Project Gallery | Fuel and Chemical Projects

Every project has a unique set of challenges and objectives, including scope, budget, time frame, regulatory requirements and more. MAVERICK addresses each concern in developing custom solutions that meet each client's needs.

Completed Projects

• Major Chemical Manufacturer Improves Ethylene Oxide (EO) Selectivity and Extends Catalyst Life by Implementation of DCSResident Advanced Process Controls (APC’s) and Operator Advisory Tools

  EO reactor operation presented the most bothersome control problem in this unit. Because improper reactor operation can lead to conditions in which the reactant concentrations violate explosion limits, the operators tended to run the reactor far away from optimum conditions, resulting in poor EO selectivity and excessive catalyst degradation.

  EO operations personnel sought an improved control scheme that would ensure safe reactor operation while maximizing selectivity and extending catalyst life under widely varying process conditions. This manufacturer sought the help of MAVERICK Advanced Automation Solutions personnel to analyze the control problem and design and implement an effective solution.
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• Manufacturer of Specialty Engineering Plastics Improves Process Yields Through Advanced Process Control (APC)

  A major plastics manufacturer was producing multiple grades of plastic on the same production lines and needed a more efficient method of transitioning from one grade to another. The company’s existing manual transition process was slow and inconsistent, and resulted in wastage and downgrading of valuable product.
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• Major Plastics Manufacturer Increases Production and Reduces Operator Workload Through Advanced Process Control (APC)

  A European manufacturer of high-value engineering plastics needed to boost its production rate to meet increased demand for Bisphenol A (BPA), a key intermediate, and the final product, a highvalue polycarbonate resin. Although there were no immediate plans to install new equipment, and all other debottlenecking steps had already been performed, the manufacturer had to find a way to maximize its production of BPA.
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• MAVERICK Technologies Performs APC Opportunity Survey at Plastics Manufacturing Plant

  MAVERICK Technologies announced today that it is currently completing a study to review each of the processes at a large plastics manufacturer, with the intent of developing design requirements to improve the productivity through advanced process control (APC). APC provides more stable plant operation, tighter control of variables related to quality, operation closer to constraints and more diligence than the best operator. Results include greater throughput, better yields, higher quality and improved productivity.

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• MAVERICK Technologies Wins Automated Flow Valve Control System Project

  MAVERICK Technologies announced today that it recently created an automated flow valve control system for 19 chemical solution tanks at a large film processing company. The Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLC platform and RSView HMI were selected for this project. MAVERICK developed the initial scope of work, which was then used as the driving project documentation. Working in partnership with the client, MAVERICK specified the field instrumentation for the project and developed the tag list database, including I/O addresses, naming conventions, RSLogix 5000 programming and batch recipe programming. MAVERICK also created RSView HMI screens based on a standard developed with the client. Finally, MAVERICK delivered electrical schematics, system architecture layout drawings and instrument location drawings for the project.

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• Sulfuric Acid Plant

  MAVERICK Technologies provided complete scope development, equipment specification, configuration services, installation engineering, construction services, and startup support for a control system replacement in a world class Sulfuric Acid and SO2 Generation facility in Houston, Texas. The project required the complete replacement of an existing control system utilizing a Toshiba DCS and a Gould Modicon 584 Burner Management System on the sulfur decomposition furnace. The new control system consisted of an Emerson DeltaV Process Control System utilizing five M5 processors and a Siemens / Moore QUADLOG Burner Management System. Total I/O count consisted of approximately 400 analog inputs, 50 analog outputs, 200 digital inputs, 100 digital outputs, and two serial links with the Siemens / Moore QUADLOG and a Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS). MAVERICK Technologies provided the expertise and experience to integrate the Process Control System with the Burner Management System using the single operator interface of the DeltaV system.

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• Aluminum Heat Treating Furnaces

  MAVERICK Technologies provided engineering, configuration and control system cabinet integration services for a DeltaV control system on four electrically heated vertical heat treat furnaces in Spokane, Washington. The control system includes four M2 processors, a ProPlus Station, three operator stations and an application station. MAVERICK configured the batch control sequence for automated metal tracking, sequence timing and heat soaking parameters, and generation of load reports at the conclusion of a heat treat / quench sequence. MAVERICK Technologies programmed an interface in the DeltaV Application Station using OPC software to communicate with the client’s data tracking system for automatic batch sequence downloading and batch performance tracking. Total system I/O included 160 thermocouple inputs, 136 analog inputs, 40 analog outputs, 192 digital inputs and 128 digital outputs.

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• Sulfuric Acid Plant

  MAVERICK Technologies provided complete scope development, equipment specification, configuration services, installation engineering, construction services and startup support for a control system replacement in a world-class Sulfuric Acid and Spent Acid Recovery Plant in Baytown, Texas. Project involved documenting the existing ABB Bailey INFI 90 process control system (PCS) and burner management system (BMS), including both field hardware and application software, and dividing the plant controls by function for implementation in a DeltaV process control system and a Siemens / Moore QUADLOG Burner Management System. The NFPA 8501 standard was followed closely to define the control system split between the PCS and the BMS. MAVERICK Technologies has provided complete control system configuration services for the DeltaV, the QUADLOG and the interface of the two control systems. The operator interface for both control systems was implemented on the Emerson DeltaV HMI.

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• Polyols Batch Reactor

  MAVERICK Technologies provided complete scope development, equipment specification, cabinet integration, configuration services, installation engineering, construction services and startup support for a control system replacement in a Polyols batch facility in Houston, Texas. MAVERICK had total system responsibility including development of a set of project P&IDs to define the project scope boundaries prior to project award. The existing control system was a conglomeration of pneumatics and analog electronics, and the project included specification of new field instrumentation to replace the existing pneumatic devices. The new control system included a DeltaV control system that utilized ten pairs of redundant MD controllers and over 1400 I/O points, and a Siemens / Moore QUADLOG safety shutdown system was provided to detect and prevent runaway exothermic reactions. The majority of the conversion from the old control system to the new control system was handled with the plant in full operation. MAVERICK employees assisted the owner in analyzing which systems could be implemented without impacting plant operations, and managed the effort to minimize the systems to be converted during a plant shutdown. In addition to the process control configuration of the DCS, MAVERICK engineers were also responsible for implementing the Batch Executive, Batch Historian and recipe management systems for the various Polyols products produced at this particular chemical plant facility.

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• Controller for an Aluminum Dross Press

  Project consisted of programming and debugging for a Siemens S5 control system on an Aluminum Dross Press. Control flow charts and ladder logic were used for the code development. Approximate I/O count was 32.

  Dorlastan (Spandex) for Textile Industry: Project (two year) consisted of Start-up, commissioning, programming and maintenance support for a Siemens PLC and Fisher Provox Control System for the Dorlastan process. Applications included polymerization, extrusion, and winding of the fiber. Three (3) 155U, Six (6) 135U, and forty (40) 90 processors were used on the project. Project responsibilities included finalizing, modifying, troubleshooting the PLC logic, start-up and commissioning. statement lists and ladder logic were used in the code.

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• Fertilizer Manufacturer Implements Plant-Wide Systems Integration Solution
  A manufacturer of water-soluble fertilizer needed to integrate its plant floor controls with its manufacturing execution system (MES) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to improve production monitoring and optimize plant utilization.
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• Major Chemical Manufacturer Reduces Waste Disposal Costs Through Advanced Process Control (APC)
  Due to site-wide production rate increases from several process units, the organic waste streams at a chemical plant had grown beyond the combustion capacity of its waste fuels boiler (WFB). Waste that wasn’t burned in the WFB had to be shipped off-site for disposal at a significant (per pound) cost to the business.
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• Advanced Process Control for a Refinery and Chemical Complex in Germany

  A large global energy company operates an integrated, high-conversion refinery, an olefins plant and several petrochemical and chemical units at a single site near Cologne, Germany. The site has utilized Honeywell DCSs, first TDC 2000 and later TDC 3000. MAVERICK has implemented several major APC projects at this site, including projects on an aromatics complex which first distilled reformate for recovery of a C-8 heart cut and then processed this stream utilizing UOP’s Parex™ and Isomar™ processes to recover pure para and orthoxylene.

  Another project implemented APC on a vacuum resid partial oxidation unit producing syngas, which was then reacted to form methanol. The most recent project implemented inferred properties and model-predictive control (utilizing RMPCT™) on a crude distillation unit and associated debutanizer for LPG recovery.

  2002–03	Crude Distillation Unit (with Naphtha Splitter) APC Project implemented RMPCT controllers and inferred properties (TDC 3000)
  2002–03	Resid Gasification / MeOH Synthesis / H2 Production & Purification APC Project implemented APC (TDC 3000 AM)

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• Advanced Process Control for Plastics Company in the U.S., the Netherlands and Spain

  A global plastics company operates four large manufacturing facilities worldwide for the production of Lexan™, a versatile polycarbonate engineering plastic. Two of these plants are in the U.S., one is in the Netherlands and one is in Spain. Lexan is manufactured from Bisphenol-A (BPA) by polymerizing it with a carbonate-donating reactant, usually phosgene. MAVERICK has implemented APC in BPA units at all four sites. AspenTech’s DMCPlus™ was utilized as the APC platform for the unit in Spain. Post-project audits at two of the sites confirmed major measurable productivity improvements. MAVERICK has also implemented DMC controllers on other process units at the site in Spain. In that case, BPA is produced by an alternate route that eliminates phosgene as a reactant.

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• Automation Services and Expansion Project for Global Chemical Complex in the Netherlands

  One of the world’s largest chemical companies operates its largest production site (26 production units) in the Netherlands. MAVERICK Technologies is providing full-time, experienced process automation professionals to support internal projects and ongoing initiatives at this location. Engineers are currently involved in an expansion project that will be adding a new production train and optimizing the transfer and storage of the final product. Engineers are also supporting furnace optimization to increase efficiency and total load that will allow more production train capacity.

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• Automation Engineering and DCS System for Lactic Acid Plant in Thailand

  To capture the projected double-digit growth in lactic acids in Asia, a large company built a new plant in Thailand. The lactic acid and lactic acid derivatives market is expected to continue to grow by more than 10 percent annually in Thailand. The new plant will provide the company with a lactic acid capacity of 100,000 tons undiluted, and 15,000 tons for the sodium / potassium lactate.

  MAVERICK Technologies’ Thailand partner, ZI-ARGUS Industrial Automation, is responsible for all the automation engineering and delivery of the distributed control system for the processing areas for this new production facility.

  Deliverables include:

  • DCS system hardware – the hardware components of the DCS, where applicable, completely assembled into suitable panels and pre-tested
  • DCS system firmware licenses – the software licenses required for configuration, application engineering and operating and diagnosing the DCS system as part of normal plant operations
  • Engineering services – the design, assembly, development and commissioning / startup of the DCS system

  Completion date was Q1-2008.

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• Electrical Distribution Monitoring System in Singapore

  A large global energy company selected an integrated petrochemicals construction project as an extension to its already major presence in Singapore.

  MAVERICK has been selected to provide definition, design, programming, procurement, installation and startup support services for the project's electrical data monitoring system (EDMS). There are 24 substations and two gas turbine generators that will be monitored for approximately 30,000 tags. MAVERICK will be implementing a CIMPLICITY architecture, including integration with the primary plant control system based on the Honeywell Experion PKS platform.

  MAVERICK will be implementing a CIMPLICITY strategy for the EDMS system using CIMPLICITY v. 7.0 to include:

  • ProServer no-limit development and runtime system
  • Host redundancy option
  • OPC server
  • WebView 10-pack
  • Modbus TCP / IP communications driver
  • Viewer runtime system, with one year of Global Care
  • Viewer development and runtime system, with one year of Global Care
  • Server no-limit runtime system, with one year of Global Care
  • ProServer 75 I/O development and runtime system, with Proficy GlobalCare

  There will also be six communication servers that will interrogate the field devices via Modbus TCP / IP. The communication servers will have dual fiber-optic ports and will be connected to a fiber-optic patch panel located inside the automation control building (ACB). The data collected will be served up to OPC servers.

  An EPKS Gateway consisting of two routers will be provided to allow engineering access to the network. This gateway serves as an entry point into the network for the Honeywell DCS and will utilize the Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) for redundancy. Furthermore, a satellite clock will be provided to time-synchronize the PC equipment in the ACB using the network time protocol (NTP).

  The engineering room houses the engineering development workstation, the viewer runtime and the engineer’s color printer. Modifications to the graphics and all development will take place on the engineering development workstation. Workstations will have a base load of MS Office Standard 2007 Edition, Adobe Reader and VOLO Drawing Viewer (or equivalent). Two operator workstations will be provided for the engineering room consisting of a modular desk, chair and document storage.

  The tech shelter will have one workstation and a black-and-white printer. This workstation will have a base load of MS Office Standard 2007 Edition, Adobe Reader and VOLO Drawing Viewer (or equivalent). One operator workstation will be provided for the tech shelter consisting of a modular desk, chair and document storage.

  The 24 substation workstations will have CIMPLICITY Viewer Runtime, as well as MS Office Standard 2007 Edition, GE Enervista, Adobe Reader and VOLO Drawing Viewer (or equivalent).

  Anticipated completion date is Q4-2009.

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• Gycol Recovery System for a Plastics Company

  MAVERICK implemented RSView and PLC5-80 with Ethernet and DH+.

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• X-RAY Film Pilot Retrofit for a Chemical Company

  MAVERICK helped a chemical company convert from PDP-11/44 to RSView and ControlLogix PLC, using ControlNet.

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• DeltaV Batch Configuration

  MAVERICK Technologies performed a DeltaV batch configuration for a major chemical company. The control system for the new processing unit consisted of 800 I/O points and was configured using DeltaV batch software, QUADLOG Safety Matrix software and an existing Wonderware InSQL Historian installation.

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• Construction of New Process Unit for Introduction of New Technologies

  A major chemical company introducing new technologies to the business group constructed a new process unit consisting of 800 I/O points utilizing a DeltaV control system with batch software, a QUADLOG safety system with Matrix software and a Wonderware InSQL Historian installation. MAVERICK’s responsibilities included system maintenance, field equipment system commissioning, initial batch assumption changes and optimizing the batch for cycle times. Due to the new technologies being called up from the laboratory bench test, many batch and database configuration changes were made during startup, including the creation of new phases, new areas with multiple operating units and new recipes.

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• Additive and Chip Handling System Implementation

  A recent project for a chemical plant included controls for the additives batch make-up systems, two chip conveying systems and motors for three continuous polymerization lines.

  The project required configuration of a Foxboro I/A NT system and Allen-Bradley Data Highways using redundant control processors (CP-40s), redundant Allen-Bradley gateway processors (IG-30s), AW70 consoles, WP70 consoles, fault-tolerant PLC 5/40s, backup expansion modules, backup communication modules and KE modules. Foxboro field buses consisted of redundant fiber optics cabling. The DCS architecture utilized a full NT server system. This system was one of the first large-scale Foxboro NT systems utilizing a node bus. The project size was over 7400 I/O. The project scope included a full staging effort of the additives and chip handling systems in the Pensacola office for customer acceptance testing. MAVERICK engineers participated in field precommissioning, startup and field coordination of vendor areas at the plant site.

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• Compressor Control System Upgrades

  MAVERICK performed engineering to replace a pneumatic control system on one air compressor, one ammonia compressor, one synthesis gas compressor and refrigeration loop controls with a Foxboro I/A-based control system. This project included systems configuration and design, instrumentation and electrical design, plus advanced simulation using VPLink, installation management, simulation and system startup. Supervisory and anti-surge controls were included with each compressor control system.

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• Major Chemical Plant
  MAVERICK Technologies provided project engineering and construction services for a turn-key replacement of an 8000 I/O point CRISP DCS system with an Emerson Process Management DeltaV DCS system in a polycarbonate facility. The polycarbonate production facility is broken into 81 separate process areas that begin with feedstock preparation and reaction processes and end with product finishing and utility areas. The project scope included the following responsibilities.
  
  

  • Overall project management
  • Documentation of existing control system software functionality
  • Conversion of existing control system functionality to DeltaV configuration
  • Provided over 600 P&ID-style process graphics for plant control
  • Process simulation of the new control system hardware and software by process module
  • Configuration of an OPC interface to an existing IP/21 historian
  • Design and fabrication of new DeltaV DCS cabinets
  • Design and construction of new control system in parallel with existing CRISP system operation
  • Design and installation of a new uninterruptible power supply and power distribution system for the new DCS
  • Created a construction package detailing the control system installation and field wiring cutover process
  • Design and configuration of an off-line operator training and certification system using a low-fidelity process feedback simulation model
  • Performed operator training and certification on the new control system
  • Provided all supervision and craft labor for the cutover and commissioning of the new control system during a planned 30-day outage
  • Provided commissioning services for the new control system during and directly after the planned 30-day outage
  • Provided a complete as-built documentation package at the conclusion of the project that includes new process operating descriptions and instrument loop sheets for the entire plant
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• Chemical Felt Washing Skids
  Project consisted of design, programming, and start-up services for Siemens and Triconex PLCs in a Chemical Building that supplied a Semi-Conductor Wafer FAB.
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• Chemical Facility Supplying a Semi-conductor Wafer FAB
  Project consisted of Siemens S5 programming for the process skids. Project included approximately 20 I/O per skid.
  
  Siemens Energy & Automation, Tucker, GA
  
  Manufacturing Lines Productivity Application: Project consisted of developing custom Siemens PLC and Visual Basic applications to develop a “productivity solution” for the manufacturing line. Siemens S7 315 2DP PLCs were used for the project.
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• Control System Cleanup

  MAVERICK completed a project for a formaldehyde plant where no major work had been performed on its Siemens Moore APACS platform in three years. Due to changes in I/Os over time, numerous alarms and tags were no longer correct or appropriate. MAVERICK was asked to clean up and refit nonexistent points, as well as to review and modify the DCS and HMI functionality with the client. This work was completed swiftly, utilizing MAVERICK’s quality standards for verification and testing.

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• Cooling Water Systems Automation (CWSA ) Upgrade

  In addition to the cooling systems, the client needed improvements in chemical treatment program performance and flexibility, as well as the measurement of tower make-up water flow. It was also necessary for MAVERICK to provide an overall redesign of the cooling system sampling, chemical handling, monitoring and control systems.
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• MAVERICK Technologies to Install Remote Monitoring and Control SCADA System for Energy Company

  MAVERICK Technologies announced today that it will install a remote monitoring and control SCADA system for a global energy company with several compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas facilities. The client selected Wonderware’s System Platform 3 as the base foundation for the new SCADA system. The system has been designed to accommodate three InTouch 10.0 workstations and an unlimited number of Internet Explorer-based viewnodes. MAVERICK’s responsibilities included specifying the software and hardware requirements for the SCADA system. The 6 D's of MAVERICK’s proven methodology were used to create the project’s user requirements specification and functional requirements specification. MAVERICK created industrial application system objects based on the various types of PLC-controlled equipment, and best-in-class InTouch graphics were created for the HMI screens. The system has been designed to accommodate a variety of PLCs, including Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and SLC 500 line of controllers, GE Fanuc 9030, Modicon, Siemens, Toshiba and others. MAVERICK has included advanced historical trending, custom report generation, alarm notification via e-mail and cell phone, and remote video monitoring capabilities within this unique SCADA system.

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• MEK Dewaxing Unit
  MAVERICK designed and implemented more than 30 individual advanced regulatory and supervisory control applications (Emerson Delta-V).
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• Sulfur Content Advanced Supervisory Controls
  MAVERICK designed and implemented product sulfur content advanced supervisory controls for diesel hydrotreater (Foxboro).
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• Advanced Process Control and Advanced Supervisory Controls
  MAVERICK conducted an advanced process control (APC) definition and justification study for two FCCU gasoline hydrotreaters. The team also designed and implemented a combination of advanced supervisory controls, inferred properties and two model predictive controllers (Honeywell TDC 3000 with RMPCT™ MVC software) for the crude atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit. An APC definition and justification study was also conducted for this portion of the project. MAVERICK also performed control work for the propylene fractionation unit. Finally, MAVERICK designed and configured the TDC 3000 operator consoles and implemented APC for the new TAME unit and associated MTBE and alky.
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• Advanced Process Control for Major Process Units at Refinery in Chile
  MAVERICK implemented two major refinery-wide advanced process control (APC) projects across all major process units, including crude distillation, FCCU, reformer, delayed coker and hydrocracker, including an extensive list of inferred properties and RMPCT controllers on selected units (Honeywell TDC 3000).
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• Advanced Process Control and Inferred Properties at Refinery in Germany
  MAVERICK implemented advanced process control (APC) and inferred properties on crude and vacuum distillation units (TDC 3000).
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• Model Predictive Control at Refinery in Chile
  MAVERICK implemented model predictive control on two process units (crude distillation and NGL fractionation), including extensive list of inferred properties and Connoisseur controllers (Foxboro I/A).
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• Advanced Process Control on Crude Distillation Unit at Refinery in Germany
  MAVERICK executed an advanced process control (APC) project on a crude distillation unit (with Naphtha Splitter). MAVERICK also implemented RMPCT controllers and inferred properties (TDC 3000). MAVERICK also implemented advanced process controls (TDC 3000 AM) for a second APC project involving resid gasification, MeOH synthesis, H3 production and purification.
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• Crude Distillation Unit Inferred Properties and APC Conversion
  MAVERICK converted inferred properties and advanced controls from Honeywell TDC 2000/PMX to TDC 3000/AM.
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• MTBE Unit Control Project at Refinery in Austria
  MAVERICK conducted a basic design study for this MVC control project and implemented the MVC controller (DMCPlus™, Hartmann & Braun DCS).
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• Refinery Modernization and Advanced Process Control at Refinery in Germany
  MAVERICK conducted advanced control (APC) studies for all units in the refinery, including the naphtha pretreater and reformer, crude distillation, gas plant, diesel dearomatization, middle distillate hydrodesulfurization, gas oil dewaxer. MAVERICK then implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM), including inferred property software — including reformate octane on the reformer — constraint-pushing on the crude distillation unit and controls for handling crude switches.
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• Cokers Revamp Advanced Control Projects (TDC 3000) at Refinery in Germany
  For a cokers revamp, MAVERICK implemented advanced process controls (APC) on a new Coker C, including a new set of inferred property controls. For the naphtha reformer (CCR), MAVERICK conducted an advanced control project definition and justification study. MAVERICK also conducted an advanced control project definition and justification study of two crude / vacuum and coker units and then implemented advanced controls, including cut point controls on four fractionators and model-based coke drum outage minimizers. MAVERICK also conducted project definition and justification studies and implemented advanced controls (TDC 2000 AM) for the solvent dewaxing and extraction units.
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• Refinery Modernization and Advanced Controls at Refinery in Saudi Arabia
  This project involved crude / vacuum units, two fixed-bed reformers, NHT / CCR, visbreaker, hydrocracker, DGA / SWS and a hydrogen plant. MAVERICK implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM) on all major units in the refinery, including inferred property software and special hydrocracker reactor APC. MAVERICK migrated the crude unit DMC controller from version 5 to DMCPlus and recommissioned the DMCplus controller (new model and controller configuration file).
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• Advanced Process Control at Refinery in Chile
  This project involved two crude units, vacuum units, FCC, VRUs, alkylation, reformer, visbreaker, hydrocracker and NHT / CCR. MAVERICK provided topping unit advanced process control (APC) enhancements, including inferred properties and heat removal controls. A separate NHT / CCR APC project included inferred octane / WAIT controls. A third original refiner-wide APC project involved conducting a detailed control system study for the entire refinery and for the new VGO hydrocracker and the new NHT / CCR reformer. MAVERICK developed and implemented advanced controls for the entire refinery (TDC 3000 application module).
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• Advanced Control Projects at Refinery in Chile
  MAVERICK executed a series of advanced control projects for this Chile refinery. One project entailed a refinery-wide APC master plan study. For the ethylene plant (hot and cold sections), MAVERICK conducted detailed process analysis for advanced control definition, assisted in DCS specification and configuration, and then designed and implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM). Likewise, for the hydrocracker, MAVERICK conducted detailed process analysis for advanced controls and then developed and implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 Application Module). For two crude units, MAVERICK implemented cut point controls with lab feedback using LABSYS and extended the technology to include AGO / VGO / FCC feed / H-Cracker feed. In an earlier project, MAVERICK designed and implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM) for the semi-regen reformer. MAVERICK also configured the DCS and implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM) and process information data link (OPSIS) for two crude units, two vacuum units, a visbreaker and FCCU / gas con.
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• Lube Plant Advanced Control Projects
  At the client’s lube plant, MAVERICK conducted a detailed control system study on the MEK dewaxing unit and implemented a new set of advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM). In a separate project, MAVERICK conducted advanced control project definition and justification study and implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM) for the propane deasphalting unit modernization. Finally, at the plant’s Puerto Rico location, MAVERICK modernized the refinery by conducting a project definition and justification study (incl. Lubes Hydrocracker) and implementing advanced controls (TDC 3000 AM) on the semi-regen reformer.
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• LNG Liquids Recovery / Fractionation Unit in Venezuela
  MAVERICK implemented advanced controls (Honeywell PMX), including model-based product quality controls, and then later upgraded and enhanced the controls (TDC 3000 AM). In an earlier project, MAVERICK implemented a similar set of controls on a third distillation train (TDC 3000 AM).
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• Lube Complex Modernization Project – Vacuum, Furfural, Duo-Sol, MEK Dewaxing, Steam Plant
  MAVERICK implemented a PC network-based SQC information system (OPSQC), assisted as software maintenance engineers and process consultants, and provided ongoing control and information systems maintenance support. The team conducted a control system modernization study, including development of specific advanced controls, estimate of project incentives, detailed cost estimates and evaluation of project economics. MAVERICK configured the digital control system (TDC 3000) and developed and built all touch-screen graphics, an historical database and information system (OPSIS & LABSYS), and MEK filter wash automation software. Finally, MAVERICK implemented advanced controls (TDC 3000 application module) and vacuum unit inferred properties controls (VAX and AM).
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• Hydrotreater Advanced Process Control Improves Control of Product Sulfur Content
  Due to frequent changes in the compositions and charge rates of mixed middle-distillate streams, the final product sulfur content of a diesel hydrotreating unit was subject to major upsets, thereby jeopardizing the ability of the refinery to maintain final blended diesel within mandated sulfur specification limits. Control of this most important process variable was a constant challenge for the process operators and was a source of major frustration.
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• Major American Oil Refinery Upgrades Automated Cooling Water Treatment Systems
  A major refinery in the southeastern U.S. needed to begin upgrading its water treatment systems. The refinery consists of seven areas, each served by separate cooling systems. Each of these systems will be upgraded in this ongoing project.
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• Industrial Gas Improvements
  A set of industrial gas clients required ASUs, CO₂ plants and HyCO units, utilizing a broad spectrum of DCS and PLC / HMI platforms. The projects required changes in electrical design, instrument design, control systems, Point / Logic configuration and site support, as well as improved automation capabilities.
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• Liquid Power Plant Increases Productivity and Profitability with Liquid Power Web Server Solution
  In 1997, the client had automated its liquid power plant using Wonderware InTouch and Sequencia Open Batch. The plant then installed InTouch Industrial SQL to access the InTouch data — along with a second SQL Server to access the Open Batch data. Having to use two separate servers was not ideal; plus, the InSQL product’s client tools were difficult to configure and expensive to license. The client’s main goal was to implement a better tool to efficiently access all plant data. MAVERICK Technologies recommended Microsoft’s Internet Information Services (IIS), formerly called Internet Information Server, and Active Server Pages (ASP). Over time, MAVERICK and the client have worked together closely to adapt these tools to meet the client’s specific needs and requirements.
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• Major Petroleum Refinery Converts to New Digital Automation System
  The client wanted to complete a platform migration as Phase I of a plant-wide modernization project. The client requested a Wonderware human machine interface (HMI) for the newly developed graphics.
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• Advanced Process Control for a Refinery and Chemical Complex in Germany

  A large global energy company operates an integrated, high-conversion refinery, an olefins plant, and several petrochemical and chemical units at a single site near Cologne, Germany. The site has utilized Honeywell DCSs, first TDC 2000 and later TDC 3000. MAVERICK has implemented several major APC projects at this site, including projects on an aromatics complex, which first distilled reformate for recovery of a C-8 heart cut, and then processed this stream utilizing UOP’s Parex™ and Isomar™ processes to recover pure para and orthoxylene.

  Another project implemented APC on a vacuum resid partial oxidation unit producing syngas, which was then reacted to form methanol. The most recent project implemented inferred properties and model-predictive control (utilizing RMPCT™) on a crude distillation unit and associated debutanizer for LPG recovery.

  2002–03	Crude Distillation Unit (with Naphtha Splitter) APC Project implemented RMPCT controllers and inferred properties (TDC 3000)
  2002–03	Resid Gasification / MeOH Synthesis / H2 Production & Purification APC Project implemented APC (TDC 3000 AM)

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• Advanced Process Control for German Refinery

  A large global energy company operates an integrated, high-conversion refinery in Germany. Most refinery units are operated with TDC 3000. MAVERICK has implemented two major APC projects for this refinery. There are two separate crude distillation units, one of which is operated as a single train with two delayed cokers. The original project implemented inferred properties and APC on the crude / vacuum / coker train. One of the most effective controls was the coke drum outage minimizer. This control utilized a coke-make model and predicted coke drum filling during each drum cycle. The control continuously adjusted coker fresh feed rate to maximize drum filling. A post-project audit quantified an average 0.5-meter reduction of the outage in each drum, which represented an average coker throughput increase of 3.3 percent, a benefit worth several million Euros per year.

  A more recent MAVERICK project implemented a comprehensive set of inferred properties and APCs on the second crude distillation unit. An especially effective control managed the atmos column pumparound heat removals according to a complex constraint control strategy. The project was very successful, as evidenced by high operator acceptance and utilization.

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• Gas Development Projects in Thailand

  MAVERICK’s vice president of the Global Business Unit, Mark Hall, was formally the senior manager of global automation and application engineering for one of the largest global independent energy companies. In his role, Hall was responsible for overseeing design, implementation and commissioning of automation systems worldwide, including new capital projects in Thailand and Indonesia. He oversaw the entire project lifecycle for new gas plant development projects in Southeast Asia and coordinated with the capital projects team to define the project scope, working with the engineering, procurement and construction firm on the automation design, standards definition and project management, and oversaw the project execution with the automation vendor / systems integrator. MAVERICK Technologies continues to provide ongoing support for plant operations and process automation through its global engineering service agreement with this company.

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• Oil & Gas Development Project in Indonesia

  One of the largest global independent energy companies operates a large oil and gas facility in Indonesia. Gas is produced at a wellhead platform located offshore and is transported via pipeline to an onshore processing facility. From there, treated gas is supplied to the 2,200 MW PLN power station. The gas is sold to PLN under a 20-year gas sales agreement, which provides for a total volume of 440 billion cubic feet of gas over its life.

  Phase II of the field development will add new offshore and onshore facilities to develop Ujung Pangkah’s associated oil reserves. Phase II is expected to deliver approximately 25,000 barrels per day (B/D) of oil and condensate and 6,000 B/D LPG (gross) when the additional production and process facilities are brought onstream in the early part of 2009.

  MAVERICK’s project deliverables include:

  • DCS, ESD & F&G specifications review (block and architectural diagram, ICSS specs, ESD and F&G specs, and interface with business / accounting systems)
  • Development of process system engineering and data acquisition standards and guidelines, including HMI design, DCS hardware configuration, process control systems configuration, network and security planning architecture guidelines
  • Oversight of process automation implementation including database and graphics development, operational reporting requirements, process historian implementation and PLC / controller logic
  • Process control network design including fault-tolerant implementations, firewall design, network switch configuration, IP addressing, network registration and network domain design using network security best practices
  • FAT / IFAT / SAT and commissioning support
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• Oil Field Development in Indonesia

  Two large energy companies are jointly developing a new oil field in an oil & gas block that is Indonesia's largest oil discovery in three decades. The field is expected to produce 20,000 barrels of crude oil a day at the initial stage, starting in early 2009, before rising to its full capacity of 180,000 bbl/d.

  MAVERICK Technologies was selected in 2007 to perform the FEED work for the process automation aspects of the project, leveraging its main instrumentation and control contractor (MICC) status and Engineering Services Agreement. The facility includes four well pads comprising 34 producing wells and 15 injection wells, a centralized processing facility, an onshore pipeline system, an offshore pipeline and mooring tower, and interface to a floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel. MAVERICK engineers worked locally in Jakarta, Indonesia, with representatives from the process engineering firm as well as the owners, to execute the project.

  MAVERICK’s role in the project was to develop and provide technical specifications for many systems and aspects of the facility, including overall automation requirements, process control systems, safety and emergency shutdown systems, fire and gas systems, the security integrity program, equipment health monitoring, the human machine interface and more.

  Deliverables include:

  • DCS, ESD & F&G specifications (block and architectural diagram, ICSS specs, ESD and F&G specs, and interfacing with business / accounting systems)
  • Interfacing with packaged systems, electrical system, interface strategy in general, pipeline & FSO, design specs of pipeline leak detection system and SCADA, layout and other detail of control equipment in remote marshalling buildings, electrical MCC and local equipment room
  • Maintenance and development of InTools database for final I/O and instrument list

  Work was completed in Q1-2008.

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• Offshore Telemetry SCADA System for a Petroleum Company

  MAVERICK implemented remote control and monitoring systems for four manned and unmanned gas production platforms, as well as 10 unmanned wellheads. The systems can be controlled from a remote land location during severe storms. Each wellhead contains a control panel with an Allen-Bradley MicroLogic PLC, RTU, 900 MHz radio transceiver, antenna, DC solar power / charging system and required instrumentation. Each production platform contains an Allen-Bradley PLC for platform control and remote wellhead control and monitoring.

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• Integrated Production and Drilling Platform I in Angola, Africa

  A large global energy company’s drilling and production platform is situated in approximately 1,300 feet of water 45 miles off the coast of Angola.

  MAVERICK Technologies became involved in the project during the second quarter of 2003, with initial front-end engineering and design (FEED). MAVERICK completed factory acceptance testing in Houston, Texas, during the spring of 2005, before participating in fabrication installation support and testing during the summer of 2005, and startup activities for production during the second quarter of 2006. MAVERICK continues to support the platform with engineering services for day-to-day operations and new project implementation.

  Work included fire & gas systems, ESS, compressor controls, condition monitoring systems, machinery monitoring systems, subsea, well testing, metering systems, power management and distribution systems, and HVAC systems.

  The 15,500 I/O point system delivered by MAVERICK Technologies consisted of:

  • Process control system (PCS) — Yokogawa CS3000 (1,800 I/O points)
  • Electronic safety system (ESS) — Yokogawa ProSafe PLC (1,900 I/O points)
  • Fire & gas system (FGS) — Yokogawa ProSafe (1,300 I/O points)
  • Serial interface — to more than 25 third-party vendor packages (7,000 I/O points)
  • Information management system (IMS) — Yokogawa Exaquantum
  • Asset management system (PRM) — Yokogawa Plant Resource Manager
  • Subsea interface — ABB (3,500 I/O points)
  • Onshore interface — Wonderware InSQL / Active Factory
  • Simulation — Cape Software / Test Function
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• Wellhead Platform in Angola, Africa

  A large global energy company built a 20-slot wellhead platform in 160 feet of water off the coast of Angola, Africa.

  MAVERICK Technologies started on the project during the second quarter of 2007, with initial front-end engineering and design (FEED). MAVERICK completed factory acceptance testing in Houston, Texas, during the fall of 2007, with plans to participate with fabrication installation support and testing during the summer of 2008, and startup activities into production during the first quarter of 2009.

  The project consists of seven third-party interfaces with the Yokogawa CS3000 system. The third-party systems are generator control panels, motor control centers (MCCs), downhole VFD, downhole monitor gauge panel, fire panel, flow computer and instrument air skid.

  The 23,000 I/O point system delivered by MAVERICK Technologies consisted of:

  • Process control system (PCS) — Yokogawa CS3000 (300 Hardwired and 125 Fieldbus I/0)
  • Fire & gas system (FGS) — Yokogawa ProSafe RS, programming performed by YCA with PCS interface performed by MAVERICK Technologies
  • Serial interface — to seven third-party vendor packages (OPC CIP Ethernet)
  • Panel design and I/O database management
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• Water Injection Platform Front-End Engineering and Design in Angola, Africa

  A global energy company built a water injection facility with oil processing and gas compression in 110 feet of water off the coast of Angola, Africa. The facility is bridge-connected to another platform. The flare caisson is located approximately 1,500 feet northwest of the platform site, in 110 feet of water. Risers associated with the water injection facility include two water risers, four production risers, two gas risers and four future risers.

  The platform consists of redundant Siemens Moore APACS for the process control system (PCS) and redundant Siemens Moore QUADLOG for the safety instrumented system (SIS). The third-party package units consist of Allen-Bradley–based systems.

  MAVERICK Technologies oversaw the FEED design incorporating the integration of electrical and programming (PCS and SIS). Deliverables included:

  • Installation of a multi-phase pipeline pig receiver
  • Installation of a high-pressure pipeline pig launcher, piping from the launcher to the new water injection pump discharge and the pump drain instrumentation
  • Modifications to the crude oil transfer pump discharge piping and controls
  • Installation of a new water flood pump and associated instrumentation
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• Conversion to New Digital Automation System

  A major petroleum refinery needed to migrate from its Honeywell and Moore DCS systems to an integrated Emerson DeltaV platform as phase I of a plant-wide modernization project. The client requested a Wonderware human machine interface (HMI) for the newly developed graphics. MAVERICK Technologies upgraded three control rooms monitoring seven different units in the petroleum refinery. The existing configuration was analyzed and reconfigured using the new DeltaV system. This analysis provided the opportunity to clean up mistakes in the existing configuration, to eliminate midnight workarounds and to disable forgotten interlocks that had accumulated over the years, allowing the plant to restart with a clean implementation of its control strategy. Configuration consisted of standard analog indication and feedback control, ratio and feed-forward control, and pressure and / or temperature compensation of flow and oxygen measurement, as well as process and safety interlock logic. A newly designed control strategy was also implemented in the form of distillation column control and cross-limited burner combustion control.

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• Control System Retrofit for Industrial Gas Plant

  MAVERICK performed a control system retrofit in order to upgrade an industrial gas plant from a Bailey Net90 DCS to a Siemens Moore APACS / Wonderware DCS platform with design documentation to support FDA validation. Control system design and configuration consisted of approximately 750 field I/Os to be connected to the new DCS. The scope included the verification and correction of existing design drawings and creation of new design documents, including P&IDs and loop diagrams. A control system specification was created for the project, providing a detailed description of the hardware, software and configuration portions of the system — including a complete control narrative, I/O list and interlock matrices. New graphic displays were developed to provide operators with an interface to the system on the new Wonderware InTouch consoles, consisting of 30 detailed process graphics and numerous support graphical displays for alarms, trends and groups. In addition, the truck-loading area of the facility was fully automated to allow for unattended loading by drivers with automated load tickets.

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• Control System Retrofit

  One recent MAVERICK project required a control system retrofit to upgrade an industrial gas plant from a Rosemount RS3 to a Siemens Moore APACS platform with design documentation to support FDA validation. The control system design and configuration consisted of approximately 650 field I/Os to be connected to the new DCS. The initial scope included the verification and correction of existing P&IDs and the development of a complete construction design package, including I/O list, location plans, instrument specifications, wiring and connection diagrams, loop sheets and a construction specification.

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