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Emerson opens new technical center, creating first fully integrated process control instrumentation facility in China
Emerson Process Management has opened a new process instrumentation technical center in Bao’an China as an expansion to meet increasing demand for world-class automation technology to support the region’s rapidly growing infrastructure. The new technical center adds to Emerson’s existing manufacturing facility to create the first fully integrated process control instrumentation facility in China.
The world-class ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing facility was established in 1994 in Bao’an, Shenzhen province. The new Bao’an Technical Center will undertake expanded high-technology capabilities, from research, evaluation, product design and development, and testing of process instrumentation. The new technical center will be set on par with other engineering centers of excellence in the United States and in Singapore. It is equipped to serve Emerson’s growing China market and to meet increasing customer needs.
With the doubling of floor space from a 2,350 sqm facility in Chuang Ye 2nd Road to 5,200 sqm area, expansion to a newer, better and larger facility marks an important milestone in Emerson’s growth strategy. It is a strong demonstration of Emerson’s continuing investment in advanced state-of-the-art capabilities as part of its expanded presence in world markets and the Asia Pacific region.
The new center is also a testament to Emerson’s strong confidence in Bao’an as a key manufacturing plant for Emerson’s instrumentation products. These products are manufactured and supplied to Emerson factories worldwide and are used in various process control industries including chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, refining, hydrocarbon, power, nuclear, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals.
Date 3rd July 2008
Kongsberg process simulation subsea operator training simulator chosen for Chevron's Frade Field
The Frade project has selected Kongsberg Process Simulation (KPS) to provide a Subsea Operator Training Simulator for its first oil field development project in Brazil.
The Frade development, which is located in the Campos Basin in a water depth of 3,500 feet, approximately 75 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro, consists of horizontal production wells along with vertical water injection wells to maintain reservoir pressure. The wells will be individually tied back to a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Crude oil export will be by tanker, while natural gas will be transported through the local natural gas pipeline infrastructure.
Kongsberg Process Simulation (KPS) will utilize its proprietary dynamic tools (D-SPICE) along with OLGA multiphase modelling to provide an online/look ahead and subsea dynamic simulation models to be used for training, planning and operation also for subsea production optimization.
Chevron, through its affiliate Chevron Brasil Limitada, is the operator of the Frade Field and holds a 51.74 percent working interest. Other partners in the project include Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras, 30 percent; and Frade Japao Petroleo Limitada, 18.26 percent.
This project builds on Kongsberg Process Simulation's experience in providing Pipeline Management Systems and ongoing support services in the Western hemisphere from its Houston, TX office where the project will be staged.
Date 14th June 2008
Kongsberg Maritime to launch new products dedicated to improving all areas
of offshore training through simulation.
Kongsberg Maritime will use the forthcoming ONS 2008 exhibition as a launch platform for expanding its activities in the world of offshore simulation. The company will unveil a focused strategy towards Maritime Offshore Simulation, which is dedicated to exploring, developing and fulfilling the simulation needs of the offshore industry.
As an innovator in the world of maritime simulation, Kongsberg Maritime is a major player in offshore simulation, delivering sophisticated training solutions for Dynamic Positioning, Anchor Handling, Liquid Cargo Handling, Tugging, Crisis Management and more recently Cranes, through the acquisition of world leading crane simulator developer GlobalSim.
The Maritime Offshore Simulation portfolio will offer a coherent simulation package to the company's existing and potential offshore simulation customers. It will also further improve collaboration with Kongsberg Maritime customers, ensuring that simulator development moves in the direction required by the offshore industry, whilst providing further value by utilising core technology and knowledge across different simulator applications.
"We place real value on collaborating with our customers. The implementation of our Maritime Offshore Simulation strategy will enable us to concentrate solely on the often specialised training requirements of the offshore industry," said Soren Einar Veierland, Business Manager, Maritime Offshore, Simulation, Kongsberg Maritime. "Feedback so far has been very positive and we're looking forward to launching the new focused strategy at ONS 2008, the major global offshore exhibition."
Date 5th June 2008
ABS Funds Greek Research Program To Help Shipping ‘Go Green’
A three year research program is to be funded by ABS and undertaken by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) that will study the impact of environmental protection on marine transportation, including shipbuilding. The intent is to develop tools that can be used by designers, shipowners and other stakeholders to identify and select effective, environmentally positive policies and procedures.
The research will focus on two principal areas: environmental risk evaluation criteria and ship emissions and energy savings.
“With the increasing demands for greener shipping, there is a need for criteria that can capture the environmental dimensions of the risk associated with a given ship design or with the measures adopted to mitigate the risk,” explained ABS Senior Vice President of Technology Peter Tang-Jensen.
He noted the current fluid regulatory situation with respect to the adoption and implementation of more strict environmental standards at the IMO and in regional legislative bodies. “The results of these studies could also prove valuable for assessing the environmental impact of future proposed regulations and rules, including those based on goal based standards (GBS), for the major ship types,” he added.
The research program is expected to assess current approaches to evaluating the risks associated with a given design and will attempt to identify solutions and methodologies that take the environmental dimension into account. Already this topic is being debated within IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).
The second element of the study will examine the complex challenge of reducing ship air emissions while promoting operational efficiencies. NTUA has been tasked with developing rational, realistic and effective proposals that address the need to further reduce emissions. Tang-Jensen says the analysis will take a cradle-to-grave approach, considering the emissions generated by a vessel from construction through service to scrapping. Comparisons with other modes of transportation will be made and specific scenarios will be reviewed for different ship types, sizes, trading patterns and fuel type.
This research will be carried out by the Laboratory for Maritime Transport (LMT) at the School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) at NTUA. The study will be led by Harilaos N. Psaraftis, Professor, NTUA, under the study name “Assessment of Environmental Impact In Marine Transportation and Related Activities.” The study will marry practical industry data and information with academic research.
“We are pleased to have one of the world’s leading classification societies underwrite this research,” said Psaraftis. “What is special about this study is that it will draw upon industry input as we have proposed establishing a steering committee of six individuals representing not only the University and ABS but also leading ship management companies.”
Tang-Jensen says the study is scheduled to begin in June and will deliver interim technical reports at successive stages of the project. “Any and all research into marine environmental issues is of value to the industry at the present time,” Tang-Jensen noted. “But this project has also been tasked with specific deliverables, including a proposed framework for environmental risk evaluation criteria and specific practical and policy recommendations that address reductions in ship emissions.
The program is an extension of the wide-ranging environmental program being undertaken by ABS that has been designed to assist shipowners and offshore operators to not only meet but to exceed, through the adoption of best practices, the growing number of international, regional and national environmental regulations that impact their activities. “Our clients are looking to ABS to take the lead in helping them become good environmental and regulatory compliant citizens,” said Tang-Jensen. “This is another step towards fulfilling those expectations.”
NTUA was founded in 1836 and is the oldest and most prestigious educational institution of Greece in the field of technology. The School of NAME is actively involved in practically all fields of basic and applied research in the marine, naval and ocean engineering technology, as well as in the fields of shipping management and policy.
Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.
Date 3rd June 2008
Kongsberg Maritime continues training centre investment
Kongsberg Maritime's ongoing investment and development in its
customer training program continues apace with the delivery of advanced new equipment to its training centre in Houston. The equipment was installed in preparation for the first automation training course to be held there, which took place at the end of February 2007 for customer, OSG Shipping.
The new equipment is based on the company's new K-Chief machinery and engine automation systems, which encompasses Kongsberg Maritime's famous DataChief and AutoChief automation systems, both of which are in common use onboard vessels of all types around the world. The delivery consists of several engine room simulator systems of the full mission variety, featuring identical consoles and controls as found on vessels currently sailing.
"2007 was a year of heavy investment in customer training for Kongsberg Maritime and we intend to build on this to ensure we can offer the very best training facilities to users of our ship systems wherever they are in the world," comments Anne Toril Kasin, Global Training Manager, Simulation and Training, Kongsberg Maritime. "The new training equipment reflects the direction our automations systems are headed in with increased focus on integration and will ensure a realistic experience for our automation training course students in Houston."
As a leader in the field of marine automation, the majority of engineers and officers will come across Kongsberg Maritime equipment whilst at sea at some point during their careers, so in addition to ensuring that OSG's vessels are operated safely and efficiently, the courses at Houston also serves to build general competence to the benefit of the maritime world as a whole.
"Our training centre in Houston is recognised as a Dynamic Positioning centre of excellence and the introduction of automation courses is as a direct result of customer feedback. The first course with OSG employees went very well and we had some very positive feedback. We're looking forward to building the same reputation of quality training with automation as we have with Dynamic Positioning," says says Ivar Storvik, Training Manager, KM Houston.
Date 8 April 2008
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