|
Ethernet applications in the oil and gas industry
Industrial Ethernet solutions are increasingly being deployed at all stages of the oil and gas production to ensure optimum performance, security, reliability, and control. Following are just a few examples of how industrial Ethernet applications can be used at various stages of oil and gas production:
- Drilling platform
The first stage in oil and gas production is drilling. In both onshore and offshore drilling, Ethernet can serve as the backbone for internal platform communication, alarm systems, lighting control, equipment monitoring, and more. Given the mission-critical nature of oil drilling, it is best for system integrators to deploy a redundant ring topology as a backup for the platform's Ethernet network in case the primary network goes down.
- Pipeline monitoring
Since crude oil and natural gas reserves are generally located in remote areas such as deserts or offshore, pipelines are used to transport oil and gas from the original drilling sites to refineries and other facilities for further processing and export. Leaks or sabotage along the pipeline can be costly and extremely dangerous. An industrial Ethernet network, along with embedded computers, PLCs, and remote Ethernet I/O servers, can be deployed to monitor the pipeline's temperature, pressure, flow rate, etc., segment by segment. Ethernet can also serve as the backbone for an emergency shutdown system.
- As these applications show, Ethernet can play an important role in ensuring the security and reliability of an oil or gas operation. At the same time, these operations are extremely critical given the worldwide dependence on oil. System integrators should therefore be aware of requirements and certifications for products used in hazardous locations when outfitting these sites with networking equipment.
Hazardous location classifications
Hazardous locations are those areas that pose a fire or explosion risk due to the presence of flammable gases, vapors, liquids, combustible dust, or ignitable flyings.
The respective regulatory codes for each jurisdiction have
specific definitions and classifications for what constitutes
a hazardous location. In North America, hazardous location
classifications are classified into three different classes
by the National Electrical Code (NEC) in the United States
and the Canadian Electrical Code in Canada. Each class is
then subdivided into a division depending on the environmental
conditions. The ATEX Directives classify hazardous locations
in a similar way for the European Union but use three zones
rather than two divisions.
- Class I hazardous
locations are those in which flammable gases or vapors may
be present in the air in sufficient quantities to be explosive
or ignitable. These include oil refineries, gasoline storage
and dispensing areas, and spray finishing areas.
- Class II hazardous
locations are those in which combustible dust, which can
cause as powerful an explosion as one occurring at a petroleum
refinery, are present. Examples include grain elevators,
flour and feed mills, and coal preparation plants.
- Class III hazardous
locations are those in which easily-ignitable fibers or
flyings are present, but not necessarily suspended in the
air. Textile mills or plants that create cut wood and create
sawdust would fall into this class.
The environmental conditions also affect the likelihood of an explosion at a given hazardous site. Therefore, each class is also subdivided into either Division 1 or Division 2. Division 1 refers to a location where a classified hazard is likely to exist under everyday conditions. Division 2 refers to locations where a classified hazard does not normally exist but is possible under abnormal conditions.
The European Union and many jurisdictions outside the United States use three zones as opposed to 2 divisions. According to the ATEX Directives, Zone 0 refers to an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is continuously present or present for long periods. Zone 1 refers to an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation and Zone 2 refers to an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere does not normally exist.
|
Type of Area |
North America |
European Union |
|
Continuous Hazard |
Division 1 |
Zone 0 |
|
Intermittent Hazard |
Zone 1 |
|
Hazard under Abnormal Conditions |
Division 2 |
Zone 2 |
|
Selecting Ethernet products for oil and gas applications
Taking these various hazardous location classifications into consideration is an important part of developing a safe and reliable Ethernet network. The operating environments for oil and gas applications generally fall under the Class I, Division 2 hazard classification. This means the flammable and volatile liquids onsite are normally confined within closed containers from which they can only escape as a result of accidental rupture. Although fires and explosions are only likely to occur under abnormal conditions, system integrators should still do everything they can to minimize the potential for a disastrous accident and its effects.
System integrators should look for products
that have been certified for use in Class I, Division
2 (in North America) or Class I, Zone 2
(in the EU) environments by an independent testing and certification
organization when they are choosing Ethernet products for
deployment in oil and gas applications. These organizations
submit these products to a battery of tests to ensure that
they will not cause an explosion when deployed in such highly
volatile environments.
One of the most trusted conformity assessment organizations in North America is Underwriters Laboratories (UL). UL is certified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor as well as the Standards Council of Canada. Products that bear the UL, or C-UL in Canada, symbols pictured below have been tested and certified by UL to comply with safety requirements. In the European Union, products with the Ex symbol have been tested and certified by an independent laboratory to be in compliance with the ATEX Directives. A reputable laboratory in the EU is KEMA, which is based in the Netherlands.
|
|
UL symbol used in the US and Canada |
Ex symbol used in the EU |
Summary
The secure and reliable procurement, production, and delivery to market of oil and gas have become even more critical as the global demand for oil continues to soar. However, the stages of oil and gas production are complex and sophisticated operations that require a great deal of industrial automation. Industrial Ethernet networking solutions can play an important role in providing oil and gas operations with reliable data collection, PLC monitoring, environmental control, and more. Due to the concentration of flammable particles in the air and the risk of explosion, system integrators should choose Ethernet devices that have been tested and certified for use in Class I, Division 2 locations in North America, or Class I, Zone 2 in the EU, by a conformity assessment organization such Underwriters Laboratories or KEMA. This way, the risk of a crippling potential explosion can be minimized.
For a more in-depth look at how industrial Ethernet applications are being used in the oil and gas industry, please refer to the following links:
ยป Back to index
|
