For the last 5 years I’ve been working in instrumentation in Alberta’s oil and gas industry. During that time I’ve worked for two companies, owned in part by the same partners. In essence I’ve been working for the same people the whole time. They’ve been very good to me, and I think I’ve been very good to them as well.
Here are some of the projects that I have worked on:
De-sander Weighing Remote Telemetry Unit (RTU) with
Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA)
The purpose of the unit is to measure and record the inlet and outlet weights and pressures of the de-sanding vessel as well as the vessel temperature. The RTU stores that information locally and transmits it back to a central server. The clients can access that information, in real time, via a web application. The web application also allows configuration changes or demand polls to be sent to the RTU.
The SCADA capabilities have been used primarily to control an Emergency Shut Down (ESD) valve on the gas well. If the weight of the vessel goes above a specified percentage, then the relay providing power to the ESD is tripped, saving the vessel from a potential wash-out or blow-out.
The communications are done either through a Sierra Wireless 1x EVDO modem or a Wireless Matrix SDT-5000 satellite modem.
Power for the unit and its transmitters is provided via a battery kept charged with a solar panel. This is ideal for the extremely remote locations these units are placed.
My responsibilities in this project have been:
- Assist in the design and development of the final product.
- Overseeing the manufacturing of the units.
- Coordinating the ordering of all components used in the construction.
- Sourcing components and finding the cost-effective solutions.
- Liaising with the client to gather feedback on the evolution of the product.
- Providing 24-7 technical support to the client on all matters related to the product and server.
- Created a quality control inspection procedure.
- Performed quality control checks throughout the construction of the product.
Basically, once the fine electronics and first prototype was done, I’ve taken care of the product with assistance from the engineers and programmers.There have been many iterations and rebuilds due to feature creep, yet I’ve been able to accommodate all of it.
This project has been very enjoyable and educational. I’ve learned more about load cells than I thought I ever would! Also, I’ve been able to interact directly with the client all the way through the project, and form a strong working relationship. Speaking with the client is as though I am speaking with a co-worker. I feel as personally invested in the project as the client.
The first prototype went into the field in less than three months after the first client contact.
Configuring and Calibrating Pressure, Temperature and Flow Transmitters
The equipment that I have experience configuring and calibrating includes:
- Rosemount 3095 Differential Pressure and Flow Transmitter
- Rosemount 3051 Pressure Transmitters
- Rosemount 2055 Pressure Transmitters
- Falcon Electronic Deadweights
- SMAR TT301 Temperature Transmitters
- Barton Dry Flow Meters
I also have completed Swagelok‘s Tubing and Fittings course successfully! Thank you Edmonton Valve and Fitting. Bunch of good folks there.
Installation and Maintenance of Instrumentation Equipment
The majority of my experience in installation and maintenance of instrumentation equipment has been with installing metering transmitters on coal-bed methane wells. This has included configuring the transmitters, tubing the meter run for the transmitters as well as connecting the transmitters to the RTU/SCADA system.
Once all of that was completed, then I would perform a calibration and verify that the entire system was functioning and reporting back to the host.
I’ve also been part of a team that did a major PLC installation at a gas well compressor site. The outcome of the project included tying in transmitters and controls to a pre-exisiting PLC system for the addition of two new compressors on site. I assisted by routing cabling and terminating cabling in the PLC cabinet. I also installed cellular communications on this project.
Research and Development
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about my work is being involved in the research and development of new products. Sometimes the product works out and becomes something marketable and sometimes I learn more about a new area to draw on in the future. One of the things that I am most proud of is finding less expensive ways to accomplish a task, such as communications.
Remote Satellite Internet Communications
The client was having real issues with remote Internet connections in areas without cellular coverage. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough money in the budget to purchase a self-pointing satellite Internet solution. At the time, these units were around $15,000 each and needed to be mounted on a trailer. I was able to put together a package that was portable and almost as easy to set up for about $2000 per unit. It took a lot of research and a lot of time to develop documentation and training for the end-user to become proficient with the satellite, yet it was well worth it. The client had clients searching them out for their new satellite service that was offered as a value-added bonus.
Daisy-Chained Radio Communications
The client had troubles with communications from their SCADA systems that were located in deep valley’s. Without line-of-sight to a cellular or radio tower, the units simply couldn’t communicate. However the units had line-of-sight to other units. Keeping this in the back of my mind, I came across a product that allowed for one radio to communicate to another to pass the signal on, in a daisy-chain fashion. The product solved that problem.
The added benefit was that 16 of these units could now be tied to one radio. That reduced the cost of hardware and the cost of communications dramatically. In theory, this system could also have been used to go up to 40 km beyond the last-mile of communications if the units were arranged appropriately.
Electrical Work
I apprenticed for several months as an electrician prior to switching over to instrumentation. In that time, I worked at the Calgary International Airport helping with the installation and maintenance of flight information displays, access controls, public address systems, security cameras, and plain old electrical work.
This work was highly enjoyable for me, as it is at the heart of everything else I do. Instrumentation and information technology as we know it today owes a lot to the basics of electrical theory and work. I look forward to being able to apply what I’ve learned in this area to the field of alternative energy such as solar, wind, and microhydro power generation.