Honeywell's APC deployed at MOL gas plant

September 2012 System Integration & Control Systems Design

A series of successful business transactions transformed MOL from a local Hungarian company into a leading international conglomerate, the group is a now a market leader in each of its core activities in Hungary and Slovakia, including:

* Exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas.

* Gas production and distribution.

* Refining, transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil products, both retail and wholesale.

* Transmission of natural gas.

* Production and sale of olefins and polyolefins.

The Hajduszoboszló Gas Plant, belonging to the upstream division of the MOL Oil & Gas Company has been in operation since 1965, during which time there have been continuous improvements to the processes and the control systems. The rich gas plant capacity is 2 million cubic metres per year, but the plant was recently running at only 1,6 million capacity, in addition the propane and butane content of the inlet gas had also decreased.

In response, the plant maintained profitable production through continuous process improvements. A preliminary benefit study by Honeywell APC engineers convinced MOL management that a successful APC implementation could reduce cost significantly.

Solution

After tendering Honeywell’s APC solution, Profit Controller was chosen as the technology to achieve the economic and operation objectives. Profit Controller provides powerful, easy-to-use APC capabilities through the use of Honeywell’s Robust Multivariable Controller Technology (RMPCT).

During the project a number of specific challenges arose and were resolved:

* Providing an interface to a Yokogawa CS3000 system in a very short time period.

* Providing level measurement in the gas chillers.

* Maintaining the specification of propane or propane-butane mixture product and keeping the valves in controllable region on the depropaniser column.

* Maintaining the specification of butane product and maintaining the valves in controllable region on the debutaniser.

* Completing the project in a six month timeframe.

Profit Controller was applied on both Honeywell and third-party control systems. In addition, as Profit Controller manipulates multiple process variables continuously and automatically, it reduces the workload of control room operators, enabling them to spend more time optimising the process.

The return on investment was crucial in this project. With this successful APC installation, MOL reduced cost and increased profit. The project resulted in a number of key benefits for the customer. Fuel gas flow was reduced, as well as the electric-power consumption of the cooling compressors. A reduction of the column reboiler duties was also observed.

After completion of the project, the benefits were quantified during a two-week audit period. The result: a 7,5% reduction in fuel gas consumption and significant reduction in electric-power of cooling compressor with an annual benefit of $198k in savings.

For more information contact Boni Magudulela, Honeywell Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 695 8000, [email protected], www.honeywell.co.za

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