ABB to Cut Downtime for Ecuador’s Petroamazonas

Petroamazonas EP turns to ABB’s Emax 2 technology to protect generators from sudden surges - and avoid time-consuming and costly shutdowns

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, 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 EP 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. As the only circuit breaker in the world with seven communication standards embedded, it can integrate into any automation or supervision system.

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, the only circuit breaker that monitors and controls 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, Services and People at work, a crucial element of our Next Level strategy.”

Petroamazonas EP is using the latest technologies and global standards of quality to optimize 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 Petroamazonas EP’s challenging operating environment to help reduce non-productive time at their facilities.

ABB has installed more than one million air circuit breakers worldwide in the last five years. As part of its Next Level strategy, ABB is seeking 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.