The Wireless Refinery

1
The Wireless Refinery?

• By David Land, P.E.
• ConocoPhillips
• Field Instrumentation Network Lead

2
Presenter

• David Land, P.E. (CSE) 
• Field Instrument Network Lead
• ConocoPhillips
• Downstream (Refining)
• Bachelor of Science in Physics from Oklahoma
  Baptist University
• Masters in Instrumental Science from University
  of Arkansas
• 30 years with Conoco and ConocoPhillips all in
  the Instrumentation field
• 25 years at the Ponca City Refinery as
  Instrumentation Reliability Engineer
• 30 years as an ISA member
• 25 years as a Senior ISA Member
• 27 years as a licensed Amateur Radio Operator

3
Existing Wireless Applications

• Mostly Tank Farm Applications
• Tank level signals back to the control room via
  various wireless methods.
• Networks RTU communications via wireless link
  instead of wire
• 4-20MA Analog signals via wireless link instead
  of wire
• Independent High Level Alarm systems.
• Point to Point wireless devices wired to top of
  tank level switches
• MultiPoint wireless devices wired to top of tank
  level switches
• Some with Solar Chargers and batteries to
  eliminate AC power wiring costs
• Butane and Propane Spheres
• Monitor pressures with wireless pressure
  transmitters to replace operator rounds

4
Existing Wireless Applications

• Relief Valve Applications
• Monitor with acoustic sensor to indicate vapor
  releases
• Analyzer Applications
• Wireless links to provide data and diagnostic
  interface to analyzers
• Remote Firewater Pump Control
• Redundant Wireless links to start Firewater pumps
  on low pressure elsewhere in the plants
  firewater system

5
Existing Wireless Applications

• Emergency Alert Systems
• Pagers for everyone onsite to warn for any
  emergency
• Instant access to all personnel
• Remote Operator Interface
• Wireless network to operators in tank farm areas
  for quicker response to alarms
• Video
• Video security via wireless links to reduce
  capital costs
• Flare Monitoring
• Flare flowmeters via wireless back to control
  system

6
Existing Wireless Applications

• Cavern Area
• Control Room to Operators Pickup via wireless
  link
• Area Gas Monitoring
• Remote beacon lights controlled via redundant
  wireless links from widespread gas monitors to
  warn of releases
• Fence line Monitoring
• Wireless links to gas monitors along the outside
  fence line

7
Future Wireless Applications

• Heat Exchanger Monitoring
• Wireless temperature measurements on the inlet
  and outlet of various heat exchangers to monitor
  for fouling and efficiency.
• Coker Valve Monitoring
• Wireless valve position monitors to prevent
  operator errors on valve sequencing

8
The Wireless Refinery?

• Greenfield Applications
• Use wireless instruments on ALL non-control
  measurements
• This would be about 50 of all instruments in a
  typical Refinery
• Control is around 20 of the total, the other 30
  is miscellaneous that probably wont go wireless.
• Would result in 25 to 40 capital reduction for
  the instrumentation phase

9
The Wireless Refinery?

• Brownfield Applications
• Use wireless instruments on ALL non-control
  measurements of future expansions
• This would be about 50 of the instruments on a
  project
• Would result in 25 to 40 capital reduction for
  the instrumentation phase

10
The Wireless Refinery?

• The Future
• 5 to 10 years from now, wireless will be like
  cell phones are today. Can you remember how we
  got along without cell phones? How did we get
  anything done? Wireless Instrumentation will be
  the same way.
• Questions?