Allnorth has expanded its ICE, commissioning & start up and other service offerings with the acquisition of Dynamysk Automation Ltd. in 2024. The following is a demonstration of the bench strength added to our team.
Overview
The client operates a renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Eastern Canada. The process uses soybean oil and distiller’s corn oil as feedstock, providing a clean, affordable, and high value alternative to powering transportation sectors.
The facility was originally a petroleum refinery that had been in operation for 50 years. It is being retrofitted and expanded to handle the new production process. Once complete and fully operational, the facility is expected to produce 24,000 bpd.
The Challenge
One of the challenges the client faced in revamping the refinery was the control system was a non-current platform designed for a conventional oil refinery. A different process required extensive programming changes, and the client wanted a long-term solution utilizing current technology to support the planned lifecycle of the facility.
As a result, the decision was made to replace the existing dated basic control system, safety control system, and PLCs with an ABB 800xA system, and the client needed a partner with the relevant vendor specific system integration knowledge to complete the project.
Our Role
We were selected to manage the control system replacement due to our extensive automation and integration expertise as well as our knowledge of both the legacy and new control systems.
The engineering project scope included:
- Examining the new process and the existing control system to determine and define what parts of the control system were required to operate the new reduced facility
- As building control functionality and testing to ensure that new control system functionality reflected operational requirements
- Managing the control system vendor with respect to scope, schedule, testing and commissioning, to ensure required functionality was met and project timeline and cost performance requirements were adhered to
- Interfacing with 3rd-party package vendors and integrating 3rd-party control system applications (such as compressor surge control) into the main process control system
- Collaborating with the control room designer to ensure the various systems, communications, server locations, etc. were appropriately integrated into the new control room so operational efficiency would not be negatively impacted
- Coordinating with the engineering firms & EPCs responsible for designing the new process, and integrating their designs into the new ABB basic process control system and safety system
- Interfacing with the EPC and representing the client during the HAZOP analysis, ensuring any identified process controls impacts were subsequently resolved in the control system design
- Facilitating the LOPA, completing calculations to determine required SIL for any SIFs applied in LOPA, and providing LOPA reports
- Completing SIL calculations for all SIFs and preparing the SIL calculation report (using exSILentia); calculating SIF response times
- Representing the client during vendor testing and functionality analysis for the entire control system
- Managing the development and installation of a process simulator for operator training
- Providing support to the operations team during the process of starting equipment up on the new control system
Unique Challenges
The first part of this project took place during COVID-19, and unfortunately due to supply chain issues during that time, enough universal IO was not going to be available to meet the client’s aggressive schedule.
As a result, the design team had to pivot to conventional IO, which resulted in changes in home runs and marshalling, as well as a requirement for increased cabinet space inside the existing IO buildings.
Working with the vendors, EPCs and the client, we were able to accommodate the change in design layout by maximizing the existing spaces and reorganizing abandonment scope to free up more space in time for the construction phases.
Additional Value Added
In a brownfield environment, using existing equipment wherever practical is a very effective way to save budget.
On this project, by working closely with the vendors and the client teams, we were able to extend the life of some tank measurement systems by executing local upgrades. This saved millions of dollars while simultaneously ensuring the system operated accurately with the new process control system.
Project Statistics
Hours Executed: >7500 hours to date, anticipated to close out at 8000
Disciplines: Electrical engineering, process automation, functional safety, project management
Hardware Vendor: ABB
IO Commissioned: Approximately 12,000 IO commissioned in new system
IO Removed: Approximately 20,000 IO removed from older system abandoned process units
Team Size: Five team members