#240: End-to-End Flow Computer

Considerations:
Design, Build, Operate, Maintain, Upgrade Value
of Incorporating Operator Long-Term Needs into
Product Design and Project Execution
John-Michael Carolan, Flow Computer Specialist Willowglen Systems
Noman Rasool, Project Manager Enbridge Pipelines

Summary
Design, Build, Operate, Maintain, and Upgrade
While Projects usually have a clear distinction between development
phases (Design and Build), and the operations and maintenance
phases, the best executed systems occur when operator long-term
Operations and Maintenance needs are considered at the design
phase of the product and project. Making changes afterwards is
expensive.
In addition, a thoughtful approach better ensures that the design
supports the upgrading of the system over time to allow for easily
executed continuous improvements and modernization.
This presentation summarizes leading practices in flow computer
product design and project delivery, and reviews a 10 year life cycle
from smooth installation, reliable operation, and effective upgrade.
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Overview
Too often, a project only considers to minimize capital expenditures at
the beginning of a project, but doing so is a rookie approach to project
execution.
Best practices prove again and again that a thorough design which
considers the project from multiple perspectives satisfies stakeholders
and costs less over the full lifespan of the project.

! Paradoxically,

cheapest one.

the most expensive project is usually the

Overview
A project should consider the costs from a lifespan perspective instead
of simply at the project implementation stage. A typical designed
lifespan is around 10 years.

This presentation focuses on 5 stages to consider for a

Flow Computer project:
! Design
! Build
! Operate
! Maintain
! Upgrade

Design Considerations
5 stages to consider for a
project:

Design

! Build
! Operate
! Maintain
! Upgrade

Design Considerations
!

Capabilities required for the project

Resources on-site, making considerations for existing and

future

Standards (customer specific or by standards body) and

regulations as applicable

Consultation of stakeholders
! Primary stakeholder considerations are the goals and scope
of the project
! Secondary stakeholders

Design Considerations
List of stakeholders
!

Designers
! Project engineers
! EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction)
consultants
! Subject matter experts

Operations
! Control Centre
!

Operators

SCADA

CC (Control Centre) engineers

! PCS (Pipeline Control Systems)

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Design Considerations
List of stakeholders
!

Maintenance
! Regional supervisor
! Site-specific personnel
!

PLM (Pipeline Maintenance) team

Gaugers

Electricians

! Procurement
! Third-party support
!

Flow computers
! Measurement group
! Leak detection group

Design Considerations
!

Example:
! Custody Transfer is generally on both sides of a pipeline.
!

If custody metering is only on one side, how is line

balancing or flow sent for leak detection?

Which side owns what meters?

How is the data transferred?

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Design Considerations
!

Technical and miscellaneous requirements

! Environmental: huge temperature variation in areas like the
Northwest Territories compared to West Texas

! Cost!

! It is always cheaper to fix or change plans at the design

stage.

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Design Considerations
!

Future needs
! Spare capacity on panels, etc.
! Leave room for extra items planned for future installation
! Larger building, keeping in mind that abuse of space can be
managed from a policy perspective
!

Prevent use extra room for on-site storage

Prevent workers from hiding out in buildings

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Design Considerations
!

Future needs
! Future-proof the design by segregating operations into
modules with clear and defined interfaces between each so
that modules can be replaced to allow for replacement.
! A modular and redundant design emphasizes overall system
up-time allowing future modifications to be made the live
running system without compromising production.

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Build Considerations
5 stages to consider for a
project:
! Design

Build

! Operate
! Maintain
! Upgrade

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Build Considerations
!

Timelines
! Procuring equipment too early
!

Cannot make changes

Potential damage

Storage costs

Loss

! Additional cost if changes are not made early enough

!

~10x additional cost when making changes in the field

vs. in the factory

! Incorporate small picture changes involving all players and

pieces that might be missed at the 30,000 foot view
! Ensure compatibility between devices and components
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Build Considerations
!

Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) make sure you test things like
you would in the field

Small changes are identified at this stage

! Need to be documented, previous projects may be used as a
reference for the current project and changes to that previous
project may not have been documented
!

Red-line drawings

! Early identification of problems

! Scheduling changes can take place at this time

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Operational Considerations
5 stages to consider for a
project:
! Design
! Build

Operate

! Maintain
! Upgrade

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Operational Considerations
!

Training for operations staff

!

Who is using the equipment on a day-to-day basis?

Can we assume they are experience staff or possibly

junior staff?

Is the equipment being installed same as other sites

which staff are familiar with or is this site using something
new?

Depending on the answer to these questions, Operations

staff may benefit from formal vendor training.

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Operational Considerations
!

Communication path
!

Consider communication failures

Secure remote access

!

VPN

Who is maintaining the devices?

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Operational Considerations
!

Dry/Wet commissioning
! Test data propagation from the field device to Flow Computer
to SCADA to MBS (Material Balance System)
! Force values during testing
!

Validate the control narrative works as expected to avoid

surprises now and in the future

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Operational Considerations
!

Dry/Wet commissioning
! Redundant system points and control operation units on
redundant systems need to match e.g. m3/hr vs. bbl/hr
! Check logic that is defined but too specific for the control
narrative examples of PLC logic for valve alignment

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Operational Considerations
!

Dry/wet commissioning
! Look at documentation and correctness
!

Vendor data books

As-built drawings

Things can change from the design stage, which are

important to the plan, so that final documents reflect the
actual state of equipment as implemented

! Training on a system is important so that from an operational

perspective, the personnel understand how the equipment
works, how to diagnose problems, and how to maintain and/
or replace pieces as required

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Maintenance Considerations
5 stages to consider for a
project:
! Design
! Build
! Operate

Maintain

! Upgrade

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Maintenance Considerations
!

Keep an adequate quantity of spares

Staff need to know the location of spares

Need to know how to perform component replacement from

spares stock onto production unit

Knowing which personnel can support the project

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Maintenance Considerations
!

Training
! On-site
!

Know about the device, how to identify components

How to replace components

Alarm, HMI, displays locations and meanings

! Maintenance team
!

Remote support

Working with experts

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Maintenance Considerations
!

Budgetary costs for maintenance over the lifespan of the

equipment
! What can be done in the design phase to reduce
maintenance costs?

Redundancy will reduce the maintenance cost by minimizing

shutdowns due to equipment failure

What kind of periodic/planned or preventative maintenance is

available? What is the cost for doing preventative maintenance
based on the options you picked?

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Maintenance Considerations
!

Avoid using specific tools if possible (general tools like

screwdrivers, spanners preferred); if special/unique tools are
required, multiple tools should be purchased to avoid problems if
the tool is lost

What support options are available? Tier 1,2,3? What support

options are available from the vendor?

What calibration options are available? How often is calibration

done? Can this be automated? Should you have designed a
platform to make calibration easier? How accessible are items?

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Maintenance Considerations
!

What can be done to reduce downtime?

Avoid cascade failures by separating devices when possible to

allow devices to only cause independent problems

Segregation of high and low voltage signaling from a safety

perspective

Accessibility of equipment especially in outdoor environments to

allow for ease of access whenever possible; equipment can be
damaged if the enclosure makes interior components difficult to
access.

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Upgrade Considerations
5 stages to consider for a
project:
! Design
! Build
! Operate
! Maintain

Upgrade

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Upgrade Considerations
!

What happens when the lifespan of the equipment is reached?

! Upgrade options?
!

Least cost, best technology, least time

! End Of Life (EOL) replacement?

!

!
!

Suitable device from same manufacturer?

Recommissioning required?
Different manufacturer? Recommissioning required?
Communication to device, is this different from current
device?

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Upgrade Considerations
!

Can upgrades be proactively done to extend life of equipment or

minimize disruption?

Does the vendor properly address the future needs of your

company?

What is the cost of downtime?

Vendors should be open to changes based on the customer

requirements you can vote with your dollar

Nobody has a crystal ball, these needs may change over time

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Thank you
John-Michael Carolan, Flow Computer Specialist Willowglen Systems
john-michael.carolan@willowglensystems.com
Noman Rasool, Project Manager Enbridge Pipelines
noman.rasool@enbridge.com

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