To ensure safety and availability across the production process, ABB provided redundancy ​for the whole system, including process control stations, network connections and power supply.

The communication protocol between process control stations and operator stations is via fiber industrial Ethernet, with communication speeds of up to 100 Mbits. The operator stations provide a convenient operating environment, with operators able to view process graphics and parameters, logs and alarms, to name a few.

Through extensive fieldbus protocols such as PROFIBUS DP/PA, HART, FF and Modbus, various kinds of instrument equipment can be integrated into the system. In addition, ABB also provided an operator training system (OTS) that helps operators in the early stage to quickly become familiar with operating  each production process.

As this was a new oil refining project, CNPC’s operators were not familiar with some devices. In order to achieve steady operation, ABB provided the Operator Training System (OTS) as part of project delivery.

Based on the customer’s requirements, ABB experts extended the standard emulator (soft controller) function of Freelance and added special functions and their corresponding interface software.

The result — with the OTS, CNPC was able to improve the competencies of its personnel, and reduce or avoid errors in operation. CNPC operators were able to handle the system within a short period of time.