Jayanta Sharma presented Accenture’s integration work on Chevron’s digital oilfields. Chevron has integrated OSIsoft’s PI System data historian, the Analytical Framework (AF2) with real time SCADA feeds. Chevron’s MidContinent/Alaska (MCA) business unit deploys a growing number of business applications that require ‘robust access to real-time process data.’ The problem is that process data is stored in multiple local historians with no central repository, no single source of process data ‘truth.’ This means that deploying new applications is hampered by complex data configuration and performance issues—especially as Chevron has dozens of SCADA servers and tens of thousands of tags. The answer was a central aggregating PI historian and an AF2 store of operational meta-data, object hierarchies and geographical context to tag data.
Re-using existing SCADA object models makes it easier to bring new data into PI and AF. New data sources appear automatically in AF and PI. Object updates and deletions also propagate to PI and AF automatically. A web services access layer based on AF SDK provides platform-independent data access for applications. This hides the complexity of internal SCADA and PI/AF2 workings. The system has been successful in keeping SCADA configurations and PI/AF2 in sync. This has led to quicker deployment of i-Field applications in production monitoring, optimization and equipment performance monitoring. Chevron’s spill reduction and surveillance apps also use MCA Solutions tied in to the PI aggregator. AF functionality is used to model complex compound elements derived from multiple tags and to support modeling and mass balance calculations.
Jim Mlachnik and Jeremy Snider told a similar tale of how Southwest Gas (SWG) is ‘stitching together’ disparate data systems to create a ‘single version of the truth.’ SWG replaced its SCADA application’s historical subsystem with PI. Now access to real-time SCADA data is provided via DataLink and ProcessBook internally. RtPortal provides gas usage information to external agents and customers. Over next couple of years, PI data will support SWG’s compliance and maintenance system initiatives. SWG’s master plan is to use technology, rather than hiring full time employees to meet business needs.
Manuel Chávez provided an update on PI deployment in support of Pemex’ control and monitoring emergency systems. PI holds the pole position in Pemex’ real time infrastructure, acting as a bridge between operational data sources and ERP. Transpara’s Visual KPI is used to ‘put PI in the pockets’ of field engineers and managers. A constellation of applications for custody transfer, laboratory systems, SCADA and ERP are channeled to PI. PI then acts as feeder to high level solutions for process integration, planning and scheduling, operations coordination and emergency system. The latter uses a GIS system ‘GEO-Pemex,’ a Virtual Earth-based front end to data on Pemex facilities, Mexican cultural data, pipelines and more. Presentations available on www.oilit.com/links/0905_11.
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