More than 2 million gallons of jet fuel is pumped through the Anchorage International Airport Fuel Farm facility each day. At any one time the tanks are holding over 15 million gallons of fuel. This immense facility is operated by just a few technicians. To adequately and securely monitor a facility of this size is nearly impossible without either hiring more people or installing a complete video surveillance system.
TecPro engineered, designed, and installed cameras to monitor the entire perimeter of the facility. Cameras are also installed within the buildings to monitor the areas that house the pumps and filters. This system addressed the security and safety vulnerabilities that a facility of this size present.
Distances were too great to run Ethernet to each camera, so most of the perimeter poles are broadcasting images via a wireless connection across the tops of the fuel tanks. TecPro designed and installed separate power and backup power systems needed to be run to each of the poles with an average of four cameras per location. This design and layout ensures 100% coverage. High winds and bitter moist cold have necessitated the need to use only Mobotix cameras. Each pole location has a local power source complete with battery backup.
Another factor to overcome was the hazardous environment and explosive potential inside the pump and filter rooms. These are the rooms where every gallon of fuel that goes into a plane must pass. The cameras had to be intrinsically safe and completely sealed off from the room and still be able to record everything, including sound, which might occur. TecPro developed a UL-listed explosion-proof housing and customized a Mobotix camera for flawless sharp recording of the interior of the facility.
The security at the gate prompted further challenges and required additional creative solutions. TecPro designed a gate access system that utilizes the Mobotix VoIP capabilities. Visitors press a call button for entry and the gate camera view is moved to the top of the screen on the central viewing station while a horn is sounded to notify facility operators. When a call is made the operator is then able to initiate two-way audio communications from the gate to the control room. All of this was done through the built-in interface of the Mobotix cameras in combination with MxControl Center software. The high voltage line that our network cable had to share to get to the gate posed yet another challenge. TecPro was able to address this by completely avoiding the potential for electromagnetic interference and using fiber optic cable to make the connection.
TecPro utilized the Mobotix IP notify feature to activate screens that need operator acknowledgment when video motion is detected. All recordings, including historical archiving, are being recorded locally at the facility and then immediately uploaded across the runway to a separate storage facility to provide data redundancy and ensure accurate record and backup of the facility’s activities in the event of any failure.
Outside monitoring of the facility’s activities is also possible, which provides the opportunity for a more rapid response to potential issues in the workplace before they become critical.
Additionally, two 4-million-gallon fuel storage tanks were constructed this past year and all the work was monitored and recorded in real time. Liability is reduced when everyone knows their actions are being recorded.
The Anchorage International Airport Fuel Farm received a solution that met their specific needs and overcame several challenges by utilizing the creative technical team at TecPro. We look forward to working with you to design a system that will exceed your expectations. Please Contact Us if you have a possible project!