New Qatar refinery awards contract for plant-wide automation system

By Control Engineering Staff September 6, 2006

The new Laffan gas condensate refinery at Ras Laffan, Qatar , is growing from bare desert to become part of a huge energy processing complex adjacent to the north field natural gas reserve. When operational in 2008, the refinery will process approximately 146,000 barrels per day of gas condensates, making it one of the world’s largest condensate refineries. Invensys will keep it running, providing automation systems, asset management applications, and services for operational and safety functions.

The Ras Laffan complex calls itself the world’s fastest growing industrial city, and aims to be the largest gas-processing center as new projects come on line. This is supported by a natural gas supply, estimated to be the largest single non-associated gas field in the world. All these superlatives make projects in the area very attractive to suppliers, including Ken Brown, president of Invensys Process Systems. ‘Important refinery projects such as the Laffan facility don’t come along very often, and Invensys is honored to have been selected as automation supplier,’ he commented. ‘Our proven track record in successfully implementing projects of this scale anywhere in the world, combined with our ability to deliver a well-integrated process control, safety, asset management, and plant information solution, were key factors.’

The scope of Invensys’ system truly is plant-wide, and will include:

  • Foxboro’ latest mesh control network-based I/A Series, encompassing approximately 5,000 intelligent I/O points and 2,000 serial points.

  • Triconex triple-modular-redundant technology for both the safety instrumented system, and the fire and gas protection system.

  • Avantis.PRO maintenance management software and Invensys equipment condition monitoring solution integrated with the automation systems.

The systems at the new Laffan refinery will interface with existing Invensys systems at the nearby RasGas and QatarGas facilities, which are already in operation. This will expand their presence in this critical energy center.

–Control Engineering Daily News Desk
Peter Welander , process industries editor