Honeywell to supply process optimization, fail-safe controllers, services

Several refineries and aluminum plants are seeking to optimize their process and automation systems through significant retrofit and modernization projects, according to two multi-million-dollar contracts announced recently by Honeywell.

By Control Engineering Staff May 20, 2004

Several refineries and aluminum plants are seeking to optimize their process and automation systems through significant retrofit and modernization projects, according to two multi-million-dollar contracts announced recently by Honeywell .

A $5.8 million contract with engineering contractor OTF-IGN-Petrochem Kft involves a comprehensive automation solution that includes an Experion Process Knowledge System and Fail Safe Controller. The installation will be implemented at Hungarian Oil and Gas Company’s new Gasoline Desulphurization Unit at the Százhalombatta refinery.

The project will help increase operator efficiency and enhance asset utilization at the refinery; it will also enable the refinery to meet the latest abnormal situation management requirements. Honeywell Hungary will act as main automation contractor, providing third-party instrumentation and engineering services. The installation is expected to be completed by June 2005.

The Hungarian refinery is one of central Europe’s largest integrated oil and gas companies and the largest company in Hungary in terms of sales. Honeywell has been working with the refinery on automation projects since 1997.

Honeywell also received a multi-million dollar order from Aluminum Bahrain (ALBA) for a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for the company’s Potline-5 expansion project. The project focuses on solving business problems for the customer—improving production efficiency, optimizing business operations, and tracking progress. It includes the implementation and integration of Honeywell’s Business.Flex PKS solution suite to SAP. A completion date of March 2005 has been set.

“We firmly believe that this project will lead to productivity improvements at our site and help us realize our performance goals,” said Peter Cowie, ALBA’s general manager, line 5 operations. With the construction of the new Potline-5, production is expected to increase from 530,000 to 840,000 tons of aluminum annually. The MES will give the operation state-of-the-art information technology to streamline data handling and enhance decision-making processes across the supply chain for the five major business areas of the site: casthouse, reduction, carbon, power, and calciner.

—Jeanine Katzel, senior editor, Control Engineering, jkatzel@reedbusiness.com