| QUICK ANSWER: Chevron built a CBRS-based private 4G LTE network at a former open-pit mine in rural New Mexico to support a remediation program scheduled to run through 2040. Public carriers could not deliver the reliability or coverage the site required, so Chevron deployed its own infrastructure – featuring microwave ring backhaul, solar-powered remote sites, and an unusual 1:1 uplink/downlink configuration optimized for industrial sensor data. The network achieved a 2-3 year payback period and is now Chevron’s template for future private network rollouts across its global portfolio. |
| 2-3 Years Payback Period for Chevron’s Private CBRS Network Source: Chevron deployment data – driven primarily by elimination of manual data collection labor |
Introduction
Environmental remediation sites present a distinctive set of operational demands: they are remote, long-lived, and require continuous data collection over decades. Chevron’s former open-pit mine in rural New Mexico – under active remediation from 2014 through 2040 – is exactly that kind of site. Public carrier coverage in the area is inconsistent and insufficient for the volume and reliability of data the operation requires.
Rather than patch together a carrier-dependent solution, Chevron chose to build its own. The company deployed a CBRS-based private LTE network – a purpose-built wireless infrastructure designed to serve the site’s data acquisition, field mobility, and IoT connectivity needs under conditions that public networks cannot support.
This case study outlines the challenge Chevron faced, the solution it deployed, and the lessons learned from one of the more technically demanding private cellular network deployments in the energy sector.
The Challenge
Operating an environmental remediation site over a multi-decade timeline is not just a logistical challenge – it is a data management challenge. The mine generates continuous streams of sensor data: barometric readings, weather measurements, rain gauges, and more. Historically, collecting this data meant sending personnel into the field manually – a process that was labor-intensive, prone to gaps, and slower than the operation required.
The site’s rural location created a fundamental connectivity problem. Public LTE carriers provide limited, unreliable service in the area, making carrier-dependent solutions a poor fit for infrastructure that must operate reliably over 26 years. The site’s terrain – an open-pit mine with complex topography – creates RF propagation challenges that generic wireless solutions are ill-equipped to handle.
Chevron’s key requirements were:
- Industrial IoT data acquisition at scale: replacing manual field visits with automated, always-on sensor streams
- Connected worker devices: vehicle-mounted units needing reliable handoff across the full site footprint
- Security and operational control: a shared carrier network cannot meet industrial-grade security requirements
- Long-term cost-effectiveness: the solution had to remain viable and maintainable through 2040
- Adaptability: the network needed to accommodate future use cases as the remediation program evolved
Beyond operational requirements, there were structural constraints: towers could not penetrate the ground due to site conditions, power infrastructure was limited in remote areas, and any spectrum solution had to comply with CBRS regulatory requirements – including interactions with a Spectrum Access System (SAS) designed with flat-terrain assumptions that would prove problematic in a mining environment.
The Solution
Chevron deployed a private 4G LTE network on CBRS spectrum that launched in late 2023. The design addressed the site’s specific operational, terrain, and infrastructure challenges at each layer of the stack.
| Design Element | Approach |
| Spectrum | Two 10 MHz CBRS licenses aggregated to 20 MHz; dynamic allocation based on traffic patterns |
| Backhaul | Point-to-point microwave links in a ring topology for redundancy against single-point failures |
| Tower design | Ballast-mounted monopoles – no ground penetration required; repositionable as the remediation footprint evolves |
| Power | Solar-powered remote cell sites; no dependency on grid infrastructure at perimeter locations |
| Wi-Fi | Access points added alongside CBRS radios to support third-party devices lacking CBRS-capable hardware |
| Uplink/Downlink ratio | 1:1 (vs. industry standard 4:1) – optimized for high-volume sensor uplink traffic |
| PRO TIP: Industrial networks often invert the standard consumer uplink/downlink ratio. If your primary use case is sensor data acquisition or machine telemetry, design for uplink-heavy traffic from the start – retrofitting later is expensive. |
Use Cases
The network supports three primary use cases across the remediation site:
1. Automated Sensor Data Collection
Manual field visits for barometric, weather, and rain gauge readings have been replaced with real-time, continuous data streams. This was the primary driver of the 2-3 year payback period – the labor savings from eliminating manual collection trips delivered rapid ROI. The network currently handles approximately 700 GB/month of uplink traffic from data acquisition devices alone.
2. Connected Workers
Vehicle-mounted routers with high-gain antennas provide field teams with reliable connectivity across the entire site. Seamless handoffs between CBRS and Wi-Fi coverage zones ensure workers maintain connectivity as they move between areas. This capability is directly enabled by the private cellular architecture – a public carrier could not deliver the same site-wide coverage or prioritization guarantees.
3. IoT Device Management
Approximately 120 SIMs serve data acquisition devices, with 50-60 additional SIMs supporting vehicle-mounted units. Current utilization sits well below capacity, preserving headroom for future industrial IoT applications as the remediation program evolves.
Network Performance at a Glance
| Metric | Value |
| Spectrum | 20 MHz (2x 10 MHz CBRS aggregated) |
| Average downlink throughput | 27 Mbps |
| Average uplink throughput | 6 Mbps |
| Monthly uplink data volume | ~700 GB (data acquisition devices) |
| Monthly downlink data volume | ~600 GB |
| Active SIMs | ~170-180 (120 sensor + 50-60 vehicle) |
| Payback period | 2-3 years |
| Network launch | Late 2023 |
| Program end date | 2040 |
Challenges Encountered
The Chevron deployment surfaced three real-world obstacles that any team planning a similar private network deployment in complex terrain should prepare for:
Tower Permitting
More than six months of government approvals were required before a single tower could go up. This timeline caught the project team off-guard and created schedule pressure. For any long-term industrial deployment, permitting should be initiated at the earliest possible stage – well before procurement or site preparation begins.
| PRO TIP Start your tower permitting process immediately after site selection – not after equipment is ordered. Six months is typical; in some jurisdictions it can run longer. Build this into your project schedule from day one. |
SAS Terrain Modeling
The Spectrum Access System (SAS) governing CBRS spectrum allocations uses terrain models that assume flat ground. In a mining environment, those assumptions produced overly conservative power limits that did not reflect actual RF propagation conditions. Chevron’s team had to actively advocate for more accurate terrain modeling with spectrum authorities – a process that is not well-documented in standard deployment guides. For enterprises deploying in non-flat terrain, engaging SAS providers early and being prepared to contest default power assumptions is essential.
Radio Parameter Optimization
Power levels and coverage boundaries required ongoing adjustment after initial installation. The project team emphasized the value of having a responsive, knowledgeable vendor and integrator available throughout this phase – not just at go-live. Treat vendor support as an ongoing partnership, not a one-time deployment service.
Why CBRS Over a Public Carrier?
The CBRS band gave Chevron carrier-grade LTE without requiring a commercial spectrum license purchase. For a site that’s scheduled to operate through 2040, the combination of control, security, and cost structure was decisive. The table below compares the two approaches:
| Factor | Public Carrier | Private 4G (Chevron) |
| Rural coverage | Limited / unreliable | Purpose-built for site |
| Network control | None | Full |
| Security | Shared infrastructure | Dedicated, private |
| Spectrum cost | Carrier rates (ongoing) | No license purchase |
| Uplink optimization | Not configurable | Custom 1:1 ratio |
| 26-year viability | No business incentive | Fully controlled |
Looking Ahead
Chevron’s New Mexico deployment is designed to evolve. As the remediation program progresses, the company is evaluating additional applications that would run on the same CBRS infrastructure:
- Autonomous machinery: Private LTE provides the low-latency, high-reliability connectivity that remote equipment control requires – a use case already demonstrated at other mining sites like the Rossing uranium mine in Namibia
- Augmented reality (AR): Field technicians using AR headsets for equipment inspection and maintenance require consistent, low-latency wireless coverage across the entire site footprint
- Expanded robotics: As robotic systems move from controlled indoor environments to outdoor industrial sites, private cellular becomes the enabling connectivity layer
Each Chevron site operates independently and brings its own requirements, but the model demonstrated in New Mexico is one the company can replicate across its global portfolio. For enterprises managing long-horizon industrial operations – whether in energy, mining, or environmental management – this deployment offers a concrete example of what a purpose-built private network delivers when public infrastructure simply does not exist.
Related Reading
- Private 5G Comes to the Copper Mine – Celona and Mariana Minerals
- Connected Underground – MTC’s Private LTE at Rossing Mine
- Why CBRS Is the Quiet Engine Behind America’s Manufacturing Comeback
- Building the Enterprise Case – Presenting Private Network ROI to the C-Suite
- Private Cellular Network Deployments Report 2026
- Vodacom Deploys Private Mobile Network at Sasol Secunda Facility
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why did Chevron choose a private CBRS network instead of relying on public cellular carriers?
Public LTE carriers provide limited, unreliable coverage in the rural New Mexico area where the mine is located – and that coverage gap is not something a commercial carrier has a business incentive to fill for a single industrial customer. Beyond coverage, Chevron needed full control over network design, security, and traffic prioritization: requirements that a shared carrier network cannot meet. CBRS spectrum enabled the company to build carrier-grade infrastructure without purchasing spectrum licenses, offering the reliability of licensed LTE while maintaining the cost structure of unlicensed spectrum. For a project scheduled to run through 2040, that combination of control and cost-effectiveness was decisive.
Q2: What made the network design unusual compared to a typical enterprise LTE deployment?
Most LTE networks are designed around a 4:1 downlink-to-uplink ratio, reflecting consumer usage patterns. Chevron’s mine operates differently: the primary function is industrial IoT data acquisition, where sensors are constantly transmitting readings upstream. This required a 1:1 uplink/downlink configuration – an unusual choice that reflects how purpose-built industrial networks diverge from standard commercial deployments. The infrastructure also uses ballast-mounted monopole towers, solar power at remote sites, and a microwave ring backhaul topology – all driven by specific physical and operational constraints of a long-term remediation environment.
Q3: What were the biggest unexpected challenges, and what should other enterprises planning similar deployments know?
Two challenges stood out. First, tower permitting took more than six months – a timeline that surprised the project team. Second, the SAS used to manage CBRS spectrum allocations uses terrain models that assume flat ground. In a mining environment, those assumptions led to overly restrictive power limits that did not reflect real-world RF propagation. The team had to actively advocate for more accurate terrain modeling with spectrum authorities – a process not well-documented in standard deployment guides. For enterprises planning private network deployments in complex terrain, engaging early with SAS providers and building permitting timelines into the project schedule from day one are the most actionable lessons this deployment produced.
Q4: How does this deployment translate to other industries or sites?
The core architecture – CBRS spectrum, microwave ring backhaul, solar power, and a 1:1 uplink/downlink ratio – is directly applicable to any industrial site that generates high-volume uplink data in a remote or poorly served area. Mining, oil and gas, agriculture, and utility infrastructure management all share the same fundamental connectivity problem Chevron faced. The 2-3 year payback period driven by labor savings is not unique to Chevron – any operation replacing manual field data collection with automated connectivity can model similar returns.
| Want more private network case studies and analysis? Visit PrivateLTEand5G.com for in-depth coverage of enterprise private wireless deployments, CBRS, and the technologies shaping industrial connectivity. |
