Advantages of FOUNDATION in FPSOs

I came across an interesting article on the use of FOUNDATION fieldbus in a Floating Production Storage and Offloading project. I originally posted it to our LinkedIn group but I thought it was a good piece to also share with everyone on our blog.

The article, by Suresh P. Nair, was featured in a web exclusive by InTech.

The article explains all the benefits of having a "plug and play" technology that allows for quick modular connections of instrumentation in a very confined space. As we all know, space on a sea-bearing vessel comes at a premium so the smaller the footprint of your equipment, the more room for raw product. More raw product is the bottom line.

In the LinkedIn group posting I linked above, Jonas Berge talks about what this type of installation means beyond just FPSOs. The overarching benefit here is with regards to the ability to modular construct FOUNDATION fieldbus projects. While the immediate benefits for this type of application on an FPSO is space savings, weight savings, diagnostics, cabling savings, ease of commissioning etc (you all know the extensive list of benefits of FOUNDATION fieldbus by now), the true benefits are something bigger.

With the ability to modularly construct projects, easier project implementation on site greatly increases. Jonas points out that the ability to modularly construct a project allows the user to "reduce labor at the isolated site where resources are scarce, using manpower in the yard where resources are plenty." There is a powerful message to be learned in that statement. I agree with Jonas that we're not too far off from major mammoth projects being built offsite and shipped modularly for connection. We already see this type of thing happening across other industrial projects like major roadway/bridges and building construction. In fact, many of our regular homes are being built offsite these days with entire walls being pre-fabricated and delivered to site.

Be sure to read the full article on InTech's website here: Advantages of FOUNDATION for FPSOs

Also, be sure to read all of Jonas Berge's insights on the project on our LinkedIn group here: FOUNDATION Fieldbus LinkedIn Group - FPSO



As a side note I can't help but be reminded of the story of a hotel just south of us in San Antonio that is sitting along the riverwalk that was build in a modular fashion for the Texas World Fair in 1968. It took only 46 days to "build" 496 rooms on the 21 story hotel.

Click Image to Read about the Modular Construction of the San Antonio Hotel

Fieldbus and FPSOs

Fieldbus is an ideal fit for Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading operations, otherwise known as FPSOs.  As the name states, FPSOs are floating vessels that can collect, process, and store oil from offshore platforms, templates, or other sources. The oil can later be pumped to a tanker or pipeline for transportation.  FPSOs are an ingenious solution for offshore applications.  They are cheaper and easier to build than offshore platforms.  Old oil tankers can be converted into FPSOs, but there are also FPSOs built from the ground up in various shapes and sizes.  Most people are probably familiar with the oil tanker conversion units.  Various research firms have estimates on FPSO spending, with estimates ranging as high as $10 billion for the current market. Oil companies love a cost effective solution, however, and spending on FPSOs is expected to increase well into the double digits for the foreseeable future.

The Terra Nova FPSO Operated by Petro Canada
Photo: AlfvanBeem (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

FPSOs are cramped places where real estate for anything, much less automation equipment, is scarce. Fieldbus, particularly when using H1 cards with integrated power, significantly reduces the footprint and weight of the process automation system.  Devices these days are no longer are integrated with just one signal each.  A control valve, intelligent on/off valve, flowmeter, or level transmitter, for example, may have 3 signals each.  This means that system I/O counts are higher than in years gone by. With FOUNDATION fieldbus, however, you work with device count, not I/O count.  This means that a 6,000 I/O conventional system turns into a 2,000 device system with a huge reduction in I/O hardware.

This is what we refer to as "Virtual Marshalling" at the Fieldbus Foundation. You simply don't need anywhere near as much hardware to get the job done, and many of the traditional I/O functions that were once handled by purpose built hardware are instead handled in the software.

Since the “topsides”automation of FPSOs consists of process modules fabricated in different yards, FOUNDATION fieldbus enables these modules to be connected with the rest of the ship using only a few cables. This makes fieldbus Ideal for fast track projects, and what project isn't fast track these days?

No I/O cards are installed on the process modules out on deck. Fieldbus runs from small simple junction boxes back to the H1 cards inside the rack room. Couplers in the field junction boxes are rugged and encapsulated and are suitable for Zone 1. With Fieldbus Intrinsically Safe Concept (FISCO) the junction boxes are passive.

Pemex / BW Offshore Yuum K'uk'Nriab (Lord of the Seas) FPSO - Emerson

Material Related to Fieldbus and FPSOs from our Singapore Seminar

BP Angola Block 31 NE FPSO, Plutao, Saturno, Marte and Venus (PSVM) wells - Yokogawa System

BP Angola Greater Plutonio FPSO Angola - Emerson System

Then there are also FLNG vessels being built using FOUNDATION fieldbus as we speak. One of these is Shell Prelude FLNG

New Emerson FOUNDATION Fieldbus FPSO Project Win

Emerson Process Management recently announced a new project win with BP for an offshore Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which will form part of BP's North Sea Quad project.  From the press release:

"On the heels of being named BP’s automation contractor of choice for offshore oil and gas operations in the North Sea, 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 kilometers west of Shetland, UK."

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 optimize 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."

FPSOs area great application for fieldbus because of extremely restrictive space requirements, and there are many success stories related to fieldbus and FPSOs.  You can access a previous BP presentation on FOUNDATION fieldbus in FPSO applications here.

Press Release: Emerson awarded multimillion-dollar contract to provide automation technologies, services for new BP FPSO

Presentation: Owner's Perspective of Fieldbus on FPSO