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Automation & Controls

The discipline which clearly differentiates Tartan from its competitors is Automation & Controls.

Tartan has one of the largest and strongest contingents of automation and controls engineers of any consulting firm in Calgary.

As energy and utility specialists, the company is expert in the needs of these industries and offers a full range of services.

Automation Engineering Services
The engineering automation services provided by Tartan include:
• Process
• Instrumentation
• Electrical
• PLC
• DCS
• SCADA
• Safety systems
• Cyber security
• Turbo-equipment control systems
• Communications
• Flow measurement
• Construction management
• Training
• Start-up and commissioning
• Operations and maintenance support

Specific Types of Facilities:
Tartan has implemented process control, instrumentation, electrical, information
and / or SCADA systems for the following types of facilities:
• Compressor stations using reciprocating engine, electric and turbine drives
• Crude oil and products pipelines
• Electric power distribution systems
• Electric power generation plants
• Gas distribution utilities
• Gas processing plants, including liquids extraction, dehydration, sweetening and
   sulphur extraction
• Gas production including wellsites, compressor and meter stations, line heater
   sites, and gathering lines
• Gas storage and transmission systems
• Oil wellsites, satellite & treating batteries, gathering lines, pump stations and custody transfer sites
• Petrochemical plants
• Pipeline terminals
• Refined product marketing terminals
• Refinery process units
• Ship and truck loading terminals
• Water pump stations
• Water supply and distribution systems

Analysis & Design
Tartan has a depth of expertise in: control system modernization; needs analysis and the optimization of existing system operations including:
• Investigate, analyze, and simulate various operations or processes and identify opportunities for, and economic benefits from, improving or optimizing the operation.
• Inspect and audit existing facilities to either confirm existing drawings or develop new drawings.
• Investigate and analyze the use of operations manpower, and identify methods of improving the use and effectiveness of labor through control room consolidation, shift reductions, improved staff communication, and providing real-time “performance indicators” of current plant margins and efficiencies.
• Perform HAZOP reviews or Integrity Assessments to ensure that appropriate levels of safety, environmental and health awareness exist.
• Analyze and select the most cost-effective control and information system design solution, encompassing SCADA, EMS, instrumentation, applications software, communication, and control center.
• Engineer the complete SCADA, EMS, and information system to be the most effective for operations, maintenance, and management.
• Install, commission, and start-up the complete SCADA, EMS, and information system in a manner that will be the most efficient and effective, and least disruptive, to operations.

Systems Design Methodology
From the conceptual planning stages through implementation and final installation, Tartan uses proven design methodologies. The company’s commitment to structured design and development techniques ensures that investment is protected. Tartan’s designs typically incorporate open systems architecture, modular components, networking, client/server models, relational databases, advanced software development ( CASE ) tools, and 4th generation languages. Tartan's solutions are cost-effective, flexible, and maintainable over the entire life span of the system. By remaining vendor-independent, Tartan ensures that the requirements for each customer are met by objectively selecting the best approach and products for the individual project. Utilizing effective project management, structured design techniques, advanced CASE tools, prototyping, and adhering to accepted quality assurance standards such as ANSI/IEEE-983 and ISO-9000, Tartan delivers systems on-schedule and on-budget.

Integration Product Experience
Tartan's systems integration professionals can provide specialized product expertise in:
• Database programs: Oracle, Sybase, dBASE IV, Paradox, Q+E
• Graphical user interfaces: Visual-Basic, ObjectVision, and others
• Programming languages: C/C++, FORTRAN, BASIC
• Operating systems: VMS, UNIX, QNX, OS/2, NT, Windows, DOS, and others.

It is important to have an understanding of not only how processes are being controlled but also why the processes are being controlled in the manner chosen. Tartan’s systems engineering group readily consults with the company’s process-engineering group to ensure these process requirements are met.

Instrumentation
Quality instrumentation design forms the foundation of an effective control and information system. Tartan has developed standardized instrumentation and pneumatic control philosophies that dramatically improve the reliability, operability and maintainability of equipment packages from the standard vendor offering that is focused primarily on the lowest capital cost solution. Tartan has expertise in the following instrumentation:
• Process end devices for flow, pressure, temperature and level
• Pneumatic, electronic, and smart transmitters
• Control valves, actuators, PSV's, solenoid valves
• Gas detection systems
• Gas chromatographs
• as well, Tartan is "leading edge" with the development of total field integrated technology such as fieldbus, profibus and Ethernet.

Electrical Engineering Services
Tartan's electrical engineering group has developed expertise in the
following areas:

• 480V MCC & 4160V MCC design
• 25KV distribution systems
• 72KV distribution systems
• Power generation
• Cogeneration
• Electrical distribution
• Variable frequency drives
• Reduced voltage starting systems
• Motor starting studies
• Coordination studies
• Grounding studies
• Harmonic analysis
• Electrical construction management

Control Systems Engineering Services
Programmable Logic Controller ( PLC )
Tartan has designed, configured, installed and commissioned many of the major
PLC vendors' equipment in a variety of oil and gas applications, and municipal water
applications. Vendors include the following:
• Allen-Bradley
• GE Fanuc
• Modicon
• Square D
• Westinghouse
• Siemens
• Omron

Safety Systems
Tartan has trained personnel in the use of ISA S84 and IEC 61508 Standards for
Electrical, Electronic, or Programmable Electronic Systems ( PES ) used in safety
related applications. Tartan typically plays a role in the safety system design cycle
beginning with conceptual process design, through Hazardous Operation risk
assessment, to defining or evaluating the required Safety Integrity Level (SIL) rating
for a given facility.

Experience with Programmable Electronic Systems includes:
• Triconix
• GE Fanuc
• Siemens / Moore

Turbo-Machinery Control Systems
Large rotating equipment in critical services such as mainline and lateral pipelines, plant inlet /sales compression or generation must have highly reliable control systems. As part of its goal to offer a total solution, Tartan can deliver a complete suite of control system products and services for gas turbine or reciprocating drivers with centrifugal or reciprocating compression and generation. The company is able to provide preliminary design project scoping services, turn-key control systems, and start-up and commissioning services. Tartan specializes in the replacement of unreliable, non-maintainable and outdated control systems. The company also helps when a customer is selecting new equipment. Tartan’s role in this case is typically to ensure the manufacturer supplies a control system for the unit that is reliable and maintainable. This control system is then integrated with the existing SCADA or plant control system. The Tartan team can provide total Functional Design Specifications, complete with detailed cost estimates for the design and supply of the control system and construction. In addition, the team offers performance testing of equipment and controls, evaluation of end-device and wiring and cost/benefit analysis.

Supply of Turn-key Control Systems
The turbo-machinery control systems are based on a programmable logic controller ( PLC ) platform. The benefits include improved control reliability and reduced maintenance costs. The control system is totally integrated with complete driver and load control, process compressor surge control, gas turbine fuel control, speed control and multi-unit load sharing, all residing in the PLC. The Human Machine Interface ( HMI ) platform is the customer's choice. The HMI features easy-to-use and modify, graphic screens displaying system status, alarming, trending and data logging. The control system can be supplied in a stand-alone enclosure or it can be integrated into existing control consoles, thereby simplifying system installation, minimizing turnaround time, and reducing installation costs.

Installation, Start-up & Commissioning Services
Tartan’s fully trained start-up and commissioning personnel ensure that the company’s designs are safely implemented with a minimum of down time. Tartan will coordinate with construction personnel and interface with operations staff and equipment vendors to ensure that installation is on time and on budget.

Operations & Maintenance Support
Tartan ensures that clients get support after start-up. The team provides this support through the Internet and dial-up interfaces. When on-site assistance is required, the company responds quickly.

Tartan is experienced in the following packages:
• Solar Turbines: Mars Centaur, and Saturn
• Rolls Royce: RB-211, and Avon
• Pratt & Whitney: STL6, and FT4C
• G.E. LM-1600
• Allison: 501KB5, 570, and 571KB
• Allied Signal: ASE 40
• Nuovo Pignone: MS
• EGT: Tornado
• Delavel: HV8C-2
• Superior: 12GTLB
• Clark: TLA5, A10, TCVA16
• Waukesha
• Caterpillar

Distributed Control Systems ( DCS )
Tartan personnel have designed, configured, installed and commissioned all of the
major DCS vendors' equipment. Tartan is also experienced with several of the
newest PLC/DCS hybrid technologies. These products have eliminated the need to
consider separation of the discrete and analog control and they allow for a more
integrated and cost effective solution. Experience with DCS vendors includes the
following:
• ABB / Bailey
• Fisher
• Foxboro
• Honeywell
• Siemens / Moore

SCADA / Human Machine Interface ( HMI )
Tartan has designed and implemented SCADA systems ranging from single well point to point ( PTP) systems to complete turn-key data management systems. Tartan can evaluate criteria such as the data throughput, data integrity, and security requirements of the client and recommend an appropriate system. Our services have included:
• Vendor design document review and approval
• Detailed I/O, wiring, and termination design
• Data modeling and applications development
• Configuration design document development
• Database, display and report configuring
• Vendor inspections and milestone approvals
• Factory Acceptance Tests
• Construction and installation for RTU / PLC's
• Construction and installation of computers
• Commissioning, start-up and Site Acceptance Tests

Experience with SCADA and Human Machine Interface ( HMI ) vendors' software
includes:
• ABB / Bailey
• Allen-Bradley Control View
• Allen-Bradley RS-View
• Allen-Bradley Win-View
• BJ Software Real Flex
• Babcock
• Fisher
• GE Fanuc Cimplicity
• Intellution FIX DMACS
• Moore Process Suite
• Neles/Valmet OaSys
• Taylor Process Windows
• Telemecanique
• U.S Data Factory Link
• Wonderware In-Touch

Communication Systems
Tartan designs communication systems as part of SCADA systems and LAN projects.
This work often involves not only SCADA data but also voice and other computer
data. Communication media expertise includes Ultra High Frequency (UHF) or
broad-spectrum radios, microwave, satellite, or direct fiber-optic Local Area Network
(LAN) systems.

Flow Measurement
With the oil and gas industry becoming more competitive each year, flow measurement technology has become extremely important to oil and gas producers and product transportation companies. Tartan has developed strong expertise in meter run design and electronic flow measurement (EFM). Tartan has expertise in the following:
Gas Measurement:
• Differential devices ( orifice plates, annubars, etc.)
• Vortex meters
• Mass meters
• Ultrasonic meters

Experience with vendor flow computers and Remote Telemetry Units ( RTU's ) includes:
• Daniel
• ITT Barton
• OMNI
• Fisher ROC
• Bristol
• Control Microsystems
• Motorola
• Liquid measurement with: turbine meters, positive displacement meters, helical turbine meters, orifice plates, venturis

Tartan has strong experience with all major flow computer and RTU vendors in programming the following gas flow calculations: AGA3, AGA7, using equations of state such as AGA8, ISO-5167, Redlick/Kwong, Peng-Robinson, etc.

The company has implemented the following liquid flow calculations: API 2534, API 2540 various tables for NGL/LPG, crude oil, condensate, refined products, TP16 for propane, TP15 vapor pressure calculations, etc. Tartan also performs Measurement Audits to verify the accuracy of clients' measurement systems and to validate or offer suggestions for improvement of their measurement and maintenance practices.

For a list of recent Automation & Controls projects please go to: Projects Automation & Controls.

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