Control System World

Combining the direct drive technology with product features and standards from our existing Process Gauge XSEL series, WIKA is now delivering a new standard of Direct Drive pressure gauges. Our new Direct Drive Process and Test Gauge features the same materials and most standard options as our successful Process Gauge XSEL series.

At the technological heart of the WIKA Direct Drive process gauge is our exclusive Bourdon tube made of Inconel X-750 alloy. Compatible with most media types, this super-alloy is highly resistant to temperature extremes and has excellent oxidation and corrosion properties. Every WIKA Bourdon tube is meticulously handmade and then stress relieved in our proprietary heat treatment chambers. To provide superior strength and performance in the most aggressive environments and temperature extremes, all wetted parts on the WIKA Direct Drive process gauge are nickel-brazed.

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Join the inaugural Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Technology Forum to be held July 30-31, 2013, in Houston, Texas.

The abundance of natural gas, rising crude oil prices, and environmental regulations have led to increasing interest in Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) processes. New advancements in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FT), Syngas-to-Gasoline plus (STG+), and other GTL technology are leading the development of modular GTL units capable of scaling down production. The ability for small-scale production allows approximately 40% of gas fields to become economically viable sources for GTL plants.

The advantages of the conversion of associated gas through GTL technologies include: the elimination of flaring, the unlocking of constrained oil production, increased revenues and reserves, and the ability for modular units to be relocated when a producing gas well is depleted. Industry innovators like Sasol, Shell and BP have made GTL project announcements/plans, and numerous companies are currently involved in the development of mobile GTL units at well sites and remote refineries.

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Foster Wheeler AG announced today that a subsidiary of its Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a project management contract by Cardon IV S.A., for new production facilities for the Perla Field in the Gulf of Venezuela. Cardon IV S.A. is a joint venture company owned by Eni Venezuela B.V and Repsol YPF Venezuela Gas, S.A.

The value of the contract was not disclosed. The award will be included in the company's second-quarter 2013 bookings.  The new production facilities will be comprised of offshore structures, trees, controls, offshore processing, subsea flowlines, export pipelines, the shore approach and utilities facilities from the wellheads to an onshore gas plant, and tie-in to an existing gas and condensate pipeline system. First gas is planned at the end of 2014.

Foster Wheeler will supervise the engineering, procurement and construction contractors and the procurement of long-lead equipment. The company’s scope of work requires supervision activities to be carried out in engineering centers in Houston, Madrid, London, and Rijeka, Croatia, and in more than 15 countries for fabrication and construction of equipment and materials at module and jacket fabrication yards and for site installation.

“We are delighted that Cardon IV has selected Upstream's Houston-based team for this project, and we look forward to continuing to deliver a high-quality service which fully satisfies our client,” said Hal Ankrum, Chief Executive Officer, Foster Wheeler Upstream. “We have built a strong working relationship with Cardon IV since we started work on the conceptual engineering in 2010, and then completed the front-end engineering design. During these three years we have provided the client with high-quality people and deliverables, and this latest award reflects Cardon IV’s continuing confidence in our Upstream team.”

KBR has announced today that it has been awarded a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract by INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA (INEOS) for one of the largest grassroots high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plants to be built in the Americas. The facility would produce 470 kilotons per annum of bimodal HDPE using Innovene™ S process technology.

KBR’s work on this facility will support efforts that take advantage of the projected resurgence of U.S. ethylene production capacity resulting from abundant shale energy resources in North America.  The facility is expected to be located in the U.S. Gulf coast area.

KBR’s scope of work includes the FEED for the inside and outside battery limit facilities, development of an appropriation grade cost estimate, and order of long lead equipment for the project. Services will be provided out of KBR’s Houston world headquarters and Monterrey, Mexico High Value Engineering Center. Full sanction for the project is anticipated in the first half of 2014. Steady state of operation for this facility is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2015.

“This is an important and strategic win for KBR and will allow us the opportunity to demonstrate our unparalleled expertise in the downstream market,” said David Zelinski, President, KBR Downstream. “KBR is pleased to continue our successful partnership with INEOS and support their commitment to the HDPE market.”

Technip has beenawarded by Chevron North Sea Ltd a substantial(1) engineering, procurement, installation and construction (EPIC) contract for the Alder field. Chevron is developing the Alder field as a subsea tieback to the Britannia Bridge Link Platform (BLP). This field is located in the central North Sea, about 200 kilometers North-East of Aberdeen, Scotland, at a water depth of approximately 150 meters.

The contract will cover a wide scope of work, from engineering to manufacturing and installation:

- the detailed design and pipelay of a 28-kilometer 16” pipe-in-pipe system,

- the installation of a 28-kilometer hybrid umbilical(2),

- various subsea works including the installation of a manifold(3) structure including HIPPS(4), subsea isolation valve structure, valves and spoolpiece(5) components.

Technip’s operating center in Aberdeen will execute the contract, which is scheduled to be completed in the second semester of 2015. Genesis(6) will complete the detailed design workscope and Technip’s spoolbase in Evanton, Scotland, will fabricate the pipe-in-pipe. DUCO Ltd, Technip’s wholly-owned subsidiary in Newcastle, England, will manufacture the umbilical. Vessels from the Group’s fleet will be used for the offshore campaign, including its newest state-of-the-art pipelay vessel, the Deep Energy.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced today the acquisition of F.A. TECH CO.,LTD. (F.A. TECH), a Factory Automation (FA) product distributor and long-time partner in Thailand, to expand Mitsubishi Electric's FA business there, which is already experiencing significant growth. Through the acquisition, Mitsubishi Electric expects to raise FA sales in Thailand to JPY 20 billion (USD 210 million) by the fiscal year ending in March 2018.

Mitsubishi Electric established a new company, Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (MELFT), on April 22 in preparation to take over the operations of F.A. TECH beginning in September. The FA product and Computerized Numerical Controller (CNC) sales and service divisions of Mitsubishi Electric Automation Thailand Co., Ltd. (MEATH) will also be transferred to MELFT. The new company will operate from the premises of the current F.A. TECH office in Bangkok.

MEATH will continue to manufacture and sell industrial motors, pumps, electrical discharge machines and laser processing machines.

The acquisition of F.A. TECH will strengthen the Mitsubishi Electric Group's FA solution, sales and technical capabilities. For over 20 years, F.A. TECH has been a leading partner of Mitsubishi Electric, providing reliable, high-quality sales and technical support for Mitsubishi Electric FA products and CNCs sold in the automotive and industrial markets. Robust growth is forecast in Thailand's factory automation market, particularly in the automotive industry, which is attracting increasing foreign investment.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) is pleased to announce that pre-registration activity for the 2013 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium (WWAC Symposium) has been brisk. Pre-registration for the symposium, which will take place 6-8 August in Orlando, Florida, USA, is now in excess of 200. In addition, more than 30 individuals have registered for the symposium’s two optional short courses on in-depth cybersecurity and flow meter selection/sizing.

Taking place at the Crowne Plaza Orlando-Universal Hotel in Orlando, the 2013 ISA WWAC Symposium is a three-day event that focuses on the challenges associated with automation and instrumentation in the water and wastewater sectors. The symposium features more than 40 technical speakers, two full days of technical presentations, a tour of a local water treatment plant, a general reception and a supplier showcase. This symposium is unique as it focuses entirely on the needs of automation professionals in the municipal water and wastewater sectors.

“Our secret is our focus,” says Patrick Gouhin, CEO and Executive Director at ISA. “Our annual ISA Water/Wastewater Symposium specifically caters to the needs of professionals involved with automation, instrumentation and SCADA in the municipal water and wastewater sectors. It is a unique niche event and we are proud of its increasing popularity. There is no other event like it in North America.”

This year’s technical program features more than 40 speakers. Carey E. Hidaka from IBM’s Smarter Water Group will present a keynote address on how “big data” analytics can realize significant opportunities when applied to the myriad of data sources available to municipal water and wastewater utilities. These data sources include supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), customer billing systems, and enterprise asset management systems (EAMS) as well as geographic information systems (GIS) and web-based data, such as those used for the US Geological Survey.

“Fresh water, a fundamental requirement for life on the planet, is becoming a scarce resource as the world’s population grows and competition increases for available water,” says IBM’s Hidaka, a seasoned professional with more than 35 years of experience in the water and information technology sectors. “Against this backdrop, the world’s cities will require new and innovative approaches to address these significant challenges. Business-as-usual and traditional engineering solutions won’t be enough.”

For the full program schedule, including full presentation abstracts and speaker bios, visit www.isawwsymposium.com/program-schedule/

Organizations that are striving to enhance their operational efficiency and reliability can now realize additional value by utilizing the latest release of Rockwell Software Arena simulation software from Rockwell Automation. Arena v14.5 software extends the 3-D animation capabilities of the software to include material-handling components, such as conveyors and transporters.

The 3-D capabilities of Arena software enable users to better visualize the results of their business simulations in a realistic environment. These new capabilities extend this powerful visualization into the materials-handling area. Implemented within the Arena Visual Designer framework, 3-D animation components can be easily dragged and dropped into the simulation environment without the need for programming or coding.

Simulation provides insight into what changes or improvements are necessary prior to project implementation. A manufacturing plant or warehouse, for example, could determine exactly how many forklifts or how many feet of accumulator conveyor are needed in a new or existing facility before building the facility or purchasing the equipment.

“Businesses cannot afford to make costly mistakes when making changes to their business processes,” said Rob Kranz, director and general manager, Arena Software, Rockwell Automation. “The addition of 3‑D animation capabilities to material handling is one of the many ways that Arena software continues to provide companies with the means to quickly test and evaluate changes before making them in the actual process.”

For more information:

Arena Simulation Software: http://www.arenasimulation.com