IVP_China_Rev.qxd:Product_app_profile5-18-05.qxd 5/30/07 2:55 PM Page 1 CACT Group Reduces Unplanned Downtime and Saves Maintenance Costs by monitoring critical pumps Condition-based Maintenance Program eliminates 72% of unscheduled downtime on Oil Platform Solutions Remote Online Condition Monitoring System • Enwatch® surveillance system provides periodic monitoring of pumps, including vibration and process variables • XM® intelligent modules for condition monitoring and protection of the pumps • Incorporates existing data collected by portable monitoring equipment — Datapac® and VISTeC® • Emonitor software integrates data from all monitoring systems into a common database • Meets API-670 standard for machinery protection systems Results Reduced unscheduled downtime • Reduced unscheduled downtime from 2.43% to 0.67% Decreased maintenance costs • Eliminated onsite data acquisition at a cost of US$2K per visit • Saves US$100K annually on 3rd party maintenance costs. Protects costly pumps • Prevented damage more than 20 times in a 5-year period Sheets of paper are wound onto large rolls during the final stages of production at Catalyst’s manufacturing plant. Once cut, the rolls are shipped to customers all over the world. Background Ensuring continuous, safe operation of equipment is a challenge many manufacturers share. That challenge has added significance for offshore oil producers. Unanticipated equipment failure can quickly become a shutdown costing millions of dollars — or a catastrophe putting workers or the environment at risk. Maintenance is a top priority on offshore platforms. Maintaining equipment typically located hundreds of kilometers from shore can be a costly and timeconsuming proposition. The CACT Operators Group was determined to find a better way. A consortium of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), Agip (Italy), Chevron (USA) and Texaco (USA), the CACT Operator’s Group was formed to develop hydrocarbon resources off the shores of China in the Pearl River Basin of the South China Sea. The group’s first exploratory well was drilled in 1984 and commercial production began in 1990. Today, CACT produces more than 100,000 barrels of crude oil each day, destined for refineries in China. CNOOC holds a 51% interest in the oilfields, while Agip, Chevron and Texaco each hold a 16.3% share. IVP_China_Rev.qxd:Product_app_profile5-18-05.qxd Challenge Efficient, non-stop operation of pipeline pumps is key to cost-effective oil production. Initially, preventive maintenance was CACT’s standard approach to keeping the pumps online. However, the effectiveness of CACT’s maintenance system was limited. CACT was forced to react to equipment problems that went undetected during routine inspections. To improve their system, CACT began to use Rockwell Automation products to monitor the pumps on three of its offshore platforms in the mid-1990s. Initially, CACT based their system on portable equipment – Entek® Datapac® and the Allen-Bradley VISTeC®. The DataPac is a portable instrument that collects field data, including process variables and vibration information. The VISTeC Vibration Meter measures vibration in units of velocity and acceleration and can also take Spike Energy measurements, which can be used for early detection of surface flaws in rollingelement bearings. Temperature and running speed measurements can be acquired as well. Emonitor software was used to store the data from the DataPac portable data collector. To implement any needed repairs, CACT contracted for maintenance through a thirdparty at a charge of US$100K per year. 5/30/07 2:55 PM Page 2 Institute (API) Standard 670. API 670 is the most widely adopted standard for machinery protection in the world. CACT required a new system that would provide real-time equipment monitoring and API 670 compliance — and help contain their maintenance costs. They called on Rockwell Automation for a solution. Solutions The Rockwell Automation team worked closely with CACT to develop a solution that would meet the oil producer’s needs and preserve their initial investment. Rockwell Automation proposed a remotely accessible, condition monitoring solution that would incorporate the existing portable equipment with an Enwatch system and XM modules. Emonitor software gives them the ability to store the data from the XM modules and Enwatch system and compare it against the data that they originally received from their portable collectors. Via an onboard Ethernet network, the Enwatch system provides scheduled monitoring of all the pumps on the platform. Measurement parameters include vibration and process variables. Also, the data acquisition process itself was very costly. To obtain the readings, CACT periodically sent maintenance personnel by helicopter to the platforms at a cost of US$2K per visit. In fact, the yearly transportation expense exceeded the installation cost of the new online system. On the same network, XM intelligent modules process critical parameters used to assess the current health — and predict the future health — of the pumps in real-time. The XM Series is comprised of DIN rail mounted measurement, relays and process modules. Ideal for critical machinery, the XM system includes protection capabilities, which can be used to safely shutdown a machine before significant damage occurs. For example, if the system detects vibration outside of set parameters, it will send a signal to the Motor Control Center (MCC) to turn off the relevant motors and protect the pump. Appropriately configured, the XM system meets API 670 standard. Finally, the current offline system could not provide the real-time pump protection outlined by the American Petroleum CACT operators onshore can remotely configure the XM modules via a DeviceNet™ network and view the CACT was pleased with the performance of their offline, portable system. At the same time, there were limitations. For example, the Datapac portable could detect vibration changes, but as a portable unit, it could not track and analyze the pump’s condition in real-time. equipment status through PlantLink®, a user-friendly interface that provides a graphical representation of the health of all the machinery being monitored online. Information from the condition monitoring system is also integrated with Rockwell Software Maintenance Automation Control Center (RSMACC™), where appropriate maintenance is scheduled in accordance with equipment requirements. Results With the new condition monitoring system in place, CACT has eliminated the need for manual data acquisition — and the associated costs. Onshore operators 200km from the platform collect, configure and analyze data just as they would on a local server. “The Rockwell Automation solution suits CACT. It saves a great deal of manpower and expense,” said Mr. Guo Jinwen, maintenance supervisor, CACT. “We can monitor equipment hundreds of kilometers away from our office. The solution preserved our initial investment, while meeting our expectations.” Since applying the Enwatch and XM systems, CACT has reduced their unscheduled downtime from 2.43% to 0.67% — a 72% decrease. In fact, during a five-year period, the Rockwell Automation system has prevented machines from catastrophic failures more than 20 times. Thanks to a Condition-based Maintenance strategy, annual maintenance expenses have also decreased significantly. In fact, the drop-off in service time was so dramatic that CACT saves US$100K in 3rd party annual maintenance costs annually. Based on the success of this project, CACT plans to install Enwatch and XM systems on all critical pumps in new installations. Enwatch, XM, Datapac 1500, VISTeC, Emonitor Odyssey, Rockwell Automation, Entek, PlantLink, and RSMACCare trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc. Trademarks not belong to Rockwell Automation are property of their respective companies. DeviceNet is a trademark of the Open DeviceNet Vendor Association. Publication PETIVP-AP009B-EN-D – February 2007 Supersedes Publication PETIVP-AP009A-EN-D – July 2006 Copyright ©2007 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA.