Integrated control and safety systems provided by Emerson Process Management under a $23 million contract from BP will help manage operations on the two new bridge-linked platforms to be installed West of Shetland for the Clair Ridge development.
In addition to providing automation technology, Emerson will serve as the project’s main automation contractor (MAC) under its global agreement with BP. As MAC, Emerson will conduct front-end engineering and design for the integrated control and safety system, as well as other services that include automation engineering, installation, acceptance testing, commissioning, configuration, and start-up support.
The integrated solution will use Emerson’s PlantWeb digital plant architecture, including its DeltaV digital automation system, DeltaV SIS process safety system, and AMS Suite predictive maintenance software. These digital automation technologies will support BP’s ‘field of the future’ programme for enhancing operating efficiency and oil recovery.
The DeltaV digital automation system will control and monitor platform operations using Foundation fieldbus and Emerson’s Smart Wireless communication technologies. The DeltaV SIS system will perform process and emergency shutdown functions, if needed, plus fire and gas detection to enable secure control of oil production on the platform. Emerson will also provide a high fidelity process model, an operator training system, and ongoing support for the automation system.
The integrated control and safety systems will have embedded device management capabilities provided by AMS Suite to enable remote management and diagnostics of valves and instruments from an onshore location. The software’s asset performance capabilities will also give managers a unified interface to assess asset health and criticality, optimise maintenance expenditure, and view key performance indicators.
Emerson said wellhead monitoring and control functions would take advantage of its Smart Wireless technology, which helps reduce engineering and cabling costs as well as installed weight on platforms. A separate wireless plant network will support applications such as mobile workers and video streaming for flame detection.