Automation for offshore natural gas in China

DeltaV digital automation systems and Daniel flow metering will be used to automate the Chunxiao Gas Complex, a US$ 1 billion development project in China

Emerson Process Management has been selected by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to automate its Chunxiao Gas Complex.

CNOOC is one of the world's largest independent crude oil and gas companies and is the dominant producer of oil and gas in China.

The Chunxiao Gas Complex is a central part of the Xihu Trough development project - China's largest offshore natural gas project.

The offshore processing platform and an onshore terminal of the Chunxiao production facility will be automated using the Emerson DeltaV digital automation system, Daniel custody transfer flow metering equipment, and Rosemount measurement instruments.

Emerson will provide system integration, engineering, and project management services for automation throughout the complex.

Support services will be executed by Emerson Process Management China.

Targeted production is 2.5 billion cubic metres within two years, with production brought on stream by mid-2005.

"Chunxiao is the first development project in the Xihu Trough, and we are pleased to contribute to this long term project to supply clean energy for the surrounding region," commented Stephen Kao, vice president of the Emerson systems and solutions division in Asia-Pacific.

"The Emerson DeltaV system is widely recognised as an industry leader and has been proven in use in thousands of installations around the world.

This project is another example of combining Emerson services and technology to deliver a world class solution to ensure that the gas production facility operates safely, efficiently and reliably".

The Chunxiao Gas Complex will process natural gas, oil and condensate from wells to be drilled in the Chunxiao, Tianwaitian, Duanqiao and Canxue offshore fields.

A sub-sea pipeline that extends 350 kilometres to the onshore terminal at Ningbo, Zhejiang Province will deliver natural gas from the central processing offshore platform.

Natural gas from the Chunxiao complex will supply the Zhejiang Province and the city of Shanghai.

Engineered using Daniel flow measurement equipment, Emerson Process Management will provide two positive displacement metering systems and a proving system for the offshore production platform.

For the natural gas terminal, Emerson will supply Daniel SeniorSonic ultrasonic custody transfer metering solution, including Danalyzer gas analyser systems and flow computers.

Emerson DeltaV digital automation systems operate on each of two offshore platforms, one with 7 workstations and 8,000 I/O, and the other with three workstations and 2,500 I/O.

The larger central system configures, controls and monitors the smaller system using OPC communications and remote client through subsea fibre-optics.

A third DeltaV system at the onshore gas-processing complex has 2500 I/O with three workstations, and monitors the offshore processing through remote client technology over satellite communications.

At a control centre in Shanghai, two DeltaV remote client workstations are configured to monitor all of the offshore processing over fibre-optics.

This integrated communications enables the operators to manage the entire complex from one familiar operator workstation environment provided by the DeltaV automation system.

All DeltaV system installations have multiple serial and open, interoperable, industry-standard OPC communications to various critical subsystems like ESD (Emergency Shutdown) and F and G (Fire and Gas) systems.

For this technically challenging project, Emerson collaborated closely with both the primary engineering contractors and design consultants to develop the most cost-effective yet flexible automation solution for CNOOC.

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