Background

The energy industry, encompassing both onshore and offshore operations, faces varying levels of risk in its pursuit of safe and cost-effective practices. Offshore operations carry heightened risks, making the implementation of robust safety measures imperative. Emergency Shutdown Systems (ESD) play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of industrial plants, with the primary objective of promptly halting systems and equipment when safe operational limits are exceeded.

Precise functionality of ESD systems is paramount to prevent non-productive downtime and mitigate potential financial and personnel losses resulting from false trips. To address this critical need, a comprehensive solution is required.

Solution

This solution entails the identification of variables and equipment that commonly trigger ESD events, the development of Real-Time Statistical Quality Control (RTSQC) templates on the PI Asset Framework (AF), and the integration of web-based dashboards and alarms through the PI AFSDK.

The RTSQC approach employs native SQC analyses within PI AF to monitor crucial process variables dynamically. Unlike fixed setpoints, dynamic limits based on real-time statistical data prove more effective. To identify measurement failures that could pose ESD risks and assess the necessity for sensor calibration, the solution incorporates an online calculation of Spreads – the percentage difference between control and trip sensor values. Any deviations triggering trips or alarms are seamlessly monitored through a user-friendly web-based tool.

This integrated solution not only enhances the accuracy and efficiency of ESD systems but also facilitates proactive decision-making by providing real-time insights. The combination of PI AF templates for statistical analysis and a web-based visualization tool holds the potential to significantly reduce ESD occurrences, minimize system start-up time, and decrease the average volume of oil loss per event. In essence, it presents a comprehensive and efficient approach to safeguarding energy operations in the face of evolving risks.