On December 1, 2014, Chevron successfully achieved first oil from the Jack/St. Malo (JSM) Floating Production Unit (FPU), on schedule and on budget. The start-up was supported by Yokogawa's integrated control system, CENTUM VP and safety system, ProSafe-RS. The installation was Chevron's first and largest Yokogawa Process Automation System (PAS) to be installed in the Gulf of Mexico.
JSM features a centralized and integrated controls and operations interface for the hydrocarbon, subsea and marine systems. Each of these systems is monitored and controlled from a unified operator interface that utilizes Abnormal Situation Management (ASM) style graphics, providing significant benefits around visualization and alarm management.
Yokogawa and Chevron worked closely together to develop and deploy several new technology solutions on the FPU to reduce project cost and improve operational productivity. The first of these was the Universal Gateway Station (UGS) that provides a highly reliable interface for the integration of 3rd party package equipment to the Distributed Control System (DCS), while at the same time providing a reduction in engineering and configuration costs. The second was for the world's first deployment of the Wide Area Controller (WAC) allowing for the secure extension of the process control network from the FPU to the remote shore-based operations and support center in Covington, LA. The WAC allows for a low bandwidth and high latency communications, and can be used for monitoring and/or remote control as local regulations allow. The third was use of the Remote Gateway Server (RGS) coupled with FAST/TOOLS to provide access to real-time system-wide data across a variety of office-based or mobile HTML5 compatible devices.
Throughout the FPU's lifecycle, the integrated redundant system will provide an enhanced degree of availability via the onboard asset management and condition-based monitoring.
About Yokogawa Corporation of America
Yokogawa Corporation of America (https://yokogawa.com/us/) is a leading provider of Industrial Automation and Test and Measurement solutions. Combining superior technology with engineering, system integration, project management, and maintenance services, Yokogawa delivers field-proven operational efficiency, safety, and reliability. Yokogawa Corporation of America is headquartered in Sugar Land, TX, and is the North American Division of Yokogawa Electric Corporation's global network of 25 manufacturing facilities and 4 regional project engineering centers.
About Yokogawa
Yokogawa's global network of 86 companies spans 56 countries. Founded in 1915, the US$4 billion company conducts cutting-edge research and innovation. Yokogawa is a leader in industrial automation and control (IA) and test and measurement solutions. The IA segment plays a vital role in a wide range of industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, and food. For more information about Yokogawa, please visit the website www.yokogawa.com.