Automation upgrade secures Italian
gas supplies
Published on EngineeringTalk.com
Copyright © 2003
Emerson Process Management has
successfully provided turnkey automation
of an unmanned, remote gas distribution
station near Alessandria, Italy.
Built on the proven PlantWeb digital
plant architecture, this project
for Snam Rete Gas is part of a programme
to renew the automation of its gas
pipeline network. Snam Rete Gas
operates more than 29,000km of gas
pipeline in Italy and 11 compressor
and booster stations. The dispatching
centre at San Donato Milanese in
Milan controls and manages this
transmission system.
Automation renewal is, for Snam
Rete Gas, the key to a reliable
and efficient supply of gas to its
customers. Emerson has been chosen
thanks to its knowledge and experience
based on the latest available technology.
Emerson worked closely with the
team at Snam Rete Gas, planning
the automation and then managing
the implementation.
For this turnkey project, Emerson
has supplied management services,
detailed engineering, site installation
and configuration, with training
for Snam Rete Gas personnel. Emerson
PlantWeb architecture includes the
DeltaV digital automation system
at the unmanned gas distribution
station, using serial communications
to the Dispatching Centre to provide
remote operation capabilities.
Diagnostic capabilities of the
AMS software inside the DeltaV system
will provide remote alerts and equipment
status supervision to support pipeline
maintenance and improve uptime of
the gas distribution network. AMS
software accesses diagnostic information
about the health of intelligent
plant instrumentation and the pipeline
by communicating across the PlantWeb
architecture using Foundation fieldbus
protocol. Emerson has supplied intelligent
Rosemount pressure and temperature
transmitters and Fisher Fieldvue
digital valve controllers for the
project. The Emerson devices power
PlantWeb by delivering information
to the AMS software. PlantWeb allowed
increasing plant reliability and
availability.
Future implementations like valve
response and friction diagnostics
will provide predictive maintenance
capability allowing scheduled repairs
only when actually required. The
use of PlantWeb digital plant architecture
with Foundation fieldbus enabled
Emerson to deliver time and cost
savings in installation, startup
and commissioning, which allowed
the station to commence operations
in Autumn 2002.
Snam Rete Gas will achieve further
significant improvements and cost
savings in maintenance and plant
operations over the plant life cycle.
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