Wellhead Control Panels (WHCP) are necessary for the safety of the storage and production wells in oil and gas fields.
The WHCP is an integrated system that, within a single cabinet, collects the electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic circuits necessary for controlling all valves placed on the wellheads (SCSSV, master, wing), as well as safety valves (choke, ESD, HIPPS).
High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS) are being employed to create the best solution for personnel and asset protection in high-pressure environments.
Our customer, a manufacturer of WHCPs and skids, required products that met the technical specifications set by the end user, an oil company. These products were intended for use in constructing an overpressure protection network for the remote monitoring and control of the wellhead in a conventional oil field located onshore in the United Arab Emirates.
CHALLENGE
A high-integrity pressure protection system (HIPPS) is a type of safety instrumented system (SIS) designed to prevent over-pressurization of a plant, such as an oil refinery. The HIPPS shuts off the source of high pressure before the system's design pressure is exceeded, thereby preventing loss of containment through line rupture (explosion). Therefore, a HIPPS serves as a barrier between high-pressure and low-pressure sections of an installation. The customer needed to procure the right components to build the HIPPS and ensure that the system achieved the required SIL level.
SOLUTION
GMI provided SIL 2 - SC 3 repeater power supply and trip amplifier D5254S, as well as SIL 3 relay output module D5290S-078. Both types of modules are designed for high-risk industries. The D5254S slim module repeats or converts the input signal (in linear or square root scale) into a current signal in a floating circuit to drive a safe area load, making it suitable for applications requiring SIL 2. This module supports RS485 serial communication with the Modbus RTU protocol for monitoring and configuration. One of the requested specifications was related to the harsh environmental conditions of the site. GMI's repeater power supply D5254S has a certified operating temperature range from -40°C to +70°C.
The D5290S-078 module is a relay suitable for switching safety related circuits up to SIL 3 level. It provides isolation between input channel and output contacts. The module offers up to four NO contacts and two NC contacts, which can be externally connected for multiple Normally Energized (NE) or Normally De-energized (ND) loads, with single or both supply lines disconnection, as well as additional service loads. Wide compatibility with different DCS/PLC is guaranteed: driving pulse testing is permitted by a dedicated internal circuit, which prevents contact and LED flickering.
BENEFITS
Continuous monitoring of working processes is often required in onshore sites to ensure the safety of humans, assets, and the environment. Products required for a high-integrity pressure protection systems (HIPPS) and critical systems must meet specified safety technology requirements, including a specific SIL level. The SIL is a measure of safety system performance in terms of probability of failure on demand (PFD). Products provided by GMI have achieved SIL 2 / SIL 3 loop configuration with a lower failure rate for HIPPS and other critical systems.
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