Wialon plus Iridium. Preventing fuel thefts on the gold mine

Terrestrial communication networks cover only 20% of the ground surface. So there’s still 80% of the territories where a GPS tracker with a standard GSM module won’t send data messages.

So as it turns out, you run Kinross gold-mining enterprise now exploring Chukotka. The fleet of heavy machinery operates 600 km away from Pevek – the northernmost city of Russia. And while you mine for gold, your drivers find another way to raise money. They steal fuel and get away with it... but that was before Wialon came into play.    

Naviset – Gurtam partner in Russia – took on equipment installation and Wialon system implementation. But to make the solution work with no GSM coverage, they needed high-quality satellite communication services. Here, Iridium joined us as the only provider covering 100% of the Earth surface.

Today’s story is about how Wialon works with Iridium-powered Naviset trackers and how it helps to manage the full cycle of fuel distribution – from the major petrol reservoirs to refuellers and machinery. 

The solution: Fuel control “Starter pack”

Here’s what you need: 

• Wialon system 
• Naviset trackers and Iridium satellite communication modems 
• Omnicomm FLS powered from machinery or energy supply modules 
• Flow meters
• RFID readers and ID cards

Naviset equips the machinery, refuellers, and fuel storage tanks with GPS trackers and Iridium antennas to make the equipment send data to Wialon in real time. 

Then they install FLS on the huge fuel storage tanks and refueller reservoirs, seal the place of hardware installation and cover it with a metal lid. Thus, Naviset minimizes the risk of telematics equipment being damaged. Otherwise, physical intervention is at least visible for mechanics. 

Drivers and refueller/petrol reservoir operators get authorization cards bound to a particular unit (machinery or fuel storage tanks). The huge reservoirs and refuellers are also equipped with RFID readers connected to GPS trackers. To fill the refueller both the operators should insert their ID cards to the readers. That’s how Wialon receives data on all parties involved in fuel filling, its interval, and the volume of “Fuel traffic”. 

When filling the machinery, the driver inserts his card into the reader on the refueller, a green light comes on, and only after that, the operator starts a filling procedure.

The solution: connected machinery fleet

For each fuel storage tank, refueller, and machine a unit in Wialon is created. Plus, ID cards exist in the system as drivers. The card number is specified in “Driver properties”. The latter helps to identify the employee at the wheel.   

Then we continue with the “Sensors” tab in “Unit Properties”. Depending on the unit type, the following sensors are created:

• Fuel level sensor
• Counter sensors for fuel flow meters 
• Driver binding sensor 

The latter triggers when the driver inserts the ID card into the reader. By its number, the system identifies the units being filled or distributing fuel. Moreover, the sensor helps to detect the event interval (when the card was pulled out). 

Put it simply, this is how the message in Wialon looks like:

“The Fuel storage tank #1 distributed fuel to the Refueller #1 (card 12345).”

If there are two units with RFID readers involved in the process, the messages from both of them look like this:

“Distributed to Refueller #1 (card 12345)/Received from Fuel storage tank #1 (card 54321).”   

If a unit was not authorized, a refueller distributed more fuel than it fits into the tank, or too many fillings are detected, the system informs a dispatcher via pop-up notifications. He promptly responds to violations, registers notifications as custom events and leaves comments that can be later seen in reports.   

The map is used for a quick overview of stationary fuel reservoirs, refuellers, machinery, fillings and thefts markers. It can be later attached to reports. 

Wialon system gets data on unit location, filling intervals, the volume of fuel distributed and received, its source and the recipient.

The report on fuel fillings contain data on mileage, initial and final fuel level, filling volumes (by flow meters and FLS) and intervals. To check the reliability of information, you can review the number of Iridium messages for the period – you should take a closer look at violations detected by a single message. 

Results: those trying to steal fuel never go unpunished. The system detects who received the fuel or at least who granted fuel distribution without driver authorization. That way, the solution has paid for itself within six months. 

Today we’ve told about fuel control, driver identification, and the benefits of satellite communications. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we’ll publish your success story. Tell us about how your clients use Wialon, and we’ll make your projects recognized by the community. Contact us at marketing@gurtam.com or leave a request for publication at my.gurtam.com.