Chapter 16 - Gas Processing Plant Controls and Automation

Abstract

Automation has become an increasingly important aspect of gas processing. The amount of specific types of automation is a major decision now in the construction of new plants. With many existing plants having debottlenecked and improved process efficiency through mechanical means, automation is now a focus for further improvements. Automation provides the means for fully utilizing the mechanical capabilities of the equipment at all times and running the process at its most efficient points in a stable and reliable fashion. A good automation platform can be leveraged to provide the right information at the right time to the right personnel to make the right decisions in a timely manner. Historical data can be collected in virtually any time frame and analyzed statistically. With these historical data, upset situations can be reconstructed, and production reports can be automatically generated. Many processors have upgraded their plants to higher-level control systems such as distributed control systems (DCS). This chapter discusses the elements of automating today's gas processing plants, including considerations for instrumentation, controls, data collection, operator information, optimization, and management information. The advantages and disadvantages of various approaches are analyzed in this chapter. Also, strategies for identifying and quantifying the benefits of automation are discussed.