

In the Middle East, upstream and midstream operations occur in challenging locations from offshore rigs to remote oil fields, with pipelines stretching often across deserts.  Surveillance equipment in these locations must be capable of withstanding extreme conditions such as high temperatures, humidity, dust, rain, and corrosive environments. Offshore platforms, for instance, require cameras that are resistant to saltwater and high winds, while pipeline monitoring systems must endure long-term exposure to outdoor elements.

Many upstream and midstream facilities are located in isolated areas, far from developed infrastructure. This presents challenges in establishing reliable communication networks to transmit video footage in real time. Satellite connections or long-range wireless networks are often necessary, but these solutions can be costly and prone to latency. Adding a further challenge, maintenance of surveillance systems in remote locations can be logistically difficult.

So efficient installation and maintenance are vital. By making available extended PoE cameras (allowing longer cable runs), and by removing the need for engineers to manually enter passwords with every device, we not only made system set-up faster and easier, we eliminated the risk of passwords being lost, shared, or misused. Integrators also need to think about the security of vehicles carrying significant amounts of crude, and how specialist mobile surveillance solutions with GPS tracking can mitigate potential risks.

It's also crucial to plan for efficient management of video data, to minimize bandwidth burdens:  to this end, IDIS Intelligent Codec, and our specialist compression technologies, will significantly increasing storage capacity without also increasing costs.

For the same reason there are advantages to using VMS and recorders that can operate at extremely low bandwidths (less than 24kb in the case of IDIS network recorders); this will reduce satellite and long range network costs. Network bandwidth can also be better managed with automatic adjustments to the resolution and frame rate of each device, together with dynamic stream control which checks on the status of servers in real time to allow continual load balancing.

Large-Scale Operations

Both upstream and midstream operations involve monitoring expansive geographies. Upstream sites, such as oil fields, and midstream facilities, such as pipelines and storage terminals, require extensive surveillance coverage. Deploying enough cameras and sensors to monitor these large-scale operations can be expensive and complex. Furthermore, managing and analyzing the enormous amounts of data generated requires advanced storage and processing solutions.

For perimeters and open areas, multi-sensor cameras enable an all-round 360-degree view to be achieved using a single unit. And AI auto-tracking PTZ functionality further enhances surveillance operations, increasing efficiency and vigilance. Highly accurate IDIS Deep Learning Analytics functions, including line-cross, intrusion and facial recognition,  provide a significant uplift to surveillance operations, ensuring that monitoring is more consistent and that threats are not missed. Summary backups allow additional compression, for when video data needs to be stored for longer retention periods; and data bit rate analysis and device storage projection ensures an optimized recording environment and therefore continuous availability of video.

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

Some surveillance systems rely on IoT devices, cloud-based storage, and networked infrastructure, which can make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. A breach in the surveillance system could compromise sensitive data, disrupt operations, or even lead to physical sabotage. Ensuring robust cybersecurity measures is critical to protect video surveillance systems from potential threats.

In downstream applications where theft, organised crime, and sabotage can result in heavy losses, cybersecurity should carry equal weight to physical risks when systems are being  designed. Typically, we see large systems operating on separate VLANS away from control systems such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and DCS (Distributed Control Systems). And any good video surveillance solution should have multi-layered cybersecurity protection covering video data acquisition, transmission, and storage, and should be independently penetration-tested to ensure that protection remains up to date.

Power Supply Challenges

Remote upstream and midstream locations often face power supply limitations. Surveillance systems require a stable power source, but many sites rely on generators, solar power, or other renewable energy sources that may not provide consistent power. Designing energy-efficient systems with reliable backup power solutions is essential for uninterrupted surveillance.

Providing further protection against data loss, VMS should include failover technology such as IDIS Critical Failover, which ensures that video data is never lost as a result of network instability or dropout; federation failover also ensures continuous access to video.

Regulatory Compliance

Both upstream and midstream sectors are subject to strict safety, environmental, and operational regulations, which vary by region. Surveillance systems must comply with these regulations, which can add complexity to their design and implementation. Non-compliance can result in fines, operational delays, or reputational damage.

Cost Constraints

Implementing and maintaining video surveillance systems in upstream and midstream operations can be expensive. Ruggedized equipment, advanced analytics software, and network infrastructure represent significant financial investments. Balancing the need for effective surveillance with budgetary constraints is a common challenge.

In making cost comparisons, it is always more credible to focus on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the video solution, taking into consideration operating costs, system life cycle, tech reliability, and identifying ongoing charges such as recurring annual fees (which are not always transparent), not just looking at upfront costs.

Designing-in optimal usability

The real test of large scale systems only begins after installation is complete. That’s when enhanced functionality and superior ease-of-use will deliver best value or, if a system is badly planned,  that’s when users find themselves saddled with higher operating costs or the need to compromise their security and safety operations due to budgets.

Feature rich but intuitive VMS (video management software) will prove its worth at this point. A good VMS platform will be easy to learn and to operate, and will include authorisations that allow operating responsibilities to be shared, appropriately, across the organisation for example by allowing capabilities and responsibilities to be shared between local managers and head office. The emergence of powerful mobile apps has been another significant step forward that’s particularly relevant to larger systems, freeing up managers and operators to monitor and control video systems while on the move and away from their monitoring stations. For enterprise level systems these have become an essential tool, allowing busy responders, patrol officers, and managers to work more effectively wherever they are.

The transformative role of AI analytics

Today’s ever-more-powerful AI video analytics are also transforming this space, and for large system users AI video now has the potential to deliver huge savings and capability gains. Well established analytics such as line cross, loitering detection, heatmapping and occupancy monitoring are now being complemented by increasingly accurate detection of abandoned objects and removed objects, fall detection and violence detection, as well as the facial recognition capabilities referred to above.

These new tools are helping to ensure consistent 24/7 vigilance, with automated alerts to events-of-interest that might otherwise be missed by human operators; and that in turn is allowing faster, more efficient responses and better outcomes. AI is also speeding up footage review and search functions, with the ability to automatically search for people and objects transforming the ability to rapidly investigate incidents and retrieve evidence.

AI functionality is now more accurate and powerful than ever, and it’s also easy to add to any solution, either system-wide (via VMS) or in targeted locations (via Edge AI cameras or add-on AI boxes).