Interview: Automation From the Conceptual Stage on Leads to Cost Saving

Related Vendors

DÜPERTHAL Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co. KG

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TURCK GmbH

ProMinent GmbH

Rockwell Media

Rockwell Automation GesmbH

PROCESS India: What are its other unique features?

ABANIBHUSAN BERA: It is on the Ethernet/IP platform, which is the open and standard platform for all the vendors. Thus, it can interface with not only our own but also with others’ legacy products. Diagnostics is one of the major features of AADvance; it has full terminal to terminal diagnostics, stuck on/off testing etc. Other unique features of AADvance are ease of programming and maintenance, low power, competitive, online legacy migration etc.

“Almost All Oil &Gas Customers Are Looking for Safety PLCs”

PROCESS India: How is the demand for AADvance products growing?

ABANIBHUSAN BERA: Now almost all O&G customers are looking for safety PLCs in compressors, boilers etc. Because of its scalability and competitiveness in low I/O count, now AADvance products are affordable. It is going to many places through the OEMs too. As footprint and form factor are very important today, this modular system completely addresses that. In offshore platforms, where space is very limited, this system is very useful.

Secondly, nowadays most of the offshore unmanned platforms are solar powered, if you want to go for a safety PLC, old generation devices take lot of power, whereas these PLCs take very low power – an AADvance processor works on 5-6W and an I/O module can work at as low as 1W. So, any solar power can run these PLCs. That is why it is a hotcake product

in the industry today.

Involving Automation Partner From the Conceptual Stage Leads

PROCESS India: Who are your major Indian O&G clients?

ABANIBHUSAN BERA: We have 400 plus Allen-Bradley PLC systems in Reliance. Entire Reliance Jamnagar refinery is standardised on Rockwell’s products. As the Jamnagar third refinery is coming up, we will install more products.

Also, ONGC is a big account for us. In ONGC, we have many safety systems in place. ICS Triplex safety system is in place in Neelam & Heera Assets. Recently, we have got an order from ONGC for the AADvance products. We have major installations in Haldia Petrochemical, LNG Petronet as well.

Additional Information

Further Facts: Process Safety

What Drives a Safety System Upgrade?

Recent events in the oil and gas industry have substantially increased interest in maintaining the highest standards of safety at all times. These events have spotlighted the potential worker, environmental and business ramifications of a significant safety event. Oil and gas producers and the operators who manage their production facilities demand the highest level of safety in order to protect personnel, the environment and production assets; while maintaining maximum uptime and minimal operational disruption.

Facility owners normally upgrade their safety systems for a variety of reasons, ranging from equipment obsolescence to the need to take advantage of the benefits of extended or more advanced functionality. Some of the major drivers include:

Prolonging field life – Many oil and gas reservoirs continue to generate viable quantities of product well beyond the intended life of the original field design. Consequently, the platform has to be upgraded – often on a rolling refurbishment basis – to accommodate these extended operations. These upgrades also can help reduce annual maintenance costs while simultaneously reducing unplanned downtime and unexpected repair costs.

Meeting current codes and standards – Currently installed safety systems were designed and built in accordance with the codes and standards in force at the time. Since then, the industry has moved forward, and legacy systems have not been upgraded to current standards and technologies. For example, while IEC-61508 was introduced in 1999, many legacy systems have not yet been reassessed to determine if they comply with this standard.

Meeting current codes and standards – Currently installed safety systems were designed and built in accordance with the codes and standards in force at the time. Since then, the industry has moved forward, and legacy systems have not been upgraded to current standards and technologies. For example, while IEC-61508 was introduced in 1999, many legacy systems have not yet been reassessed to determine if they comply with this standard.

This text is an excerpt from Upgrading Safety Systems in the Petrochemical Industry: Basic Guidelines

PROCESS India: What is your message to the Indian process plant engineers and designers?

ABANIBHUSAN BERA: When the customers face several integration issues and realise the system could be much simpler, they approach an automation company. That raises complications and costs. I suggest, whenever you plan for a new plant or expansion, involve your automation partner from the conceptual stage. That helps the automation partner design the most optimum architecture. Don’t overdesign, at the same time do not neglect some safety aspects. It has to have optimum safety architecture.

More on process safety? Andreas Wernsdörfer, Vice President Automation & Electrical Engineering at BASF talks about the trends and challenges in safety engineering and maintenance in our flipview webcast Trends in Safety Engineering and Maintenance

* The author is editor in chief for PROCESS India

(ID:34019650)

Process Safety in Oil & Gas

Interview: Automation From the Conceptual Stage on Leads to Cost Saving

“Almost All Oil &Gas Customers Are Looking for Safety PLCs”

Involving Automation Partner From the Conceptual Stage Leads