© 2014 Chevron

The Benefits and Opportunities of Using Dynamic

Simulation with control system upgrade projects,

new facility construction, and operator training in

the oil and gas industry

Trevor Ault

Automation Engineer Chevron

Schneider Electric Conference

Sept 2014

© 2014 Chevron

Summary:

Outline:

Background

Dynamic Simulation Basics

Projects and simulation results

Previous state vs Current/Desired state

Future Work

Goals:

Share results of expanded use of simulation

Give feedback on challenges still faced

2

© 2014 Chevron

Chevron Corporation Global Snapshot

Second-largest integrated

energy company in the United

Stated and among the largest

corporations in the world

Diverse and highly skilled

global workforce of

approximately 61,900

employees

World class safety

performance

3

© 2014 Chevron

San Joaquin Valley Business Unit

Core Areas of Operation

4

Portion of California

shown in this satellite

image.

B

D

C

F

A

G

Bakersfield

Taft

Paso Robles

Coalinga est.1887

Midway Sunset est.1894

Kern River est.1899

Cymric est.1909

Lost Hills est.1910

Elk Hills est.1911

Non-Operated

San Ardo est.1947

A

B

C

D

E

F

G G

E

Heavy Oil/Steamflood

Light Oil/Gas

© 2014 Chevron

San Joaquin Valley Business Unit

Business Unit Facts

5

People

1,700+ employees

8,600+ contractors

>1.8 million hours per month

Execution

181 MBOED No. 1 in net daily oil-equivalent

production in California

Growth Invest in opportunities to

identify and produce

energy resources

© 2014 Chevron

Outline and Goals

6

© 2014 Chevron

Simulation and Dynamics Intro:

Dynamic simulation is the use of a computer program to

model the time varying performance of a system.

Screen looks like P&ID drawing where people input details

of process: piping loses, unit operations, thermodynamics

of system

– Input process, initial conditions, chemical properties, and scenario and computer

solves multiple engineering equations simultaneously to get results

– Dynamic simulation is gaining attention for upstream facilities design and

construction due to ability to save time in commissioning through testing logic

controls prior to startup

– Increase safety through validating process control strategy during abnormal

events.

7

© 2014 Chevron

Simulation and Dynamics Into:

Dynamic simulation predicts

how a process and its

associated control system will

respond to various disturbances

as a function of time

Usage has been increasing

Better tools that incorporate

programming and I/O inputs

Safety and quality demands

have increased

Today, steady-state design by

itself is not enough! Upstream

Facilities are characterized by

large changes to production

(economics, drilling, life of wells)

8

© 2014 Chevron

Simulation and Dynamics Into:

9

Dynamic simulation software has the ability to connect directly with programmable logic controllers hardware to test programming prior to start up

The tags used in the controllers can be linked to the dynamic simulation which can test abnormal situations safely such as start-ups, upsets, etc. prior to commissioning of facility to test accuracy of programming

This allows to test programming in virtual environment prior to deployment in

field and lowers commissioning time prior by catching errors in lab versus in

field.

© 2014 Chevron

Testing HMI with Simulation

Can test the response of controls given process upsets

Engineering data such as PID response, pump curves, and response

can all be input in to simulation

Can test Process Hazard Analysis results

10

© 2014 Chevron

Project Background:

11

Project Description:

The SCADA RUP Program is a Business Unit wide initiative that

provides a standardized platform for upgrading obsolete control

systems and degraded supporting infrastructure.

Opportunity:

Improve reliability and increase the longevity by upgrading control

systems and degraded supporting infrastructure (process control

networks, instruments, field/panel wiring, etc.) to meet the latest

standards.

Upgrade electrical old and obsolete equipment to current industry/CVX

standards and to improve personnel safety, maintainability and

reliability

The program is incorporating dynamic simulation in the scope of

the projects to ensure programming code integrity, and to test

functionality during Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT). This

ensures design is validated as per control philosophy and

functional specifications

© 2014 Chevron

Background

12

Project Problem

Old practice – checkout code during commissioning in the field – risky tests,

longer commissioning time

Inadequate operator orientation of new application – risk for operator errors

during run

No opportunity to test control systems and operator behavior during upset

conditions

Solution

Implement software-based dynamic process simulator for control logic checkout

in controlled test environment in laboratory

Use the same tool for operator orientation

© 2014 Chevron

Typical Costs for Dynamic Process Simulation for

Moderate Sized Facility

13

PH 1-2 (Spent) 2%

Control System Upgrade

20%

Electrical System Upgrade

19%

Safety Instrumented System

26%

New Cable Tray System

11%

Emergency Generator Upgrade

4%

Instrument Air Compressors

Upgrade 1%

Dynamic Process Simulation

2%

Contingency 6%

G&A 9%

Cost Breakdown ($26.4MM)

© 2014 Chevron

Results from Projects:

RUP Projects:

– The SCADA RUP Program is a

Business Unit wide initiative that

provides a standardized

platform for upgrading obsolete

control systems and degraded

supporting infrastructure.

– Implemented software-based

dynamic process simulator for

control logic checkout in

controlled test environment in

laboratory

– Use the same tool for operator

orientation

14

Results: Improved commissioning time

Operator orientation

No lost production for cutovers

Built simulations for SJVBU critical

facilities

© 2014 Chevron

Results from Projects:

T-940 Project:

– 30,000 Softwater storage tank for

Cymric is run in manual control

currently

– Project designed back pressure

control for low and high pressure

pump systems but operators didn’t

want to implement due to fears of

operability

– Dynamic simulation built to train

operators and tune control loops

15

Results: In progress

Estimate to train operators a small

portion of project budget

Caught unstable control loop

responses and fixed.

© 2014 Chevron

Results from Projects:

16

MWSS WPWP

– Project consolidates several plants

but concern about spill response

and field wide shutdown

– Simulation being developed to test

safety interlocks, operator response

times, and shutdown of high water

cut wells

– Being used primarily as process

design tool but results will be

incorporated into controls checkout

and PLC FAT

Results: In progress

Estimate is small fraction of overall

project cost

© 2014 Chevron

Value Added From Simulation

Est. 2-3 weeks improvement of startup times

– Less time needed for control valve tuning

– No problems with programming

– No extensive troubleshooting in field

• 20x faster to correct a program error on a simulator than to correct error in the field*

No lost production due to cutovers

No safety issues due to errors in programming

– Biggest surprise was amount of PLC programming errors

Well received by operators and engineers

– Able to orient operators to new control screens and controls prior to start-up

*Pritchard, K., “Applying Simulation to the Control Industry,” Control Engineering, May 1989, pp 70-72

17

© 2014 Chevron

Current State Versus Desired State:

Previous State:

• Simulation viewed at the tool of “last resort”

• Complicated contracting to get simulation done

• Viewed as unnecessary, easy budget item to cut

Current/Desired State:

• Projects based on calculations seek out simulations for process design

decisions

• Easily generated work with tight controls on local simulation contractors

• Such as pre-determined chemical properties, controls testing procedure

• Build catalog of built simulations for SJVBU for existing plants and common

equipment to minimize individual project costs

18

© 2014 Chevron

Local Resources:

Current/Desired State:

Local resources that work integrally with project team

– Supplier has contract established for engineering services

– Simulations from Invensys worked seamlessly with engineering firms,

PLC programmers, and panel fabrication with little Chevron involvement

– Resulted in good communication between all groups and meeting all

construction schedules

Define requirements for simulations

– PLC cutovers, projects with large amounts of operator control action, etc.

– Regulatory requirements for documentation

– High risk projects

19

© 2014 Chevron

Future work with Learning and Development:

20

Typically for MCPs, simulation is built with OTS as main driver and controls testing done along with OTS development

– SJVBU built simulation for control testing first

L&D is redeveloping operator training and is utilizing simulation

Across upstream, simulations are becoming more widespread but debate still continues on how best to implement them for upstream (custom vs. generic).

© 2014 Chevron

Future work with Learning and Development:

Unique simulation has been developed for central facilities for SJVBU

for RUP program.

– Natural to want to utilize existing work for future training simulators since

investment has been made

Simulations were developed for code checkout for facility

commissioning due to facilities being operational already

There is a large investment needed to convert controls simulation to

OTS simulation

– Some functionality needs to be improved on

21

© 2014 Chevron

Future Work with Existing Simulations

Link subsurface and surface facility simulations to make management decisions (Saudi Aramco)

– E.g. Test rapid variations in production strategy, allocate rates based on facility demands, and improve forecasts

Minimize amount of information input to generate simulations

– Automatically generate based on programming, graphics (P&IDs automatically generate simulation framework)

– Quickly generate control strategy, interlock documentation before and after commissioning

Predict future failures

– Predict complex events such as fuzzy logic, multiple failures, etc over long periods of time by utilizing computer simulation

Improve emulators to eliminate workarounds for simulation/programming

– Coordinated system time/timers, etc

22

© 2014 Chevron

Questions:

23