BP lets contract for Whiting refinery upgrades

Feb. 4, 2016
BP PLC has let a contract to a division of Emerson Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo., to provide automation technologies for a project designed to upgrade two units at its 413,000-b/d refinery in Whiting, Ind.

BP PLC has let a contract to a division of Emerson Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo., to provide automation technologies for a project designed to upgrade two units at its 413,000-b/d refinery in Whiting, Ind.

Emerson Process Management (EPM) will deliver process automation technologies and services for upgrades to process control systems for two fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCU), which will remain in operation and continue to produce high-octane fuel during the upgrading process, Emerson said.

As part of the contract package, EPM will provide one of the FCCU’s its proprietary DeltaV distributed control system and integrated DeltaV SIS safety system, which together, will enable a common operations and engineering environment, as well as access to extensive diagnostics across the unit, the service company said.

At the second FCCU, EPM said it already has completed delivery and installation of a DeltaV distributed control system, which includes available diagnostics to help BP detect unit problems well-ahead of unplanned outages or operational disruptions.

EPM also will deliver its proprietary Fisher control valves and Rosemount measurement instruments for the FCUU automation upgrade, which comes as part of an existing automation upgrade program between BP and Emerson, the technology provider said.

The FCCU automation upgrade project follows Emerson’s previous delivery of process automation technology for BP’s multibillion dollar modernization project at the Whiting, which has equipped the refinery with flexibility to boost processing of heavy, sour crude at more than 80% of its feedstock slate compared with a previous 20% (OGJ Online, Dec. 18, 2013; July 1, 2013; Feb. 1, 2011).

Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].