ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has signed a $2.8 million deal to design and develop a major integrated Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3) and process control solution for a gas pipeline project in Dukhan, Qatar.

Dukhan is home to one of Qatar's large oil fields and is located in the western part of the country. The Dukhan field encompasses four reservoirs, three of which are oil reserves and one containing associated gas.

Under the agreement signed with leading contractor BlackCat Engineering & Construction, ABB will supply SIL 3 controllers for emergency shutdown, process control, and fire and gas systems as well as its SIL3-compliant System 800xA for new and existing plants on the field as part of an upgrade plan, said an ABB official.

The production facilities located in the oil field produce over 335,000 barrels per day.

The ABB system provides a host of new automation functions and gives operators at Dukhan secured centralised access to these functions. This will result in improved safety standards, less downtime for the gas transmission network, and lower operating costs as well.

'This is one of the first projects where the process control and safety system are integrated on the same platform,' said Johan de Villiers, country manager for ABB in Qatar.

'ABB is very excited to be a part of this landmark project as it will be an excellent reference for the region's safety market and will also establish our 800xA solution as a reliable and serious contender for the safety market,' he added.
 
Safety integrity level (SIL) is a standard that allows customer to specify exactly how much protection is required for any given safety function. If a safety system is rated SIL 3, it means the solution provides the highest level of integration of safety and control.

It also means it features an unique architecture that provides superior protection of the process, plant, personnel, and the environment while it optimizes overall process efficiency.-TradeArabia News Service