Goal of the project is the development of the IMPaC-dCAS (distributed Control and Automation System), the flexible and ‚open‘ System for Steering, Control and Automation of Underwater Production Systems.
The System is part of the Project ISUP – Integrated Systems for Underwater Production of Hydrocarbons - funded by the German Ministry BMWi.
As one key component of the Underwater Production System (UPS), the Control System IMPaC-dCAS shall be responsible for the safe and reliable automation of the production, resulting in a more effective and economic operation of the underwater process plant.
Due to its flexibility and the standardized architecture, the concept provides open interfaces, allowing integration and combination of different third-party components on the market.
The scope of work for IMPaC comprises the following:
- Responsibility for preparation of the design basis for the whole ISUP System, gathering the constraints and technical basics for all partner subsystems.
- Concept, development and mock-up of the Control System software, allowing simulation of the safe and reliable automation and visualization of the oil and gas production process
- Concept, development and mock-up of the hardware and software for the test platform of the IMPaC-dCAS Modules and the PC based Master Control Station of the UPS
- Setup and test of a mock-up model to demonstrate the functionality of each of the resulting systems of the ISUP Project in an assembly (the Demonstrator)
- Concept, development and mock-up of a new database which will reduce the time needed for the concept phase for UPS developments
Based on a proven general automation philosophy, the requirements will be determined and the most suitable solution concepts chosen or developed.
The subsequent evaluation of the market for controller hardware and software will lead to the decision for certain programmable hardware and software components.
The software development will be PC based, allowing the implementation of algorithms for steering and control of an exemplary UPS. The program algorithms will be based on the process cause and effect matrix for the chosen system.
The user interface for the remote control of the production and the enhanced analysis of the availability of the components will be developed in co-operation with the IPR Institute of the TH Karlsruhe.
After a comprehensive phase of validations, comprising simulations and Web based visualization in the new Master Control Station, the automation algorithms will be implemented on the Subsea Controller hardware.
The final task of the project will be the functional tests of the Control System, stand-alone as well as in the Demonstrator assembled with the ISUP Partner Subsystems.
All steps of development shall be based on the common rules and regulations for fail-safe systems and maintenance intervals etc. which are established in the subsea oil and gas industry.
Further information about IMPaC is given on the Homepage www.impac.de.