The customer’s mandatory requirement was the installation
of an ICSS on both offshore platforms and in the onshore
CCR operator stations. The aim was to obtain maximum
production flexibility by using triple modular redundant (TMR)
solutions. The integration of the complete ICSS installed
on both platforms and onshore control room was achieved
through a radio link and a satellite backup link. The CCR was
fitted a process control software system which has three
operator work stations and an engineering work station with
redundancy and hot backup. The control system hardware
comprised a PAC in Hot Backup, with I/O, serial link and
ControlNet cards, alongside Ethernet cards and switches. The
safety system comprised a trusted SIL 3 in hot backup, with
I/O and remote communication cards and Ethernet cards
and switches. The SCADA/HMI is formed of three operator
stations, an engineering work station, a redundant server for
data acquisition, a historian server for data warehousing, a
terminal server for WAN connection and a GPS clock for time
synchronisation. Finally, the control system software formed
the platform for the complete visualisation and management
solution coupled to the radio and satellite links.
The expected results of the new system include a reduction
in maintenance and operational costs while maintaining
production capacity. The ease of use of the new system with
TMR has also provided engineering and commissioning savings.
After a year of operation, the ICSS system was performing
very well with no performance loss and with noticeably less
maintenance work. Running costs were also reduced.
Working together
Coming back to the original question then, what can automation
technology offer the web of global pipelines feeding the
world’s appetite for energy; the answer is that it can offer much.
Modern automation solutions can carry the advantages of
traditional DCS without ‘locking in’ the specific engineering and
systems knowledge required to operate them. Some solutions
providers can also offer much more than the products you
buy – with global engineering teams, 24/7 support, spares
management and help with the design and integration of the
technology, benefits for both capital expenditure and operation
expenditure can be enjoyed. Safety systems are now built into
the functionality of automation solutions and can be considered
a way of delivering efficiencies in themselves, as they integrate
into the control system and can offer reduced failure rates
and associated downtime. Further, with the rapid changes to
how data can be leveraged to provide critical information to
operators as well as historical and best-practice comparisons
and virtualisation capabilities, operators now have a better
window into their processes than ever before. Not to mention
the means to control it and make decisions in real-tine to
optimise performance.
Put simply, rapid advancements in automation and control
technology is making it easier and safer than ever before to
improve the functionality and efficiency of pipelines and
associated systems. And with more and more pipelines under
construction to feed the growing global appetite for energy, it’s
a good job, too.
NDT
SOLUTIONS
EXPERIENCE UNPRECEDENTED SPEED,
ACCURACY AND TRACEABILITY FOR
PIPELINE INTEGRITY.
▬
Pipecheck is the simplest solution on the market.
In just 3 steps (Scan-Analyze-Report), get
sophisticated results that cannot be generated
from any other technique. This is a unique
solution designed to provide instant results
and maximum efficiency.
1.855.939.4446 |
CODE-COMPLIANT
