Outdoor lighting fixtures have to be able to withstand harsh weather conditions, especially those on oil and platforms which are subject to extreme rain, wind and cold in the open sea.
Bearing in mind that the offshore platform environment can have strong vibrations and high impacts, thereby the choice of lighting must be able to withstand such challenging conditions, and preferably be explosion-proof. This is the ideal characteristic of lighting systems to have on board an oil rig.
Energy Efficiency
While it is every rig operator’s dream to find efficient lighting solutions at the lowest cost, it is also equally important to find an experienced and trusted electrical engineering company to design, procure and install the offshore lighting system.
The energy efficiency of the lighting system should determine the choice of lighting. Therefore, LED lighting is a good choice due to their power consumption.
A lighting system consisting entirely of LED lighting will significantly reduce costs in the long run, including maintenance costs, while providing better quality of light, and enhancing worker safety and performance.
Brightness of Illumination
There are thousands of light bulbs lighted across any oil rig and platform. Each area requires customized solutions from cooler interior lighting in the cabin, signages and the bridge, to shock and splash resistant lighting on the decks, exterior rails and brighter warning and navigational lights for shipping.
It is also important to ensure that the positioning of the lighting system is appropriate. It should be strategic to light up the platform, providing improved visibility with LED lighting in the late-night hours, without inconveniencing any work to be carried out.
Durability
Besides that, lighting products on board an oil rig will need to be able to withstand shock and be explosion proof especially where there are combustible gases, liquids or chemicals around.
The internal construction of LED lighting is more robust, so they are less prone to shock and breakages. An added advantage is the spark-free ignition of LED, to reduce incidences of explosion or fires.
It is important to get the right lighting solution for the right application, without compromising on safety.
Safety
There may be locations within an offshore location whereby there is strong vibration, chemicals and potential explosives. This makes installation challenging for the workers as utmost safety of everyone has to be ensured.
Therefore, using LED lighting that comes with better performance in terms of brightness of illumination as well as longer life span, helps enhance worker safety as minimal maintenance of such lighting is required.
Lower Carbon Footprint
With 42 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the oil and gas sector, there are calls from the government and the public of various countries to exercise social responsibility and lower carbon footprint for a greener future.
Oil companies like Petronas and Sapura are taking the lead in reducing carbon footprint in drilling and well operations.
With the added benefits of reduced energy consumption costs and lowered maintenance costs that comes with the upgrade from incandescent to LED lighting, this is definitely the right choice to make!