How to Select the Right Industrial HMI Hardware: A Complete Guide for Oil & Gas Operations

Selecting the right Human-Machine Interface (HMI) hardware is crucial for ensuring operational efficiency, safety, and long-term reliability. However, with so many options available, it’s not always clear how to evaluate and choose the right one.

Many SCADA managers, IT directors, and operations managers struggle with balancing performance, durability, and cost when selecting industrial HMI systems. This challenge becomes even more complex when considering the unique demands of industrial environments, where hardware needs to stand up to extreme temperatures, vibrations, and other potentially hazardous conditions. For those new to the topic, here’s a concise SCADA systems overview to help clarify how HMI fits into broader industrial operations.

This guide will walk you through the key considerations to keep in mind when selecting industrial HMI hardware for oil and gas operations, offering practical insights into performance specifications, environmental requirements, and lifecycle planning.

By the end, you’ll have a more comprehensive understanding of how to make an informed decision that meets both your immediate needs—and future requirements.

How Do Industrial Environments Impact Your Industrial HMI Hardware Selection for Oil and Gas and SCADA Systems?

The first—and most important—consideration when selecting industrial HMI oil and gas hardware is the environment in which it will be deployed. Oil and gas operations often take place in harsh, unpredictable conditions, making the environment a major factor in hardware performance.

Key Environmental Factors for HMI Oil and Gas Hardware

• Temperature Extremes: Industrial HMI hardware needs to operate in environments where temperatures can vary significantly. Control room interiors might be comfortably regulated, but in field operations HMIs must withstand freezing temperatures, high heat, and/or massive fluctuations in between.
• Vibration: Equipment in oil and gas fields is often subjected to elevated levels of vibration. Whether it’s from drilling machinery or pumps, these vibrations can damage sensitive components over time if the hardware is not specifically designed to handle them.
• Dust and Particulates: In certain field environments, dust and particulates in the air are a constant concern. A display’s enclosure must be sealed to prevent dust from entering and damaging internal components, necessitating high IP (Ingress Protection) ratings for dust and water resistance.
• Hazardous Areas: Some oil and gas facilities are classified as hazardous areas (e.g., ATEX or IECEx zones), which require HMI hardware to have specialized certifications. These certifications ensure equipment can operate safely in hazardous conditions such as environments with explosive gases or combustible dust. Learn more about ATEX and IECEx certifications for hazardous locations and why they matter for oil and gas HMI safety.

For all these factors, commercial-grade hardware simply won’t cut it. It’s essential to opt for industrial-grade oil and gas HMI displays specifically designed to meet the unique demands of the industry. Review the ISA101 standard for industrial HMI hardware for best practices on HMI selection and lifecycle management.

Industrial HMI Hardware Display Requirements for Oil and Gas and SCADA Control Rooms

Industrial HMIs must offer more than just basic display capabilities; they must also provide operators with clear, accurate, real-time information under challenging conditions.

Oil and Gas HMI Display Specifications for SCADA Environments

Many industrial environments require screens that are easily visible even under bright lighting conditions or in low-light environments—so the technology behind the screen matters.

• Display Technology: Consider your lighting and longevity needs first. LED screens are brighter and clearer than standard LCD displays—and they also tend to have a longer lifespan, which makes them a great option for industrial applications.
• Brightness and Viewing Angles: In control rooms, where ambient light can be controlled, brightness may not be as critical. However, outdoor field installations require screens with higher brightness levels to combat sunlight. Ensuring the display has wide viewing angles is also essential, especially for field operations where multiple viewers may need to share the same screen simultaneously.
• Touchscreen Technology: Industrial touchscreens must be dependable even when operators are wearing gloves. Resistive touchscreens (which respond to pressure) are commonly used in harsh environments. Capacitive screens (which require the touch of a bare finger) are more common in control rooms. Additionally, choosing screens that remain functional despite environmental influences—such as humidity or dust—is key to ensuring longevity and usability.

Location-Specific SCADA HMI and Oil and Gas Requirements

The location of the HMI hardware will directly impact your selection process. The control room, with its regulated environment, and the field, with its extreme conditions, have vastly different requirements.

Control Room Requirements:

• The screens in the control room don’t need to be as rugged as those used in the field, but they still need to be reliable for continuous use. Here, ergonomics, clarity of display, and ease of use are top priorities. Having multiple touchpoints for better control and interaction is also crucial.

Field Requirements:

• Field installations face harsher conditions. You’ll need HMIs that are built to withstand temperature extremes, vibrations, and exposure to hazardous materials. Ruggedized, high-brightness displays with sealed enclosures (such as those rated with IP66 or IP67) are necessary for outdoor operations.

Lifecycle Planning for Industrial HMI Hardware in Oil and Gas SCADA Systems

When it comes to industrial HMI hardware, lifecycle planning is crucial. Commercial hardware often gets refreshed every 2–3 years, but industrial systems are built to last 10 years or longer. Choosing the right hardware for the long haul requires knowing how it will perform—and how you will maintain it over its lifespan.

Key Lifecycle Considerations

• Expected Service Life: Because industrial-grade oil and gas HMI systems are built for extended use (often outlasting commercial-grade equipment by a significant margin), you need to plan for longevity—and ensure your selected hardware can withstand continuous operation in demanding environments.
• Processor and Memory Requirements: Today’s complex visualizations and real-time data needs often require high-performance processors and large memory. As these needs grow and change over time, future processing demands will likely be even greater. So be sure to plan for the power you need now—and in the near future.
• Obsolescence Policies: Hardware and components can become obsolete over time. Understanding the manufacturer’s obsolescence policy is vital. You’ll want to choose a system with robust support and a clear roadmap for upgrades and replacements.
• Spare Parts and Serviceability: Maintaining a stock of critical spare parts can help minimize downtime. Look for manufacturers that offer extensive after-sales support and readily available spare parts. Additionally, ease of field service and repair is essential to reduce operational disruptions.
• Standardization: A key strategy for managing industrial HMI hardware lifecycle costs is standardization. By selecting a specific HMI platform and using it across multiple locations, you can simplify spare parts inventory, reduce training requirements, and benefit from better pricing leverage. A standardization strategy also helps with overall system maintenance and troubleshooting, as your teams will be familiar with the hardware across all sites.

Conclusion: Best Practices for Selecting Industrial HMI Hardware for Oil and Gas and SCADA Operations

The HMI hardware you choose will need to integrate seamlessly with broader control and monitoring systems, like existing SCADA systems and other control devices.

Key Integration Considerations

• Communication Interfaces: SCADA systems, PLCs, and other devices require specific communication interfaces to send and receive data from HMIs. Ensuring the HMI can communicate over Ethernet, serial connections, or wireless networks is crucial for seamless integration into your control network.
• Cybersecurity Considerations: As industrial control systems become increasingly connected, cybersecurity must be a priority. Ensure that the HMI system features robust security protocols to protect against cyber threats, especially if the hardware is connected to larger industrial IoT (IIoT) networks. For a detailed guide on strengthening your system’s defenses, see our 7 SCADA Security Best Practices: How to Protect Your Systems article.