Rostec’s Shvabe holding said in a September 15 release that it had upgraded communications equipment for the fibre-optic system controlling subsea gas production. In the new configuration, each well connects directly to the onshore control centre without intermediate optical splitters. The company said the equipment had passed tests and would be used to develop one Russian gas field.

The company specifies a maximum line range of 70 km and a data-transfer rate of up to 10 Mbit/s. An upgraded optoelectronic converter in the transceiver module changes the optical signal into an electrical signal for the well equipment. The solution is intended to support a gas-production complex with a service life exceeding 30 years. The release does not identify the field or provide an exact installation date; the specifications and intended use are company statements.