TABLE OF CONTENTS Automation has become an increasingly important aspect of gas processing. The amount of specific types of automation is a major decision now in the construction of new plants. With many existing plants having debottlenecked and improved process efficiency through mechanical means, automation is now a focus for further improvements. Automation provides the means for fully utilizing the mechanical capabilities of the equipment at all times and to run the process at its most efficient points in a stable and reliable fashion. A good automation platform can be leveraged to provide the right information at the right time to the right personnel to make the right decisions in a timely manner. Historical data can be collected in virtually any time frame and analyzed statistically. With this historical data, upset situations can be reconstructed and production reports can be automatically generated just to name a couple of the numerous uses for these data. Many processors have upgraded their plants to higher level control systems such as distributed control systems (DCS). Some of these processors ask, "Where are the benefits?" The correct questions to ask are, "How do I best leverage by automation equipment to maximize benefits?" and "What are the best methods for measuring these benefits?"
This chapter discusses the elements of automating today's gas processing plants, including considerations for instrumentation, controls, data collection, operator information, optimization, and management information. The advantages and disadvantages of various approaches are analyzed in this chapter. Also, strategies for identifying and quantifying the benefits...
