Title : Operation and production critical valves digitalization “Emergency showdown valves digitalization journey in oil south fields in oman for safer and higher ultimate production”
Abstract:
In a steam-flooded field in Oman, Emergency Showdown Valves (ESDs) are used in all facilities (station, off-plot, and steam generators) as safeguarding. ESDs are safety critical element that play strong role as safety barrier to ensure safe facility in production and HSE, also to avoid process safety incidents
The journey started to digitalize these critical valves and link it to current interfaces where production operators, discipline engineers can view them. Different platforms were used for this project such as Nibras (in-house tool developed by PDO for smart operation).
In additions and with compliances to existing procedures and specification, this system helps the frontline operators and engineers to check the ESDs status and healthiness before initiating facility start-up in quick overview.
Different methods used to mature this project and execute it with all system interfaces. An accelerated lean approach known as LEAN project was followed. it is a structured framework to understand the causes of a sudden behavior change in a defined step within a process. The analysis included outlining the “SIPOC”, i.e., defining the Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers of this matter, a Detailed Process Mapping, fishbone analysis, the 5-whys, etc. The LEAN project findings were piloted on a selected valves from different process where configured and to give life report to DCS.
Also, this project involved execution of interfaces platforms to update and view the data live with zero reported issues. These interfaces ease the work from maintenance team to run all critical valves checks (e.g., update detect configuration of the valves traveling time and compare it with the design limit as per the performance standards) and log them into the dashboard for view.
NIBRAS dashboard was created to show live valves status for frontline operators and discipline engineers. This dashboard shows the list of the critical valves with all their details such as valves tag, Size, function location, valve status and the open/close timing.
This system also includes other functions such as a calculation block to calculate the traveling time to open and close and log it electronically in the dashboard. The calculation block in DCS detects the process signal and feedback between the DCS and valves.
As an outcome of this project, several observations were observed and overcome for sustainable solution. Examples of these observations:
- Impact of Power-dip that can impact the calculation blook.
- Impact of incorrect valves feedback.
These observations and many others had been solved using this system and confirmed operationally that the frontline operators received high accurate valves status and traveling time during all operation modes.
As a sustainability solution and for continuous improvement, a Weekly check for dashboard is mandated by the instrument maintenance focal point and compare the ESDs function test with the dashboard feedback. Also, Monthly update is initiated on these critical valves as visual Management Board (VMB).
