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Monitoring control valves in the North Sea |
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Written by REM
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AUSTIN, TX — Emerson Process Management announced more than 1,000 control valves on North Sea installations are being remotely monitored by the Solberg & Andersen and Emerson diagnostics centre in Norway. The capability to remotely diagnose and identify problems has saved costly and time-consuming offshore travel, and eliminated potential plant shutdowns and the resultant consequential losses.
Emerson Process Management and Solberg & Andersen, the Norwegian representative for Emerson valve products and services, established the diagnostics centre capability in the late 1990s. Emerson provides PlantWeb predictive technologies, which include Fisher FIELDVUE Digital Valve Controllers and AMS ValveLink performance diagnostic software. Solberg & Andersen is responsible for connectivity and all operational issues.
The diagnostics centre provides a range of monitoring services to meet the requirements of the customer's application. These services range from basic monitoring of control valve performance indicators and status alarms, to a more integrated model with 24/7 valve monitoring and access to the customer's maintenance management systems for reporting and preparation of work orders. Higher-level diagnostic tests can diagnose, analyze and trend valve diagnostic data, while the valves are in service, giving an accurate picture of valve condition. All diagnostic tests, alarms and alerts can be used to predict potential failures and enable any remedial work to be scheduled at a time that meets the operational needs of the plant.
As the number of valves being monitored increases, more diagnostic data is available for analysis. This data enables a greater understanding of control valve performance and aids in the implementation of predictive and planned maintenance strategies on new plants and older plants that are still operating in a reactive mode.
For example, based on recommendations made by Solberg & Andersen, the Ormen Lange land terminal in Norway has been planned from the outset with predictive maintenance in mind. All of the 350 control valves at the site are equipped with FIELDVUE digital valve controllers, with the appropriate level of diagnostics dependant on the application.
"The information that we have gathered shows a clear business case for monitoring control valve performance," says Erik Christensen, senior vice-president of Solberg & Andersen. "There's a drive within the Norwegian sector to limit the number of staff working in hazardous offshore environments, without impacting reliability or availability. By monitoring control valve performance from onshore, we've been able to identify problems that could otherwise have resulted in a plant shutdown."
Future plans for the centre include easier connectivity through the implementation of wireless technology and an expanded scope to include other types of field equipment, such as pumps and transmitters, as well as metering skid diagnostics.
www.emerson.com
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