Emerson’s integrated terminal automation solution used for UK bitumen refinery

Emerson was selected by Eastham Refinery in the UK to design and implement its terminal automation system to cost-effectively enhance system reliability and availability for bitumen loading operations at the refinery’s Eastham Terminal.
The scalable, enterprise level midstream logistics management solution based on Emerson’s TerminalManager software and DeltaV distributed control system (DCS) is helping the terminal achieve its goals of digitally transforming its operations and accelerating on a path toward top quartile performance, achieving operational and capital performance within the top 25% of peer companies.
‘We have transformed how we operate with Emerson’s solution,’ says Doug Watt, senior process engineer of Eastham Refinery. ‘Our previous system resulted in many operator interventions on a daily basis. Today, there are practically zero interventions due to the reliability of our new system, leading to a significant reduction in downtime and maintenance costs.
‘The accuracy and performance of Emerson’s solution have also helped us maximise tanker load quantities and minimise the potential for safety incidents. As a result, loading delays that were commonplace are no longer a burden and our customer service levels have significantly improved.’
‘Operational challenges are common in terminals and lead to losses in productivity and profitability,’ says Pedro D’Ascola, vice president and general manager for remote automation technologies at Emerson.
‘Addressing critical system and asset availability issues requires modernisation, and our integrated solution is enabling optimisation at the Eastham site. Operators can now access real-time inventory levels and other operational data on demand to minimise costly errors and delays.’
Emerson’s terminal automation solution for Eastham Terminal includes TerminalManager software for management of terminal operations and commercial activities and the DeltaV DCS for accurate blending control and movement.