Optimising material movement and blending operations in the oil and gas sectors

07 August 2012

Honeywell’s BMA applications are designed to provide complete planning, execution, and performance monitoring of refinery and terminal blending and movement operations, and integrate with either its Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS) or DCS from other vendors’. BMA applications help ensure that off-site facilities operate more efficiently, with improved safety and reliability.

Sanjit Shewale, global business leader-off-sites management for Honeywell Process Solutions, said: “Over the past year, Honeywell’s BMA global project sales have been very strong. They encompass both new and expanding refinery blending applications and demonstrate significant growth in movement automation as companies seek improved safety and reliability of off-sites operations.”

An emerging trend seen in a number of BMA projects, which is expected to continue, is the use of wireless technology to reduce implementation costs while still achieving the same benefits, especially in locations where off-sites automation is low.

Honeywell has over 30 completed and in-progress BMA projects worldwide, with customers ranging from major oil refiners to mid-size refiners and independent operators.

“The newest release of BMA R400.1 supports Honeywell’s continued growth in the BMA sector by helping customers improve their off-sites performance through more profitable blending meeting all specifications, as well as safer, more reliable movements that reduce incidents and improve supply chain execution to take advantage of changing business opportunities,” said Shewale.

BMA R400.1 includes an enhanced blend optimisation capability, new basic ratio control and blend performance monitoring capabilities, integrated tank quality monitoring and small-scale support for movement automation, and improved ease of use and maintenance. It also reduces total lifecycle costs through integration with wireless solutions, and improves the robustness of the solution. Through tight integration with Experion PKS, BMA R400.1 delivers flexible and efficient movement of materials through the complex piping inherent in a tank farm.