Petrocom News

Mercy Ships is a nonprofit organization operating medical relief ships that travel to the poorest countries of the world to perform medical services and community development programs. In order to serve such communities, the ships have three basic requirements: a place to dock, fresh water and telephone access. In these poor countries, it is very common to have a wired public phone system that is very old, overloaded, and not readily available at the dockside. However, GSM cellular service is generally available in the port area, so finding a way to use that cellular service has been a must for Mercy Ships. In their quest to access the GSM cellular service…

PetroCom LLC has begun construction and testing of the first digital cellular network in the Gulf of Mexico. Working with partners Siemens and Ericsson, PetroCom is introducing GSM technology to provide secure and high-speed communications for companies in the multi-billion dollar offshore industry. With offices in Houston, New Orleans and Lafayette, La., PetroCom is a cellular provider in the Gulf, with a coverage area stretching from Brownsville, Texas to Mobile, Ala. and as far offshore as 180 miles. For oil and gas companies, maritime operators and government agencies in the Gulf, secure and reliable communication is indispensable for remaining competitive.

As technologically advanced as communications have become, the bottom line, particularly for business applications, remains basically the same: the need for clear, reliable and cost-effective means to communicate. Trends in the transmission of data, voice and e-mail from ship-to-shore are much like that of land-based operations. The need for more speed and increased reliability are never ending, and the companies that excel are the ones that not only continually innovate, but those that consistently stay on the front of the curve to deliver real-world technologies that deliver benefits in the unique maritime operational environment. In parallel, price pressures are ubiquitous, as shipowners are keen to exploit every outlet to cut costs and generate revenue.

Globe Wireless has established a new office in Houston, Texas, and appointed Greg Halverson as regional manager of Offshore Sales. Halverson will lead the company's GlobeOffshore® sales efforts in the Gulf of Mexico as well as lending support to Offshore sales worldwide. With more than 16 years of sales experience, including seven years selling communications solutions to the offshore industry, Halverson has had a variety of sales and management positions with MCI Telecommunications, Claydesta Communications, Illuminex Corporation, and most recently with Petrocom.

PetroCom LLC announced that an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital, a Miami-based private investment firm, has completed the previously announced acquisition of PetroCom. Headquartered in New Orleans, PetroCom is a leading cellular carrier in the Gulf of Mexico and a full-service telecommunications solutions provider for the offshore industry. Last year H.I.G., through its Bayside Capital affiliate, acquired Sola Communications, a leader in the delivery of telecommunications related services for the offshore oil and gas and emergency services markets. In connection with its acquisition of PetroCom, H.I.G. also obtained regulatory approval to combine the PetroCom and Sola businesses. PetroCom is the fifth Gulf area company in which H.I.G. has invested in the past few years.

PetroCom LLC has entered into a binding agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital, a Miami-based private investment firm. Headquartered in New Orleans, LA, PetroCom is a leading cellular carrier in the Gulf of Mexico and a full-service telecommunications solutions provider for the offshore industry. PetroCom President Ken Wright commented, "We are thrilled to partner with a premier private equity firm as we enter our next stage of growth. H.I.G.'s investment represents an important milestone in our Company's history, and their support will enable us to significantly expand our footprint. Earlier this year H.I.G., through its Bayside Capital affiliate…

Venturi Wireless announced that PetroCom has deployed the Venturi optimization solution within its offshore cellular network. PetroCom operates a 100,000-square-mile GSM network in the Gulf of Mexico and maintains a variety of onshore/offshore satellite networks both domestically and internationally. Venturi Wireless is optimizing PetroCom's GPRS/EDGE network to ensure reliable and fast delivery of critical ship-to-shore data communications with Venturi's Adaptive Airlink Optimization(TM) technology. Venturi Wireless optimization is designed to deliver up to 7 times higher data access speeds as well as significantly improved reliability under poor RF conditions.

PetroCom’s new Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite communication system is structured around private communication networks. Built with the newest technologies and equipment, this system is designed to offer the ability to turn bandwidth on and off, re-allocate bandwidth or schedule increased bandwidth as business needs change. Recently, PetroCom signed agreements to provide VSAT voice and data services for Onyx Special Services, Superior Offshore International and Tetra Applied Technologies. Last month, Helix Energy Solutions tapped PetroCom to provide VSAT services for its offshore fleet. Multiplex VSAT communication networks with speeds from 64 to 512K are available for fixed and stabilized applications.

PetroCom is making great strides in repairing its communication systems that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Patched very small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite and wireless systems that were quickly operational with ingenuity and resourcefulness are now repaired properly and working near capacity. “My staff has done an unbelievable job of improvising and thinking outside of the box to restore services. Our first goal was to patch communication trunk-lines and make them operational, which allowed us to evaluate the full extent of the damages,” said PetroCom President & COO Ken Wright. PetroCom’s DS3 fiber-optic connection has been repaired in New Orleans and VSAT satellite services are fully operational and capable of running at full capacity.