Major contract for control & safety for floating production platform

Hot on the heels of being named BP’s automation contractor of choice for offshore oil and gas operations in the North Sea, comes news that Emerson Process Management has been awarded a $21 million contract to provide integrated control and safety systems for a new BP floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The new vessel, which will replace the existing Schiehallion FPSO, forms part of the North Sea Quad 204 project that will access the remaining hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Schiehallion and Loyal fields, located approximately 130 kilometres west of Shetland, (GB).

In addition to serving as the main automation contractor for the Quad 204 FPSO, Emerson Process Management is also BP’s preferred supplier of integrated control and safety systems for five offshore fields in the British continental shelf, including the new Clair Ridge platforms. BP relies on Emerson’s offshore expertise, technologies and services to help it get to first production more quickly and easily, optimise production and yield, avoid environmental impact, and operate safely.

Larger than the existing Schiehallion FPSO, the new 270-metre Quad 204 FPSO is designed to produce 130,000 barrels of oil a day and 2.2 million cubic metres per day of gas. This increased processing and storage capacity will enable optimum reservoir recovery, extend field life and also allow for any future expansion.

The integrated Emerson solution will use Emerson’s PlantWeb™ digital plant architecture, including its DeltaV™ digital automation system and DeltaV SIS™ process safety system, and AMS Suite predictive maintenance software. The DeltaV system will control and monitor platform operations using FOUNDATION fieldbus and HART® communication technologies. Advanced process control software functionality within DeltaV will optimise facility performance, production and yield. The DeltaV SIS system will perform process and emergency shutdown functions, if needed, plus control fire and gas detection systems to enable secure control of oil production on the platform.

AMS Suite predictive maintenance software will be used for commissioning, configuration and to monitor field device diagnostics. A real-time performance management system, delivering information to executive level decision makers will be supplied by Emerson’s METCO Services. Emerson’s operator simulation-based training programme will be used to train operators before start-up.

"We are pleased that Emerson has been chosen to design and implement the integrated control and safety systems for this new FPSO," said Steve Sonnenberg, President, Emerson Process Management. "This is another large-scale project that we have been awarded and is a continuation of the long-standing and trusting relationship that exists between our companies."

Additional contracts have been awarded to Emerson to supply its Rosemount® pressure, temperature, radar level transmitters and magnetic flowmeters; Rosemount Analytical gas chromatographs; and Daniel™ venturi and ultrasonic flowmeters.

Emerson provided the front end engineering and design (FEED) on the FPSO and with the vessel builder, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Limited, is responsible for design, configuration, build, acceptance testing, commissioning, installation and start-up support.