Pemex picks ABB’s System 800xA control, safety systems for marine terminal

Wickliffe, OH— Pemex Gas y Petroquímica Básica has selected ABB ’s System 800xA High Integrity to provide integrated control and safety for its Pajaritos marine terminal in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. System 800xA will be used for process control and compressor interlock applications in the cryogenic terminal, which receives, liquefies, and transfers ammonia, propane, propane/butane gas, and ethylene.

The order includes System 800xA extended automation for process control; compressor protections, anti-surge control and vibration monitoring; instrumentation; uninterruptible power systems, and fiber-optics networking. Centralized and local supervision will also be provided through System 800xA engineering and operation stations. When the project is completed, System 800xA application will control the six process areas in the terminal, where products are handled and prepared for shipment to Pemex’s customers.

Pemex reportedly selected System 800xA because it offered a tightly integrated control and safety solution, and the most advanced technology for the application. This project is one of several that ABB is currently implementing for Pemex. ABB says it was the only vendor that fully complied with all PEMEX technical requirements for this project. The estimated delivery date is December 2005.

System 800xA High Integrity is a complete, scalable, TÜV-certified, IEC 61508- and IEC 61511-compliant safety instrumented system (SIS) that spans the entire safety loop, including SIL-rated AC 800M controllers, field-input devices, I/O modules, and field actuators. With embedded safety and control in the same architecture, System 800xA reportedly improves process availability, while reducing risk to overall plant operation by providing a common, high-integrity system environment for production control, safety supervision, and production monitoring. This flexible architecture provides the option of combining control and safety functions in the same controller, or keeping control and safety functions separate within the same system.

System 800xA extends the scope of traditional control systems to include all automation functions in one operations and engineering environment, so that plants/mills can run smarter and better at substantial cost savings. Its reach extends well beyond the realm of essential process control to production management, safety, smart instrumentation, smart drives and motor control, information management, asset optimization, simulation and documentation. System 800xA’s engineering environment manages one set of consistent data, for single-point entry, single-point change, and re-use across the plant.

Control Engineering Daily News DeskJim Montague, news editorjmontague@reedbusiness.com

Do you have experience and expertise with the topics mentioned in this content? You should consider contributing to our WTWH Media editorial team and getting the recognition you and your company deserve. Click here to start this process.