Control System World

PetroChina Company Limited will expand its use of Honeywell advanced information management and process modeling software tools to 17 additional refining and petrochemical sites across China, to help meet the country’s growing demand for chemicals and transportation fuels. PetroChina currently uses Honeywell’s information solutions at 13 locations.

Honeywell’s Refining and Petrochemical Modeling System (RPMS) and its Intuition® Executive advanced information management software will give PetroChina plant operators the ability to monitor operations across its entire organization to help provide the real-time information they need to better improve the profitability and efficiency of their plants.

“Refiners and chemical plant operators must make complex business decisions quickly to take advantage of rapidly changing market conditions – from prices for feedstocks such as crude oil and natural gas, to rising demand for finished products,” said Aldous Wong, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Process Solutions, China. “Implementing these Honeywell solutions across more of their locations will help PetroChina maximize profitability through better visibility and efficiency of their overall operations, and help them meet the growing demand for energy.”

Foster Wheeler has announced today that an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company has entered into a merger implementation agreement (“MIA”) with MDM Engineering Group Limited (AIM:MDM) (“MDM Engineering”) to acquire all of the ordinary shares and options in issue of MDM Engineering in a cash transaction valued at approximately $109 million (the “Transaction”).

The Transaction is subject to MDM Engineering shareholder approval and other closing conditions.  Kent Masters, Foster Wheeler’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “MDM Engineering is a strong fit for Foster Wheeler’s minerals and metals strategy to enhance global capability and capacity.”

Based in South Africa, MDM Engineering Group Limited is a minerals process and project management company focused on the mining industry. Founded in 2006, the company provides a wide range of services from preliminary and final feasibility studies, through to plant design, construction and commissioning. The company has approximately 280 employees. For additional information, see the company’s website at www.mdm-engineering.com.

As announced, on February 13, 2014 Foster Wheeler entered into a definitive agreement with AMEC plc (“AMEC”) concerning a possible business combination of the Company and AMEC. Foster Wheeler has informed AMEC of the Transaction. Foster Wheeler does not expect the Transaction to affect the timing of completion of the business combination of the Company and AMEC.

Barclays is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP and Conyers Dill & Pearman are acting as legal advisors to Foster Wheeler. GMP Securities is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Memery Crystal LLP and Carey Olsen are acting as legal advisors to MDM Engineering.

Life sciences companies have the dual task of maintaining flexible production lines to respond to changing market demands and cost-effectively managing compliance requirements. Rockwell Automation continues to expand the flexibility of its Rockwell Software PharmaSuite v5.2 system (MES) to help manufacturers respond to these challenges and execute electronic batch records in new and more efficient ways. The PharmaSuite v5.2 system includes improved agility and production control, as well as native integration with FactoryTalk Historian software and the OSIsoft PI System to help pharmaceutical and biotech companies optimize production, improve reporting and shorten development time.

“We’re aiming to set new performance standards for MES with the PharmaSuite v5.2 system,” said Martin Dittmer, PharmaSuite product manager, Rockwell Automation. “Empowering operators with agility and production control, without sacrificing quality, delivers improved time to results. The PharmaSuite v5.2 system decreases the time required to produce, review and release each batch, and speeds processes across production areas or individual lines for more efficient recipe execution.”

Improved Agility and Production Control – Recipe elements can be executed in parallel by multiple shop-floor operators with the PharmaSuite v5.2 system. On the production line, recipe tasks can be freely moved between electronic batch recording stations or can be fixed to a specific station by recipe design. This iteration allows operators to define and control the level of execution freedom on the shop floor and increases the efficiency of electronic batch recording.

In addition, the PharmaSuite v5.2 system supports dynamic registration of devices like industrial laptops or tablets to a production line station to enable worker mobility and collaboration in a more flexible, but still secure manner.

Native Historian and MES Integration – The newest version of the PharmaSuite system also includes native integration with FactoryTalk Historian software and the OSIsoft PI System to increase insight into production by gathering and archiving actionable information into one deliverable. Historian integration automates the process of collecting historical data, developing trend charts, and attaching this information to the batch record. This reduces human error so operators can focus on production rather than reporting.

“We look forwarding to expanding our long-standing alliance with Rockwell Automation to simplify MES-historian integration because we understand the importance of accurate, historical data in making smarter decisions, and clearly and easily communicating historical production quality to regulators,” said Ted Gorrie, Vice President of Enterprise Sales, OSIsoft. “Integration with the PharmaSuite system increases the value of the investment manufacturers have already made in our historian and MES systems.”

KBR, a global engineering, construction and services company, announced today that Agrium awarded the company two engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for a new grassroots urea plant and to increase the ammonia capacity for Agrium’s Lone Star Project in Borger, Texas.

Upon completion, this world-scale fertilizer facility will produce approximately 670,000 tons of urea per year and 700,000 tons per year of ammonia supporting the North American agriculture industry.The contract values, which were not disclosed, were included in the 2013 second and third quarter backlog of unfilled orders for the Hydrocarbons segment.

“This award confirms KBR’s position as the world’s leader in the development and construction of ammonia facilities,” said Roy Oelking, KBR Hydrocarbons Group President. “As the world’s leading supplier of ammonia process technologies, KBR has been involved in the licensing, design, engineering and/or construction of more than 230 ammonia plants worldwide.”

National Instruments has introduced a new certification level for LabVIEW programmers, Certified LabVIEW Gladiator (CLG). In order to reach CLG level, engineers must prove their worth by completing challenges that range from slightly unsafe to borderline insane.

“NI certification confirms your technical growth and skill, differentiating you from other engineers,” said Lori Anderson, director of certification at National Instruments. “By becoming a CLG, you’ll show you’ve mastered effective programming in LabVIEW, even while you’re blindfolded and fighting off a bear.”

The CLG certification is now the highest recognition a LabVIEW programmer can achieve. All Certified LabVIEW Associate Developers, Certified LabVIEW Developers, Certified LabVIEW Architects and Certified LabVIEW Embedded Systems Developers are encouraged to apply. They are also encouraged to update their wills beforehand.

“We all know that using LabVIEW instead of traditional text-based programming languages accelerates engineers’ productivity and innovation,” said Jeff Kodosky, vice president and cofounder of National Instruments. “We decided to take it to the next level. Holding an engineer’s feet to the fire– literally– will further improve programming skills and cut development time.”

The International Society of Automation (ISA), a global leader in industrial cybersecurity standards, today announces it will conduct a conference in June 2014 to help corporations and operators of critical infrastructure better protect their systems and networks from potentially destructive cyber attacks.

The conference, which will feature acclaimed industrial cybersecurity experts from industry, government and academia, will be held as a sub-conference of THE BIG M Manufacturing Convergence, an inaugural event produced by SME to explore the diverse challenges and solutions across all areas of manufacturing. THE BIG M will be held 9-12 June 2014 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan USA.

“While no one can prevent industrial cyberattacks from occurring, you can significantly reduce your risk by understanding the vulnerabilities and minimizing the consequences,” says Eric C. Cosman, a consulting engineer at Dow Chemical and a nationally recognized expert on industrial automation and control systems (IACS) security. “This valuable conference will shed light on what you can do to protect your industrial networks and control systems from serious damage from cyber threats.”

Without taking the proper protective steps, Cosman warns that industrial cyber attack could contribute to equipment failure and impairment, production loss or regulatory violations, with possible negative impacts on the environment or public welfare.

Through engaging technical sessions and presentations, the ISA Cybersecurity Conference 2014 will:

• Reveal how to detect cyber threats and mitigate the risks and exposure to your plant systems and networks
• Introduce proven industrial control systems security standards and practices and demonstrate how to leverage them
• Showcase best practices utilized in various industries and highlight peer experiences and lessons learned

The conference program also will pinpoint the role and ramifications of technology as well as business and human factors, and how to effectively balance them within the scope of a comprehensive industrial cybersecurity initiative.

Register today to attend The ISA Cybersecurity Conference 2014 by visiting www.isa.org/CyberConf2014

The International Society of Automation has recently announces the launch of InTech Plus, a new mobile app for the Apple iPad that enables automation professionals to rapidly access, scan and digest a diverse range of technical and educational content—and utilize valuable tools and calculators—through a highly interactive and inviting format.

“The InTech Plus mobile app has great new content delivered in a new and engaging way,” declares Peggie W. Koon, Ph.D., ISA President. “Downloadable free of charge, InTech Plus connects automation and control professionals to all things automation. It’s interactive, intuitive, fresh and fun. From the latest technology news and ‘how-to’ videos featuring ISA subject matter experts to Q&As, quizzes and calculators, our new mobile app delivers added value to automation professionals on the go.”

Because InTech Plus provides on-the-go access—whenever and wherever—to an extensive array of automation content and functionality, Dr. Koon says it supports the ISA mission of better connecting automation and control professionals with the information they need and want.

“In addition,” she says, “InTech Plus represents our commitment to innovation, and to pursuing the ongoing development of new tools, products and programs with the “coolest delivery” available to our members and the automation community at large.”

As users move through InTech Plus, they will immediately notice they’re engaging in a totally new way to view and digest information. Highly colorful and visual in approach, the pages feature intuitive navigation that will guide you to captivating success stories, to best-practice overviews, and to “quick-read” call-out boxes and sliders—all of which encourage you to learn more and dig deeper.

“ISA is extremely excited to introduce InTech Plus to the automation community,” says Susan Colwell, Manager of ISA Publications Development. “There is so much to discover and explore. Useful information and tools are on display right at your fingertips. Tap on a button to read about a hot topic or view helpful conversion tables, or get a refresher on a specific area of automation fundamentals, such as how to select field instruments. Polish up on wireless devices, HMI, pressure transmitters, level, temperature, batch and so on. Take a quick quiz on CCST® or CAP® certification. A slide of a finger will lead you to the next feature, video, fun fact or news item. Download a calculation or scientific app on the go, when you need it most. You can even learn about the history of automation.”

InTech Plus content, which will be updated on a regular basis, is derived through a variety of authoritative sources, most significantly through the insights and perspectives of ISA’s world-renowned subject matter experts. In addition, the entire spectrum of ISA’s products and services—including its automation standards; education, training and certification programs; technical symposia; publishing resources and leadership development capabilities—is represented.

While InTech Plus is currently only formatted for the iPad, Colwell says additional formats are under development.

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that its subsidiary, Yokogawa India Ltd., has received an order from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)*1 to supply a SCADA*2 system for its Centralized SCADA Monitoring Centre, which will monitor the city’s water distribution network and wastewater facilities. This is Yokogawa’s first order from a water municipality in India, and this project is being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The SCADA system will monitor all data from BWSSB water supply facilities such as water treatment plants, pumping stations, reservoirs, and a water supply network that brings water 150 km from the Cauvery River to the city of Bangalore, and will also monitor data from all wastewater treatment facilities. The system will be introduced for the water supply facilities in May 2015, and its coverage will then be expanded to include the wastewater treatment facilities.

Bangalore, which has a population of 8.5 million, is home to a strong IT industry and many foreign companies. However, due to rapid industrial development and population growth in recent years, the city suffers from frequent water outages. Based upon the data that it will collect, the monitoring center will optimize the supply of water to the city and improve the operating efficiency of its facilities. Ultimately, the center will be integrated with the billing system. This project is receiving a lot of attention in India because of its progressive approach.

For this project, Yokogawa will deliver the FAST/TOOLS™ SCADA software and the STARDOM™ network-based control system. Yokogawa India will have overall responsibility for implementing this project, including engineering, installation, and commissioning of software and instruments.

With Yokogawa India’s almost 30 years of experience in providing control systems and instruments to plants and Yokogawa’s solid track record and know-how in water and wastewater treatment applications in Japan, we are well positioned to contribute in the development of water infrastructure in India and other emerging countries.