Electrical Power & Protection


ABB cuts downtime at oil facilities

November 2015 Electrical Power & Protection

ABB has announced that it is supplying an integrated intelligent energy management solution to Petroamazonas EP, Ecuador’s state-owned oil company, helping it gain up to an extra week of productivity annually by avoiding unexpected generator shutdowns. Petroamazonas is installing ABB’s Emax 2 air circuit breakers with integrated power management in four new facilities across Ecuador where diesel generators supply electricity for essential plant processes such as pumps and drills.

Maintaining continuous energy supply and process up-time are key success factors in the oil and gas sector. ABB’s Emax 2 supports this by accurately protecting and supporting the balance between power consumption and power supply. Emax 2 protects the power network, and its integrated communication modules also connect with Petroamazonas EP’s local control systems, giving operators real-time access to energy consumption data. Through a remote diagnostic function it can interface with the plant’s central intelligence to keep operations running smoothly by using preventive maintenance.

“ABB developed Emax 2 to monitor and control power networks automatically, because energy management should be simple,” said Giampiero Frisio, global managing director of ABB’s Breakers & Switches business. “With sensing, communication and new advanced protection capabilities built in, our solution improves productivity and energy efficiency. For its communication capabilities, it is also a great example of the Internet of Things, a crucial element of our Next Level strategy.”

Petroamazonas is using the latest technologies and global standards of quality to optimise oil production in Ecuador. ABB’s engineers have worked closely with the customer to develop a tailor-made intelligent solution that meets the demands of its challenging operating environment to help reduce non-productive time at the facilities. As part of its Next Level strategy, ABB seeks to expand deployment of its leading-edge devices in industries including oil and gas to help customers increase their flexibility, productivity and competitiveness. Emax 2 embodies this strategy because of its capability to be installed in the most advanced and intelligent plant networks and smart grids.

For more information contact Paul Louw, ABB South Africa, +27 (0)10 202 5916, [email protected], www.abb.co.za/lowvoltage



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