SignalFire Debuts Remote Shutdown System

 In challenging environments, such as oil fields, equipment often must be shut down remotely. For instance, when a tank that collects oil or water from several wells becomes full, wells must be shut down to prevent overflow. Because of the oil-field layout, the decision to shut-in a well (usually conducted near the tanks) is often made far away from the actual wells.

For this type of monitoring and control, SignalFire Wireless Telemetry offers the Remote Shutdown System (RSDS), which can shut down assets remotely with the fail-safe logic necessary for wireless operation of critical systems. Eliminating the need for costly conduit runs, this long-range (3+ miles) wireless telemetry system can be configured with either a PLC monitoring system or a SignalFire Gateway-controlled standalone system that can monitor inputs and generate control commands autonomously.

The SignalFire RSDS interfaces with any type of sensor and transmits the data wirelessly to a SignalFire Gateway. When operating autonomously, the Gateway generates commands and offloads data to a PLC. The Gateway can be configured to additionally send signals to remotely-located shutdown nodes that will shut-in the well. (Figure 1 shows the Gateway-controlled system.)

When the SignalFire RSDS is configured as a PLC-controlled system (see Figure 2), a local PLC makes the decision to shut down the remote wells. If monitoring tanks in the oil fields for overflow conditions, tank sensors could be directly connected to the PLC that monitors data and decide if the tank is in an alarmed state. Alternatively, the data could be sent wirelessly, with the PLC obtaining tank-level data from the Gateway. The PLC, then, determines whether the well should be operating or shut-in, and sends the proper command to the shutdown nodes located at the well site.

Both RSDS communication systems support a large number of wireless sensors and incorporate SignalFire’s exclusive CommSafe software that guards against system failure if wireless communication is interrupted. In addition to being used extensively in upstream oil and gas applications, the RSDS is ideal for water-tank control and industrial situations where tank monitoring and pump control are necessary.

To view a video that explains the SignalFire Remote Shutdown System configuration and describes how to install an RSDS in a well site to monitor a tank battery, download https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f66hF6tP7zs . For more detailed specifications on the RSDS, visit SignalFire’s website at http://www.signal-fire.com/products/remote_shutdown/ or contact the company at 978-212-2868 or [email protected].

Caption to Figure 1: The SignalFire Gateway may be configured to monitor and control remote well sites as a standalone system, using a PLC to offload sensor data. In this diagram, the SignalFire Gateway is configured to update the remote RSDS nodes based on the status of tank levels as received from tank sensors. For example, a radar-level sensor in the tank would send data wirelessly to the Gateway, which would be configured to update the remote nodes appropriately. A sample logic: If tank level from sensor A is greater than X.X feet, set relay B on remote node C to be de-energized.

Caption to Figure 2: The diagram shows the SignalFire Remote Shutdown System in a PLC-controlled configuration. In this scenario, tank-level information is monitored by any variety of sensors (switch, level sensors, pressure sensors, etc.), with data sent to a local PLC. Tank sensors may be directly connected to the PLC or via a SignalFire wireless system. The PLC monitors the data and determines whether the tank is in an alarmed state. This tank status information is sent to the SignalFire Gateway via a Modbus RS485 connection for transmission to the remote nodes at the well sites.