Operational Intelligence

in Pipeline Natural
Gas Transmission

Wilson Navarrete,

wnavarrete@gasatacama.cl
www.gasatacama.cl

Luis Yacher,

lyacher@contac.cl
www.contac/scan.cl

Overview
Some characteristics of the pipeline are:
The 800+ miles GasAtacama Pipeline goes from northern Argentina to
northern Chile, through the Atacama desert and the Andes mountain range,
reaching altitudes over 16,000 feet.
A Remote control and supervision system based on satellite telemetry is
necessary due to :Very difficult access to the pipeline locations, adverse
climate conditions and the need for secure and controlled operations.
The operation area is home to the largest copper mines, lithium and
nitrates reserves in the world.
GasAtacama Pipeline owners are Endesa, Chile (50%) and CMS
Energy, USA (50%)
Gas supply comes from Argentinas Northwest Basin. YPF and
Pluspetrol, under long term agreements

Pipeline system
PERU

Main Pipeline
From Cornejo (Argentina) to Mejillones (Chile)
Length: 951 km 20 pipe
2 compressor stations
Current Capacity 5.4 million scm /day
Maximum Capacity 8.5 million scm /day
Taltal pipeline
From Mejillones to Taltal power plant
Length: 223 km, 16 and 12 pipe
Maximum Capacity 2.2 million scm /day

Arica

BOLIVIA

CHILE
Iquique
P. Patache

GasAtacama Power
Plant

Atacama GasPipeline

ARGENTINACornejo

Mejillones
Antofagasta

Taltal Power
Plant (Endesa)
Taltal

Alto Norte
Smelter

Cerro
Dominador

Taltal GasPipeline

Cuenca GasPipeline

Overview - Transmission Gas

Pipeline SCADA System

3 Gas Control Rooms

Santiago
Chile
Antofagasta Chile
Jujuy
Argentina

The RtPM Infrastructure

( Chile & Argentina Gas Control Room)
Clients

OAView

MS Excel Add-in
Data Link

PI-TGNET

Trend Client

Process Book

RtWebParts
OA PDA via WiFi Web Browser / Enterprise Portal
PI-Notify
Email

Middle
Tier

PI Interface

pipelinestudio
Simulation
pipelinestudio
TGNET

Back-end
Operational
Systems

Data abstraction layer

OA Framework
PI Server

SCADA
Object
Automation
Server
Microsoft W2K3

Real-time
Data Cache

PI-ACE( *)
Calculation
Engine

PI Notify( *)
Engine

GIS Interface (*)

ESRI

Real Time
Point DataTime
Series Data

Time
Series Data

OPC RS Linx
Server

GAS Flow
Computer
DANIEL

Relational
Database
MS-SQL
MRO MAXIMO

Operational Intelligence RtPM application review

Pipeline status and online reporting examples

Online calculations for efficiency, quality and

operational indicators

Provides a common view of critical business and

operational data from different sources
throughout the company.

Enabling plant floor and operations personnel, as

well as operation management to monitor realtime performance against business goals.

Trend Graphics manager

Operation and supervision tool that allows

a direct an easy access to pipeline
variables using role specific MDB
structures as well as personal views

Report AGA 3:2000 , AGA8 GAS Supercompressibility

(Gas Custody Transfer, Metering Station )

Integrates disparate data into an

organizing data model.
The data model brings a broader
business context to the data
delivering comprehensive views of
a situation in real-time

Gas Compressor Station Supervision

Reciprocating Compressor Power, Efficiency &. Flow

Calculation

Gas Quality Control

Perfomance management of the pipeline

System architecture

PI

PI
ACE

Valve
Modeling
pipelinestudio

Control System

External Models
ACE (Native) Models

Compressor
Modeling
pipelinestudio

Multivariate
Analysis

GasAtacama PI-TGNET (pipelinestudio)

GasAtacama has developed an application, customized
to facilitate the operation and to complement the
pipeline simulation and tracking performed with the
pipelinestudio Gas (TGNET) software package form
Energy Solutions International.
www.energy-solutions.com
The application uses a reference model calculated from
TGNET to evaluate the real operation of the pipeline.
The main purpose is to determine the future behavior of
the pipeline system under certain forecasted operation
conditions.

GasAtacama PI-TGNET
GasAtacama PI-TGNET application allows for the complete automation of
the simulation of future forecasting of the pipeline, based on historic
information as a baseline for dynamic simulations.
GasAtacama PI-TGNET interface is a powerful tool that enables a quick and
accurate prediction of the pipeline operation since it loads historic
information (real data) from PI directly into TGNET for a more reliable
dynamic analysis.
Steady State Generation: It establishes the initial condition for pipeline
simulation. It considers about 72 hours of historical data in order to create
the initial conditions for transient (dynamic) simulation.
Transient Simulation: for every variable a complete transient analysis is
performed.

Model Operation base concept

Simulate the past 96 hours of the

transient history of the pipeline, in order to
accurately reproduce the present state
and predict the future transient states of
the operation.

Operation

Input Data - Simulate the Past 96

hours

Client Flows
Gas Compressor(GC) Stations Discharge
Cornejo GC Suction Pressure
Flow at Cornejo GC.

Operation
Input Data: Simulation of the Future

Client Flows (Nominations)

Volcan GC Pressure Discharge
Cornejo GC Suction Pressure
Flow at Cornejo GC
Cornejo GC Discharge Pressure, as an MAOP to
force TGNET to control by flow (Cornejo GC is
controlled by flow, through a pressure setpoint).

Operation

Output data Predicted Future State

Clients Pressures and Flows

Pressure at valve locations
Pressure, Flow and Power at compressor
stations.

PI DataLink Add Inn

User options:
Generate Transient
data
Generate Prediction
Transient Re Start
Import Values from
TgNet Model
Data Validation and
export to PI

Sample Results Obtained

Detailed
compressor station
calculation: Units,
RPM y Power

Linepack change
validation.
Initial Final, Balance.
Actual vs. Simulated.

Sample results, Pressure Profiles History, Actual and

Predicted (Activex Add Inn for ProcessBook)
Pressure Profiles (along the
pipeline length) :
history
real time
next hour

Real Time and Model Based

Variables
A custom ActiveX was developed
to show Time Series & Spatial
values on the Process Book

Advanced analytical applications for

equipment and pipeline perfomance
monitoring
Using SCAN, a PI DataLink and PI-ACE based application
development tool.
Off Line modeling tool that runs as an add in to PI DataLink
On Line analysis models runs on PI-ACE, model values are
sent to PI Server and shown on ProcessBook and Excel
Dedicated models were developed for pipeline valves and
compressor perfomance supervision.
Model parameters are managed in PI-MDB

Compressor Modelling Operation Mapping

Operation point is
shown using the
Compressor curves as
calculated based on the
actual operating
conditions.

Actual operation is compared with the simulation of best cases.

Smart diagnostic of pressure control valves

Verification
of
real
vs.
theoretical operation, using
real time data from PI and a
Valve Model.
Monitor performance of
control valves variables in
order to meet with standard
practices as per IEC 60534
related to industrial control
valves performance.
Uses on-line PI-ACE model
calculations of control valve
performance,
including
percentage of opening, noise
level, critical conditions and
performance curves.

Valve Model, Module DataBase Editor

Model Parameters Management

Statistical Multivariate analysis

Purpose:
evaluate the operation against empirical (statistical)
models and then be able to early detect abnormal
conditions.
OFF Line analysis and Model Build is done using SCAN OffLine, that works with
DataLink/Excel.

Models are then downloaded to PI-ACE, using the SCAN Online shell.

Using PI-MDB, Input/Output Tags are then assigned to the models, calculated values
are sent back to PI, for displaying, alarming and reporting

Multivariate Analysis, examples

1 Real vs. Predicted values for the output

pressure of a Gas Station showing a
good fit for the theoretical model

2 Model parameters are trended, showing

a deviation from the pattern limits

3 Individual Statistical Indexes are trended,

three of them showing an abnormal variability,
Pattern indexes shows the deviation trend in
advance as compared to the individual variables
deviations

Perfomance Analysis, summary

Phenomenological and empirical models allow for the

online supervision of the pipeline
Few

statistical indexes allow for complex

variable relationships representation.
Indexes provide early alerts for process
deviations
Drill from aggregated indexes down to
individual variables give the problem
explanation

The value of GasAtacama Operational

Intelligence solution, based on OSISOFT platform,
comes into effect when pipeline users take actions
based upon the information provided by the
solution.

Thank you for your attention