Emerson to expand automation of North Sea's Broom offshore development
• PlantWeb® architecture with the DeltaV™ system from Emerson helps integrate expanded platform automation and deliver information for efficient operations.
AUSTIN, TX, March 16, 2006 -- Emerson Process Management announced in October it has supplied PlantWeb digital automation architecture with the DeltaV system and FOUNDATION fieldbus communications technology to expand automation of the Broom development, an oil field located in the North Sea and operated as a subsea tie-back to the Heather Alpha platform, 7 kilometers east of Broom, northeast of the Shetland Islands.
PlantWeb architecture is a digital automation approach using communications technology like FOUNDATION fieldbus on Heather to collect actionable diagnostics and process information from field devices and distribute the information to operations, maintenance and management.
This project, deploying PlantWeb architecture with its DeltaV digital automation system, continues an excellent working relationship developed between Emerson and Aberdeen-based engineering contractors Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) on previous successful offshore projects. Applying the depth of expertise available within Emerson on integrating platform technology using PlantWeb with FOUNDATION fieldbus, this project also involves expanded monitoring of various aspects of the operation on the Heather platform, such as pressure measurement in the risers.
Emerson field devices on Heather include Rosemount® 3095MV Multivariable transmitters that provide fully compensated mass flow rate calculations in the field for orifice plate measurements. The mass flow rate is monitored from the complex Broom subsea systems based on orifice plate measurements.
Two 8" nominal bore pipelines transport the oil to Heather, where the total flows are measured using Micro Motion® Coriolis mass flowmeters before export to Sullom Voe. Production from the Broom field topped 20,000 barrels per day within two months of startup last August.
Most of the control system on Heather is pneumatic, being the original control scheme installed on commissioning in 1977 when Heather was one of the first North Sea production platforms. The addition of PlantWeb architecture and the DeltaV system has enabled instrumentation updates with improved integration of platform functions.
The Heather and Broom fields are operated by Lundin Britain Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lundin Petroleum of Sweden. There are further development opportunities in the vicinity of these fields, which are currently being evaluated.
Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com), an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and other industries. The company combines superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Its brands include PlantWeb, DeltaV, Fisher, Micro Motion, Rosemount, Mobrey, Daniel, Ovation, and AMS Suite.
Emerson (www.gotoemerson.com.com), based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2005 were $17.3 billion.
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