Control System World

This certification has been provided by exida, a certification and research firm specializing in safety critical/high availability automation systems, control system security, and alarm management. exida’s main offices are located in Sellersville, PA, USA and Munich, Germany.

Velan announces SIL 3 certification for Torqseal® triple offset valve

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA (30 July 2012) - The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced today its two Technology Excellence tracks: Security Technology and Wireless Technology that will take place at ISA Automation Week 2012: Technology and Solutions Event. The annual conference is scheduled for 24–27 September 2012, at the Orange County Convention Center, West Concourse, in Orlando, Florida, USA.

The Security Technology track covers security issues that have affected industry over the last year, how the issues affect plant operations and how to avoid them. The Wireless Technology track offers information focused on new techniques that are related to wireless technologies, including emerging technologies and critical applications.

“One of the most valuable investments industrial companies can make is in industrial automation. Yet many industrial automation projects do not appear to provide the business value they should,” said Program Chair, Peter G. Martin.

“The ISA Automation Week technical program has been developed to demonstrate the value industrial companies can realize by driving operational excellence through their automation talent, systems and technologies.

'ISA Announces Technology Excellence Tracks at ISA Automation Week 2012'

CimQuest INGEAR, a leading supplier of runtime-free software development solutions for industrial applications, introduces its newest version of factory floor device communications software, NET.ABLINK 4.0. Providing a direct communication channel to Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers, NET.ABLINK 4.0 delivers fast communications without the need for costly OPC servers.

INGEAR NET.ABLINK 4.0 allows users to develop their own Windows programs, system services, class libraries and ASP.NET solutions for automation and control applications without OPC constraints. Through the software, operators experience the following benefits:

- Direct communication to Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers using Ethernet, DH+, DH-485 or Serial DF1

- Managed code specifically written to address the demands of writing HMI or data acquisition and control applications for Microsoft’s .NET Framework

- Runtime free deployments without additional license fees

- No third-party components, drivers, API’s or tools

NET.ABLINK 4.0 Release Provides Updated Communications

SAN RAMON, Calif., July 30, 2012 – Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) announced that its subsidiary will proceed with the development of the Lianzi field located in a unitized offshore zone between the Republic of Congo and the Republic of Angola.

Located 65 miles (105 km) offshore in approximately 3,000 feet (900 meters) of water, the Lianzi field will be developed via a tieback to the existing Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) platform located in Angola Block 14.

"Lianzi is Chevron's first operated asset in the Republic of Congo and builds on Chevron's strong position in West Africa, one of the world's key hydrocarbon basins," said George Kirkland, vice chairman, Chevron Corporation.

"As the first cross-border development in the region, Lianzi represents a unique cooperative approach to shared offshore resources and may serve as a model for the development of similar cross-border fields between the two countries," said Ali Moshiri, president of Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production Company.

The $2.0 billion development will include a subsea production system and a 27 mile (43 km) electrically heated flowline - the first of its kind at this water depth - to transport the oil from the field to the BBLT platform. First oil is expected in 2015. Once completed, the project is expected to produce a maximum of 46,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Chevron Sanctions the Lianzi Project offshore Angola and the Republic of Congo

SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) is pleased to announce that SNC-Lavalin Fayez Engineering (SLFE), an engineering consultancy joint venture between SNC-Lavalin and its local partners, recently acquired the industrial division of Zuhair Fayez Partnership, a well-respected Saudi Arabian engineering consulting company. SLFE was formed partly in response to Saudi Aramco’s General Engineering Services Plus (GES+) initiative, which aims to develop engineering capabilities in the Kingdom.

Under the GES+ initiative, SLFE will be invited to bid on front-end engineering and select detailed engineering services contracts to support the implementation of Saudi Aramco’s capital program. Projects will include both on- and offshore oil and gas production and processing facilities, infrastructure projects, as well as refining and petrochemical facilities.

SLFE has commenced work on engineering services mandates for the GES+ initiative, all of which were competitively bid in-Kingdom by four Saudi Aramco-qualified GES+ contractors. The work is being executed out of SLFE’s head offices located in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

SAN RAMON, Calif., July 30, 2012 - Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) today announced that its subsidiary will proceed with the expansion of its Bibiyana natural gas field in north-west Bangladesh.

The new project will include expansion of the gas plant to process increased natural gas volumes from the Bibiyana Field, additional development wells, and an enhanced gas liquids recovery unit. The project is estimated to cost approximately $500 million and is expected to boost Chevron's total natural gas production capacity in Bangladesh by more than 300 million cubic feet per day to 1.4 billion cubic feet per day, and 4,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids. First production is expected in 2014.

George Kirkland, vice chairman, Chevron Corporation, said, "As the largest holder of natural gas resources in Asia-Pacific among our peers, this investment in Bangladesh further strengthens our regional portfolio of major gas projects and enhances our position as a leading supplier in the Asia Pacific region."

Melody Meyer, president, Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration and Production, said, "Bibiyana is the largest producing gas field in Bangladesh and a leading example of how technology, investment, and expertise can assist countries to utilize domestic resources to secure reliable, cleaner-burning, and affordable sources of energy."

Chevron to Expand Bangladesh Natural Gas Project

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (31 July 2012) – The International Society of Automation (ISA) will present Paul J. Galeski, CEO and Founder of MAVERICK Technologies, with the Excellence in Leadership Award during its 50th Annual ISA Honors and Awards Gala, 24 September 2012, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida, USA.

The Excellence in Leadership Award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to advance industry and the automation profession. Galeski, a licensed professional engineer and a Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®), is recognized for creating a paradigm shift in systems integration by establishing and leading two cutting-edge firms to global prominence in less than 10 years.

Galeski founded MAVERICK Technologies in 1999 with the intent of becoming a global resource dedicated to helping manufacturing businesses reach new levels of success. Over the past decade, MAVERICK has worked with hundreds of world-class clients to devise unique approaches, enhance productivity, reduce costs and improve safety through the innovative application of industrial automation, enterprise integration and operational consulting.

GE Intelligent Platforms announced the availability of its latest manufacturing software solution, Proficy Plant Applications 6.1. The product includes the best practices the company has implemented at many of the world's leading companies to provide a manufacturing solution that is best-in-class. In addition, the solution's Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) facilities provide optimal connectivity and easy integration for standards-based third-party applications. It enables users to be equipment, product, and people-centric – all on one platform.

Proficy Plant Applications is a proven, comprehensive Operations Management software solution built on GE's Open & Layered architecture providing modular and scalable capabilities for all types of production environments in a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) package. It is built on a foundation of 15+ years of continuous experience in solving the world's toughest manufacturing challenges. GE's expertise in Six Sigma and LEAN, combined with the best practices of its own manufacturing operations facilitates uncompromising quality.

Proficy Plant Applications now features a Unified Manufacturing Operations Database, which allows existing operations to run as they do today while new features are "trialed" safely. Traditional users will appreciate the familiarity of Plant Applications and power users can architect the future. Other features of Proficy Plant Applications 6.1 include:

• Software wizards automate business rules to speed system deployment;

• User interfaces consolidate information according to the users situation to reduce information overload and aid mobile workforces;

• Existing Plant Applications users will be able to upgrade to the newest version while retaining their existing standard Plant Applications functionality.