Balmoral: Floating Production Vessel Integrated Control System

ABSTRACT The paper describes the Integrated Digital Control System installed on the Balmoral Floating Production Vessel (FPV). It describes the hardware and functional aspects of the system and the reasons for integration. The main system is unique in that it incorporates both Vessel and Production subsystems, utilises common hardware and software and provides plantwide monitoring, control and reporting facilities. The paper concludes that the system may well set the trend for future FPVs with similar control requirements. INTRODUCTlON The necessity for some level of system integration was indicated by the Owner's design basis requirements that the Control System should:-Provide maximum design flexibility permitting early commitment of hardware orders prior to full definition of operational requirements.Permit control of selected subsystems from anyone of three control rooms, namely the Wheelhouse, Ballast Control Room and Process & Subsea Control Room dependent on operational mode.Permit monitoring of subsystems from all control rooms.Provide facilities for planning major operations and sufficient automation of tasks to avoid operating errors, resulting in shutdown or hazardous conditions.Provide for reporting and transmission of plantwide data to snore. These criteria in space constraints microprocessor based shown in Figure 1. The extent of integration desirable was decided by two main constraints:-The level of specialisation/capability required by each subsystemThe differing Certifying Authority requirements for control and safety related systems Due to the various constraints the subsystem were split into:Safety related and logic systemsSubsea controlsMain system The subsea and safety interfaced with the main reporting purposes. The main system is a distributed digital control system (DCS) with a supervisory computer superimposed. This configuration provided the degree of design flexibility and plant wide interface required. It also ensured that should software problems arise, the DCS would provide an adequate level of functionality for plant commissioning and initial operation. Because of the coverage necessary to describe all the Balmoral systems, this paper is restricted to the DCS and Supervisory Computer system functions. Other systems are described only with regard to their interface with this system. The main DCS and Supervisory System functions are:Ballast ManagementMooring ManagementEnergy ManagementProduction Management and System interfaces The advantage of integrating these systems is that all data is stored in a common data base and is thus available for use to any management system for computations or display. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE The configuration of the Main Control System is shown in fig 2.. The system is comprised of dual Supervisory and Monitoring System (SMS) computers and a distributed Digital Control System (DCS). The DCS provides the plant interface for the SMS via intelligent data acquisition units and microprocessor control units. The operator interface with the DCS is comprised of intelligent workstations with 19 inch colour monitors and keyboards. These are independent of the SMS computer and provide back-up for the computer workstations. The computer workstations consist of 19 inch colour monitors, keyboards and video generator and are driven by the SMS computer.