2.

0 Overview
Fibre optics are based on the principle of
internal reflection, where light reflects or
refracts depending on the angle at which strikes
the surface [1]. Data is transferred through light
waves within a glass or plastic material,
specifying the angle at which the waves are
reflected determines how successfully the data
reaches its destination. Within the fibre optic
cable light waves are channelled to the
Figure 1(Light Reflection, Core and Cladding [1]) receiver by creating internal reflection within
the core as shown in figure 1; a fibre optic cable consists of two types of glass, core and cladding.
The glass used for the cladding has a higher refractive index than that of the core, this helps contain
light waves within the core as light to ensure the data is transferred, as illustrated by figure 1.

3.0 Fibre Optics Advantages and Benefits: Subsea

Production Control Systems
Within a subsea production control system, data both needs to be sent and received. More
specifically, signals are sent to subsea electronics module to complete operations. Data is also
received to operate and monitor the system. Given the complexity of subsea control systems and the
vast amount of data needed from monitoring and control functions, high bandwidth data transfer is
critical. The need for high bandwidth is increasing as with subsea sensors, this results in a larger
amount of data being transferred more quickly to operators so that they may be analysed. The use of
fibre optic cables have various distinct advantages which include, electromagnetic interference
immunity, lightweight and compact, and high bandwidth over long distances can be achieved [2].
Such advantages are easily transferrable to subsea control systems.

3.1 High Bandwidth

Control systems need significantly more than 1,200 or 9,600- baud communication available [3].
Through the use of fibre optics over 200M baud is offered over long distances which will not
compromise the design of the umbilical, the increased baud rate also decreases the Bit Error Rate
(BER). Error correction algorithms can be run given the increased bit rate, this results in multiples
of the same message being sent from which can be compared to the received signals. Comparing the
sent messages and received signals will allow the operator to confirm no error was occurred in
transfer, in turn reducing the error rate and increasing reliability of communication [3].
Accompanied with the bandwidth and BER improvements communication accuracy increases
through real-time monitoring allowing greater error checking capabilities, reducing the risk of
failure through communication. Higher bandwidth allows increased amounts of data to reach
operators quicker and over greater distances, meaning important monitoring information can be
received quicker to ensure action is taken, as can be done with control functions.

3.2 Longer Distances

Fibre optics produce little attenuation, signals being transmitted over long distance can then be
achieved [4]. In relation to subsea control systems, fibre optics can be implemented for distances
over 200 km without the need for signal boosters or repeaters, suitable for where long tie-backs to
topside or shore are needed. As subsea operations increasingly move into more remote harsh
environments with longer tie-backs the use of fibre optics boast a huge advantage in the ability to
transfer data over long distances.

3.3 Electromagnetic Interference Immunity

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is created by high power, of which is generated from variable
frequency drive to injection pump, EMI can interfere with communications particularly when
located within the umbilical alongside the power lines [5]. Fibre optics signals are transmitted
through light opposed to current, resulting in signals being carried through locations with high EMI.
The immunity to EMI eliminates the risk of data corruption through EMI, reducing communication
failure in turn improving reliability of the subsea control system [6]. This proves a great advantage
for use in close proximity to high power machinery on the seafloor which can create a lot of noise.

3.4 Material
Fibre optics are very lightweight and compact when compared to traditional electrical systems.
Reductions in weight and size boast the benefits specifically to transportation, storage and
implementation of the cables. Significant reductions in diameters can resultantly have cost
advantages for umbilical manufacturing and implementation where overall cross section of an
umbilical can be reduced. Reduction in overall cable size and weight of fibre optics result in greater
lengths of cable to be stored on winching equipment. Increased lengths of cable will eliminate the
need for larger winching equipment when using such applications as seismic cables, umbilical and
tether cables.

3.5 Harsh Environment Performance

Downhole applications can prove to be very harsh environments for materials to operate within.
Temperature in downhole environments can exceed 120 C, the use of electronics at such
temperatures rapidly reduce the reliability of system. However fibre optics can withstand
temperatures reaching 300 C, increasing the reliability of the system in relation to downhole
environments [6]. Increasing the reliability reduces the chance of data corruption, accompanied with
higher bandwidth the amount of data received will also be increased.

4.0 Copper Wire System Comparison

4.1 Signal Transmission over Distance
Low attenuation found in fibre optic cables produce greater distances of signal transmission than
those of copper wire systems. The distance in which copper systems require a repeater to regain
signal integrity is much lower than that of fibre optic cables. Copper wire systems will realistically
require a repeater in intervals of every few kilometres, whereas fibre optic cables can stretch over
100 kilometres before a repeater is needed [7].

4.2 Bandwidth
Typical bandwidth in fibre optic cabling can reach up to 10 GHz, whereas copper cabling is much
less with bandwidth values being up to 1 GHz [8]. The values stated are not what is achieved with
every application of fibre optics and copper respectively, but an indication of the difference of
bandwidth possibility of each material. Fibre optics can achieve a much higher bandwidth than that
of copper, this is instrumental to subsea applications, as it allows real time monitoring, larger
amounts of data to be transferred and such data to be transferred quicker than that of copper
applications. With increased bandwidth the BER also differ between the two materials, copper
systems offer BER of 1:106 where fibre optics offer BER of 1:109 [5]. The improved BER values
increase the reliability of the fibre compared to copper, reducing the risk of communication failure.

4.3 Electromagnetic Interference

Communication systems which use copper are susceptible to the effects of EMI [9]. Fibre optic
applications are not effect by EMI as signals are transmitted through light, opposed to current.
Changes in electromagnetic fields will induce current within a copper conductor. EMI interference
can also be caused by high machinery noise, as produced on the sea floor, fibre optics eliminate the

possibility of data corruption, increasingly reliability where the use of copper would decrease the
reliability of the system.

4.4 Size, Weight and Cost

In comparison, if both copper and fibre optic cables were of the same performance there would be a
large difference in size [9]. It is expected that the fibre optic cable would be significantly smaller
than that of copper given enhanced performances and greater retention of power. For a copper wire
system to replicate the performances of fibre it would have to be much larger in size to
accommodate losses in signal strength or attenuation.
Given the understanding of size difference, the smaller stature of fibre optic cables have a much
lesser weight than compared to copper wire systems. The reduced size and weight of fibre optics
result in a reduction in umbilical cross sections, thus reducing the size and weight of the umbilical
also. Reduction in weight and size improve storage and manufacturing of umbilicals, winch
equipment once limited to certain lengths using copper systems will now be able to accommodate
greater lengths of fibre optics in comparison.
In relation to cost, the use of copper wire system is cheaper than that of fibre optic. Although the
material individually is less, for applications where large amounts of data need to be transferred
long distances quickly, fibre optic is the most economic viable option. Implementing a copper wire
system with similar performance to fibre would inflate costs vastly.

5.0 System Design for Fibre Optic Based Control System

5.1 Key Components and Consideration
Wet- mate connectors are vital in subsea control systems, the connectors provide communications
between the control room and subsea equipment [10]. A vital component in subsea control systems,
enabling connections to be made whilst submerged opposed to dry-mate connectors, which have to
be connected above water and then submerged. Fibre optic connects provide the control room
operator with data information from sensors within wells and other subsea equipment. The
information provided will allow the integrity of components to be assessed as well as reservoir
production. However, there are several considerations that need to be taken when using wet-mate
fibre optic connectors. Wet-mate connectors are regularly implemented into harsh environments,
considerations to pressure and temperatures. In current technological advancements, such
connectors are expected to perform in depths up to 3000 m with these depths likely to increase in
the future. With regard to temperature, seabed temperatures are generally stable and low, however
storage of the components could be in direct sunlight in hot climates such as the Gulf of Mexico or
cold climates of the Norwegian continental shelf [10]. The connectors are also expected to
withstand temperatures up to 300 C, where applications in down well may be needed. How the
connectors will be aligned and connected should also be carefully considered, it is instrumental that
the optical faces of the connectors are not contaminated or damaged to ensure optimal performance.

6.0 Example of Subsea System Fibre Optic Communications

In the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), BP has implemented fibre optic communications connecting all of its
platforms Thunder Horse, Mad Dog and Na Kika, 1300 km cable was laid. The extensive length of
cable used is providing BP 2,500 times greater bandwidth than that of a satellite connection [11].
BP has also installed 80% of their high rate wells with real time monitoring systems, accompanied
with a further 2000 km of fibre and 2 million data tags [11]. Fibre optic communications
implemented to a complex high producing platform such as Thunder Horse would allow the masses
of data to be transferred from subsea to platform quickly, data from the 350,000 barrels that are
produced from 7 wells daily. BP estimate that through improved communications on the Thunder

Horse Platform with the use of real time monitoring an approximate extra 80,000 barrels are day are
being produced.
The BP Fibre Optic Network (FON) project includes 1,100 km optical fibre trunk cable outside the
continental shelf with branching units to target specific platforms [12]. The trunk cable is used to
provide each primary platform with a path to stations ashore, removing interdependencies. Each
branching units on the trunk cable provides independent bandwidth through the branch. BP achieve
this through the use of optical filters and transceivers on each platform accompanied with the
transceivers of each station. The interfaces used in the FON project allow the platforms to directly
connect to local area networks and on-board routers. On several levels the FON project is proving a
strategic investment, because of improvements in production, data transfer in communications. The
project has a 25 year design life but possesses expansion capability; the system also needs little
intervention. The increased reliability of using fibre optics in subsea applications allow improved
data transfer of parameters which influence safety and decision making. Improved bandwidth can
sustain real life monitoring to accommodate the data transmission to platforms or even ashore.

7.0 Conclusion

8.0 References
[1] Coring, 2014. Fiber-Optic Technology. [pdf] The International Engineering Consortium.
Available
at:<http://www.imedea.uib.es/~salvador/coms_optiques/addicional/Corning/fiber_optic.pdf>
[Accessed 11 November 2014]
[2]Fiber Optic Interconnections, 2000. Advantages of Fiber Optics. [online] Available
at:<http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~nd/surprise_97/journal/vol4/sm27/adv.html> [Accessed 12 November
2014]
[3] http://books.google.co.uk/books?
id=NKRQiEb4nXAC&pg=PA232&lpg=PA232&dq=increased+bandwidth+subsea&source=bl&ots
=7CH--rKtW&sig=s5YIiTGZYRElwtZb0BGmUZiB3IY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uG5rVOiBJceKsQTlwoLwBg&
ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=increased%20bandwidth%20subsea&f=false
[4]BP Communications, 2014. Fibre Optics Advantages. [online] Available
at:<http://www.bpcomms.co.uk/fibre-optics/fibre-optics-advantages/> [Accessed 12 November
2014]
[5]Awwad. S, 2000. Fiber-Optic Connectors: An Enabling Technology for High-Noise Subsea
Environments. [pdf] Offshore Technology Conference. Available at:
<https://www.onepetro.org/download/conference-paper/OTC-12150-MS?id=conference-paper
%2FOTC-12150-MS> [Accessed 13 November 2014]
[6]Pye. D, 2002. The Application of Fibre Optics to Subsea Systems. [pdf] Offshore Technology
Conference. Available at: <https://www.onepetro.org/download/conference-paper/SUT-SCADA-02123?id=conference-paper%2FSUT-SCADA-02-123> [Accessed 13 November 2014]
[7] http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Np7ahyY6A0C&pg=PA181&dq=Fibre+optics+data+transfer&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WE1rVIXjNpLxaKfNAQ&ved
=0CFAQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Fibre%20optics%20data%20transfer&f=false
[8] I-COM, 2012. Bandwidth and Application Differences, between Copper and Fiber-Optic
Cabling. [pdf] I-COM. Available at: <https://www.lcom.com/multimedia/tips/tip_copper_vs_fiber.pdf> [Accessed 17 November 2014]
[9] http://books.google.co.uk/books?
id=QYsvdMp2UP4C&pg=PA347&dq=bandwidth+fibre+optic+vs+copper&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UqRs
VITLG4u_sQSW_oDgDQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=bandwidth%20fibre%20optic
%20vs%20copper&f=false
[10] http://designsmarterfaster.te.com/downloads/wet-mate-connectors.pdf
[11] www.subtelforum.com/issues/STF_46.pdf
[12] http://www.subcom.com/pdfs/articles/TT-BP-gom.pdf

http://www.google.co.uk/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CE0QFjAI&url=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.te.com%2Fcommerce%2FDocumentDelivery%2FDDEController%3FAction
%3Dsrchrtrv%26DocNm%3D1773457-1_offshoremarine%26DocType%3DDS%26DocLang
%3DEN&ei=65VsVJDZKcfksASP1YGADg&usg=AFQjCNF3MHJ4LIrrxlByzO7ycS9B6yFF-g
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5664452
http://www.micronoptics.com/uploads/documents/subsea_monitoring.pdf
http://www.impac.de/fileadmin/content/Downloads/01_Subsea_Control_Structures_EMBT_2010.p
df
http://www.teledyneoilandgas.com/_document/Pushing_Limits_Subsea_Broadband_Innovation.pdf