This greenfield LNG project in the Middle East involves a complex, multi-vendor EPC supply chain spanning equipment fabrication, logistics, construction, and commissioning.
To maintain the identity of critical equipment across these project stages, the global EPC selected Xerafy OUT TRAK RFID tags for asset traceability from vendor dispatch through site commissioning and handover.
Project-specific names and locations have been withheld at the request of the project owners for confidentiality and competitive reasons.
Managing a Complex Portfolio of LNG Assets and Suppliers
The project spans a diverse portfolio of high-value equipment supplied and fabricated across multiple locations:
Rotating equipment: Compressors, pumps, gearboxes, and electric motors
Static mechanical equipment: Heat exchangers, separators, and pressure vessels
Electrical systems: Motor control centers, switchgear, and transformers
Control and instrumentation: Transmitters, analyzers, and junction boxes
Modular systems: Skid-mounted units, packaged utilities, and structural pipe racks
Traceability had to be maintained across international fabrication yards, third-party vendors, packaging hubs, and site staging areas. Particular challenges included field-mounted instrumentation, structural subassemblies fabricated off-site, and equipment delivered in multi-container shipments.
The EPC needed to maintain a consistent identity for each asset while connecting it to its Inspection Test Plans (ITPs), Material Receiving Reports (MRRs), shipping documentation, vendor compliance records, and core asset data.
Paper tags and spreadsheet-based logs increased the risk of asset misidentification, logistical bottlenecks, non-conformance, and delays during inspection and commissioning. The EPC therefore required a standardized digital traceability system capable of preserving asset identity and documentation from vendor dispatch through site commissioning and handover.
RFID Solution for EPC Asset Traceability
The EPC specified passive UHF RFID compliant with ISO/IEC 18000-6C (EPCglobal Gen2) to establish a durable, standardized identity for critical assets throughout the project lifecycle.
Xerafy’s OUT TRAK series was selected for assets requiring reliable identification on metal and resistance to demanding outdoor and industrial conditions. Each RFID tag provides the serialized identity used to connect the physical asset with its project records as it moves through vendor dispatch, shipping, receiving, site staging, commissioning, and handover.
Project Tag Requirements
For outdoor-mounted and marine-facing equipment, the selected RFID configuration had to meet the project’s requirements for:
- Reliable performance on metal, with a read range of at least 6 meters
- Resistance to UV exposure, impact, vibration, and chemicals
- Operation across temperatures from -40°C to +85°C
- ATEX and IECEx Zone 1 and Zone 2 certification where required
Encoding and Project Record Linkage
To standardize asset identification across project vendors and locations, the EPC specified:
A unique serialized EPC of at least 96 bits for each asset
At least 512 bits of user memory for project-specific data
Pre-encoding based on a standardized structure incorporating fields such as asset class, vendor ID, and serial number
Human-readable identification with a 1D or 2D barcode for field verification
Vendors populate a standardized RFID asset database that connects each tagged item to:
Material Receiving Reports (MRRs)
Inspection Test Plans (ITPs)
Shipping documentation
Asset metadata, including type, location, and serial number
The Selected RFID Tag
The Xerafy OUT TRAK series was selected to provide rugged, long-range UHF RFID identification on metallic equipment exposed to demanding outdoor and industrial conditions.
Its durable on-metal form factor suited the project’s diverse portfolio of mechanical equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, and modular assets moving between supplier facilities, logistics hubs, staging areas, and the LNG site.
Xerafy provides a broad portfolio of RFID tags engineered for Oil and Gas infrastructure.
They come with weldable, bandable, cable-tie, and hanging options to support diverse equipment requirements:
- XPLORER: embeddable tags for HPHT environments (e.g., drill pipes, tubulars, compressors)
- ROSWELL: surface-mount tags with brackets for welding or rivets
- POD and TRAK series: long-range tags featuring industrial adhesives
- On-Metal RFID labels: field-printable, for inventory, supply chain, and maintenance parts
Deployment Across Project Vendors
OUT TRAK tags can be mechanically fixed or bonded to equipment according to the asset surface, mounting location, and project installation requirements.
Through Xerafy’s Service Bureau, tags can be supplied with:
A pre-encoded, unique EPC based on the project’s data structure
A corresponding 1D or 2D barcode
Human-readable asset identification
This gives participating vendors a standardized identity to register in the project database and connect to the required QA, inspection, shipping, and receiving records before dispatch.
Preserving Asset Identity from Vendor Dispatch to Handover
Introducing a standardized RFID identity at the vendor stage creates a common traceability layer across QA/QC, logistics, receiving, site staging, inspection, commissioning, and handover.
At each project stage, teams can use the tag’s unique EPC to identify the physical asset and access its associated MRRs, ITPs, shipping documentation, and asset metadata. This reduces the risk of misidentification, incomplete documentation, and inconsistent records as equipment moves between suppliers, locations, and project teams.
Integrating RFID early in the EPC workflow also prepares the asset data for structured handover and potential connection to future maintenance and operational systems.
Xerafy is a pioneer in Industrial RFID, bringing to market several innovations that enable advanced industrial identification and automation capabilities.
In addition to a complete range of field-proven RFID tags available off-the-shelf, Xerafy offers Custom RFID Tags services, covering everything from a personalization service bureau to custom-design engineering capabilities.
