Auma, the electric actuator and valve gearboxes company with locations worldwide including the USA, has supplied 74 electric valve actuators for a tank farm operated by Shell Oman Marketing Company near Muscat, Omen. The actuators are equipped with Modbus RTU communications and a SIMA master station control systems.
The flexibility of the SIMA control system allowed Auma to meet the customer’s requirements of grouping the valves into four plant areas. Redundant communications and an independent emergency shutdown system are also features of the project.
The 15 tanks at the Mina al Fahal tank farm store crude oil, fuel oil and refined hydrocarbon products. For the upgrade project, Auma supplied SAEx .2 multi-turn actuators with ACExC .2 actuator controls. All 74 devices are centrally controlled by the SIMA master station. The actuators are installed in four main areas of the site: manifold and tank farm; sprinkler tank valves; bunker area; and pump house. Auma set up the SIMA master station to provide a choice of mimic views based around these locations.
Redundant Modbus communication on a ring network ensures that all the actuators remain accessible even in the event of a fault or cable break. To enhance safety at the tank farm, the actuators are also fitted with separate emergency shutdown (ESD) inputs. Commissioning was completed on time in August 2017.
Picture caption: The Auma team and representatives of Shell Oman Marketing SAOG in front of a SIMA master station.
Image courtesy of Auma