Upgrading Legacy Automation in Live Oil & Gas Operations
Now Available On-Demand!
Already registered? Click here to login now!
Modernizing control systems without disrupting production is one of the most complex challenges facing oil and gas operators. In mature production facilities, maintaining uptime, safety, and operational performance during a controls upgrade requires meticulous planning and execution.
Join Rockwell Automation for a real-world case study on a successful live "hot cutover" from a legacy PLC-5 control system to a modern ControlLogix® platform, completed without shutting down operations. The project supported a major production hub handling oil, gas, and water processing, where continuous operation was critical to meeting production and safety objectives.
This session will explore the structured engineering approach used to minimize risk and ensure a seamless transition. Attendees will learn how comprehensive Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), rigorous testing through HAT, FAT, and SAT processes, and full lab staging helped validate system performance before deployment.
The webinar will also highlight the architecture and migration strategy that enabled parallel operation of legacy and modern systems, maintained operator visibility throughout the transition, and preserved safety system integrity during every phase of the cutover.
Key takeaways include:
- How to plan and execute a zero-downtime PLC migration in a live production environment
- Best practices for maintaining safety, operator continuity, and process integrity during system upgrades
- The role of FEED, simulation, testing, and staging in reducing project risk
- Lessons learned from a large-scale modernization project that can be applied to future migrations
Discover how a disciplined approach to engineering, collaboration, and execution can help accelerate automation modernization while keeping production running safely and efficiently.
Speakers:
Paul Miranda
Global Account Manager
Rockwell Automation
Paul Miranda is an accomplished energy industry professional with extensive experience spanning engineering, operations, capital projects, and business development. He began his career with ConocoPhillips as an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, where he supported both operational facilities and major capital projects, gaining deep expertise in process automation, control systems, instrumentation, and project execution within the oil and gas sector.
Building on this strong technical foundation, Paul transitioned into commercial leadership roles and has spent the last 10 years serving as a Business Development Manager and Global Account Manager. In these positions, he has worked closely with leading energy companies to develop strategic partnerships, drive business growth, and deliver technology and operational solutions that improve efficiency, reliability, and business performance.
Combining hands-on engineering experience with a decade of customer-facing leadership, Paul brings a unique perspective on the intersection of technology, operations, and business strategy in the evolving energy landscape.
Marco Zarco Cardenas
Project Engineer
Rockwell Automation
Marco Zarco Cardenas is a seasoned Process Automation and Process Safety engineer with over 18 years of experience in the oil & gas sector. He has led multidisciplinary teams and served as technical authority on complex PLC migrations, safety system implementations, and turbomachinery control projects across North America, Latin America, and Asia.
Dom Violi
Project Manager
Rockwell Automation
Dom Violi has over 20 years’ experience in the Process Automation/Process Safety industry in a variety of roles. My background includes Manufacturing, Project Engineering, and both Project and Program Management. I specialize in delivering complex Oil & Gas project involving integrated electrical and control systems.
