Posted to News on 19th Dec 2006, 07:29
Invensys wins safety contract for Yemen LNG plant
Invensys Process Systems has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to provide distributed control systems (DCS), safety systems, and fire and gas systems for the Yemen LNG Company Ltd plant being built at Balhaf, on Yemen's south coast. The new $2+ billion grassroots plant is the first LNG plant in Yemen, and the Foxboro implementation will be the first major DCS in Yemen.
The Invensys systems will help Yemen LNG efficiently and safely deliver its planned total capacity of 6.7million tons of LNG per year. The new plant will consist of two process trains using the well-proven APCI C3/MCR process. The target for Train 1 start-up is the end of 2008, with Train 2 coming on line approximately five months later. The Invensys contract covers automation and safety systems on both process trains, plus all plant utilities.
YEMGAS, a joint venture, comprises Technip, JGC and KBR, and is responsible for engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning of the new plant. Invensys Process Systems, through its global centres of LNG excellence, will provide a range of hardware and software integration, configuration and engineering services, as well as on-site assistance with commissioning, start-up and technical training.
The Foxboro DCS implementation will consist of 45 pairs of latest-generation I/A series control processors in fault-tolerant configurations, and will utilise the high-speed Foxboro mesh control network for optimal availability and performance. The systems will control all major plant processes including: feedstock gas reception and dehydration; acid and mercury removal; gas chilling and liquefaction; LNG storage and ship loading; site utilities; and flare control. Fourteen Triconex TMR (triple modular redundant) safety-instrumented systems (SIS) will be employed throughout the plant for the process safety systems, fire and gas systems, and safety shutdown systems. The Invensys implementation at Yemen LNG also includes the supply and integration of Bentley Nevada machine monitoring systems and a plant-wide time synchronisation system.
The Foxboro and Triconex systems will together coordinate more than 27,000 I/O points across the plant, representing a wide variety of devices. Control operations will utilise a central control room, six satellite control rooms, a marine operations control room and a fire station.
To help maximise overall asset performance at this new site after the start-up, Invensys will also implement an integrated asset management system, an advanced alarm management system, and a control loop performance monitoring system.
Significant factors that contributed to Invensys being awarded the contract included the company's experience in LNG, product/service technical leadership, and the extensive favourable project execution histories between Invensys and the EPC partners. Foxboro DCS and Triconex safety instrumented systems are controlling and protecting dozens of LNG plants around the world. Utilising global resources, Invensys project teams have brought together business consulting, system integration, automation control systems, and project management for LNG companies worldwide.
About Yemen LNG Company Ltd
The Yemen LNG Project was launched in August 2005 to help meet increasing global LNG demands. Yemen LNG represents the country's largest investment initiative and is the first public-private venture of its kind in Yemen. The shareholders of Yemen LNG Company Ltd are Total, Yemen Gas Company, Hunt Oil Company, SK Corporation, Hyundai Corporation, Korea Gas Company and the Yemen General Authority of Social Security and Pensions. More information can be found at www.yemenlng.com.
