Originally published in Pipeline & Gas Journal Communications Over A Converged Voice And Data Network For Gas Pipelines Brad (Biju) Oommen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Pipelines are an efficient means of transporting natural gas over long distances, from production locations to the market. However, managing a gas pipeline is an around-the-clock, complex operation that involves continuous monitoring. Hence we need a highly reliable, simple and dependable way to get voice, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) telemetry traffic and, in some instances, video traffic from the gas pipeline block valve stations to the main control room. Making use of the latest convergence technology and voice over IP (VoIP), companies operating gas pipelines can easily exchange voice and real-time SCADA telemetry data and video traffic, including real-time information about events linked to the operation of the pipeline between the pipeline’s Operation Control Center a...