SUPERVISORY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT

Abstract

The present invention refers to an ECOSCEL supervisory system with application in the E&P area, particularly in the control rooms of offshore production platforms, or in onshore plants, aiming to allow a summary of the process in only two screens, in which all the most important variables used are concentrated. The flexibility of inserting important variables and notifications allows, at any time, a rapid update of the operational demands of the control room administrators. With the visual organization of the ECOSCEL supervisor, the operator of control room can immediately perceive a variable outside the range, in time to intervene with appropriate control actions to prevent (shutdown) of a piece of equipment, system or process.

Claims

1. A SUPERVISORY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT, characterized by comprising an interaction of Intouch software with Excel, where data acquisition in Excel is done instantly with only 2 visualization screens.

2. THE SUPERVISORY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT of claim 1, wherein Excel uses the DDE protocol to receive the information from Intouch.

3. THE SUPERVISORY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT of claim 1, wherein visualization of the process variables occurs through 2 Excel spreadsheets.

4. A PROCESS FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the system interacts with Excel and Intouch for obtaining data instantaneously as follows: with Intouch and Excel open, to establish this connection, inserting a code into an Excel cell, which returns the value of the monitored variable that is linked to some server; additionally, the color change of one of the parameters draws the attention of the operator, who has time to take an action before there is an occurrence or automatic actuation of the interlocking and control system.

5. USE OF THE SUPERVISORY SYSTEM as defined in claim 1 for monitoring the variables of the control rooms of offshore production platforms, or onshore plants.

6. A PROCESS FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT as defined in claim 2, characterized in that the system interacts with Excel and Intouch for obtaining data instantaneously as follows: with Intouch and Excel open, to establish this connection, inserting a code into an Excel cell, which returns the value of the monitored variable that is linked to some server; additionally, the color change of one of the parameters draws the attention of the operator, who has time to take an action before there is an occurrence or automatic actuation of the interlocking and control system.

7. A PROCESS FOR MONITORING VARIABLES OF A PROCESS PLANT as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the system interacts with Excel and Intouch for obtaining data instantaneously as follows: with Intouch and Excel open, to establish this connection, inserting a code into an Excel cell, which returns the value of the monitored variable that is linked to some server; additionally, the color change of one of the parameters draws the attention of the operator, who has time to take an action before there is an occurrence or automatic actuation of the interlocking and control system.

8. USE OF THE SUPERVISORY SYSTEM as defined in claim 2 for monitoring the variables of the control rooms of offshore production platforms, or onshore plants.

9. USE OF THE SUPERVISORY SYSTEM as defined in claim 3 for monitoring the variables of the control rooms of offshore production platforms, or onshore plants.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The present invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which, in a schematic and non-limiting manner of the inventive scope, represent exemplary embodiments hereof. In the drawings, we have:

[0016] FIGS. 1.1 and 1.2 illustrating the visual organization of the ECOSCEL supervisor on only 2 screens, with a broad view of a Process Plant and its most important variables;

[0017] FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2 illustrating an example of the ECOSCEL supervisor on only 2 screens, allowing to see, quickly and clearly, the interactions between the systems of a Process Plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The ECOSCEL Supervisory, object of this invention, consists of a system for monitoring and supervising the variables and devices of the control systems of Process Plants, summarized in only two screens, which concentrate all the most important variables then used. The flexibility of inserting important variables and notifications at any time allows a quick update of the operational demands of the Control Room administrators. In the adopted configuration, the screens have white background, cells with green and red colors (equipment operating or stopped), characters with black or red colors (values inside or outside the expected), as well as an animation with the levels of vessels and scrubbers.

[0019] In the Official Supervisor (SOS), which is loaded directly from the Intouch software, the bottom of the screens is gray, and the equipment and pipelines have a color for each type of fluid. In the case of valves, pumps, and compressors, when in the open or on position, remain with the same color as the pipelines. When in the closed or off position, they remain gray, same color as the screen background. The levels of vessels have as graphical representation only an arrow that displaces in a “bar graphic”. These aspects make it difficult rapid visualization and response by operators.

[0020] In the ECOSCEL supervisory program, Excel program is used, and the data collection is performed instantly by Intouch. Excel uses the DDE protocol to receive information from Intouch. With Intouch and Excel open, to establish this connection, the following code is inserted into a cell: =view|tagname!′ACCESSNAME:TAGNAME′, where “view” is the name of Intouch executable, “tagname” is the name of the Intouch tag “library”, “ACCESSNAME” is the name registered in Intouch to access servers (each has a specific name) and finally “TAGNAME” is the name of tag registered in Intouch, such as for example: =view|tagname′PCS:PCS_PIT_1223011_EAN′, this returns the value of PIT-1223011 that is linked to the control server (PCS). The value obtained in Excel cell comes in text format, which is converted into numeric format. The color change of one of the parameters draws the attention of the operator, who has time to act before there is an occurrence or automatic actuation of the interlocking and control system. This also allows the instant visualization of which systems are operating and which are out of operation.

[0021] The automation system of the Process Plant has safety and control instruments, which would be “redundant”. However, despite being designated to measure the same variable, the pre-alarms are linked only to the control instrument, and the safety instruments are linked only to “Trip”. When there is a discrepancy between the measured values, “Trip” may occur before the pre-alarm. In addition, there may be specific measuring points where there is only the safety instrument.

[0022] In the ECOSCEL supervisory system, priority was given to safety instruments and pre-alarms were implemented therein, in addition to a discrepancy alarm being implemented, to be triggered when the values of the control and safety instruments show a difference that may cause some disturbance to the process.

[0023] With the visual organization of the ECOSCEL supervisor, the control room operator can immediately perceive a variable outside the range, in time to intervene with appropriate control actions to prevent shutdown of equipment, system or process, as can be seen in the examples below. The wide view of the Process Plant on only 2 screens allows you to observe the interactions quickly and clearly between the systems.

EXAMPLE 1: URV

[0024] Due to the flow difficulty of condensate, the level of scrubbers and SAO's (Water and Oil Separators) must be constantly monitored. After the implementation of ECOSCEL supervisory several falls of this system were avoided.

EXAMPLE 2: TOPSIDE AND SUBSEA HPU

[0025] Some ESD-2 were avoided due to failure in the start the pumps that should maintain the pressure of the HPU's with monitoring by the ECOSCEL supervisor.

EXAMPLE 3: WELLS

[0026] Several well shutdowns were avoided due to measurement failure of pressure instruments that do not have pre-alarm.

EXAMPLE 4

[0027] Real-time tracking of the daily accumulation of produced oil, injected gas, injected water, exported gas, and burned gas, as well as the daily closing forecast, as illustrated in FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2.

EXAMPLE 5

[0028] Assistance in commissioning and start-up of producer and injector wells with real-time information on pressurization and depressurization rates of subsea lines and pressure difference for handling valves in the Christmas tree (ANM), as illustrated in FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2.

EXAMPLE 6

[0029] Low occurrence of shutdown level 2 (production shutdown due to uncontrolled process). Only two records in the last six months of 2018, during which time the unit operated most of the time with its maximum oil processing capacity.

EXAMPLE 7

[0030] Constant visualization of inhibitions on important instruments and control loops that are in manual, as illustrated in FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2.

EXAMPLE 8

[0031] Visualization of gas and fire sensors, which are failing and participating in voting for shutdown level 3 (partial), as illustrated in FIGS. 2.1 and 2.2.

[0032] It should be noted that, although the present invention has been described with respect to the accompanying drawings, the same is capable of modifications and adaptations by those skilled in the art, depending on the specific situation, but provided that within the inventive scope defined herein.