Speaking at the 2012 OSIsoft User Conference in San Francisco earlier this year, Tom Hosea outlined Industrial Evolution’s approach to electric submersible pump (ESP) performance analysis and optimization. The proof of concept, performed for a US major, set out to implement PI System at assets in the San Joachim Valley, California and in West Texas. Project focus was capturing trends and exception reporting for historic and real time ESP operations. A dozen or so real time measurements are captured at five minute intervals and compared with predicted reservoir performance curves. If they depart sufficiently from expected values, an email alert is sent to the operator for remedial action. A PI Asset Framework (AF) database holds inventory details of ESP specifications.
The system helped identify situations where imminent gas lock was preceded by increase in motor temperature and a decrease in casing gas flow. Leading indicators like motor temperature can be used to derive business rules that reduce the risk of a shutdown. Excessive gas flow rates are also used to place wells on a ‘watch list.’ The system reduced the mean time between ESP locks and reduced lost production days by 63%. Engineer productivity also rose significantly.
Tibor Komroczi explained how Hungarian MOL Group is leveraging the PI System as a ‘strategic integration and application infrastructure.’ MOL is a vertically integrated EU major with operations in several countries from upstream, through refining to midstream and gas transmission and storage. MOL’s ‘Refis’ refinery information system leverages the PI System to standardize systems and architectures at all five plants.
Previously, MOL suffered from poor knowledge sharing, paper-based logbooks, poor information handover between shift operators (potentially dangerous) and local key performance indicators and business rules.The current business improvement project seeks to ‘close the gap between process control and business governance’ with better real time information flows, a unified model of refining and minimal information loss.
Alongside PI System, MOL is using Sigmafine, Semafor for KPI management and Opralog’s E-Logbook. Laboratory information management systems have been consolidated to a standard PI Systems interface. PI WebParts and ProcessBook have been used to support knowledge sharing, system checking and training. A ‘Health monitor’ dashboard provides an overview of what is happening in the plant and who is using the system. The front end has been adapted to different user profiles. Opralog’s E-Logbook reporting has replaced a mass of reports and logbooks. Log data from rotating machinery is blended with data from the DCS to monitor running hours and equipment behavior—and to optimize maintenance schedules.
The introduction of a PI WebParts-based portal has made for effective information sharing, an electronic logbook has improved search and reporting and safer shift handover. Now all MOL units share KPIs and the same house-keeping rules. Komroczi concluded with a strong endorsement for PI System as enabling a ‘best of breed’ approach to technology integration, as a solution to cyber security and as an enabler of knowledge sharing. More from the OSIsoft UC.
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