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SCADA, like everything in the modern connected world, is rapidly changing. It’s becoming more capable and more valuable for those willing to invest in their system.
SCADA allows industrial organizations to mitigate costly downtime, maintain efficiency, and communicate issues to make smarter decisions on the fly. SCADA systems function well in many organizations because they can scale from small, simple configurations to large and complex industries.
SCADA provides a digital platform for engineers, technicians, analysts, and business leaders to improve operational efficiency and performance. Modern SCADA systems share real-time data from the “plant floor” that can be accessed and monitored from anywhere in the world. This valuable information allows individuals to make data-driven decisions about their processes. Without SCADA, collecting crucial data that drives well-informed business decisions would be challenging or even non-existent.
With the IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things) revolution, SCADA systems can conjure high-resolution pictures of your processes with lower bandwidth demands on your telecom system.
This advancement means higher data resolution with less cellular data used, resulting in higher value for business owners. Most of this value stems from innovations in data collection and trending.
Through modern SCADA, operators can see more and gain precise insights, which helps inform better business decisions (i.e., How much pipeline capacity does my process require?).
Trending data, accurately predicting production, watching pressures and levels change in real-time, and reviewing pressures/levels with timestamps all lead to better business decisions, more efficient operations, and more money in your pocket.
Below are real-world examples of projects we’ve recently completed that added significant value for our customers.
Crossroad Energy Solutions: Case Study #1
A small Oil and Gas customer of ours operated a waterflood oil recovery system with pumps at the battery that injected water into the pipeline and, in turn, into the field’s wells. This process is a method of “secondary recovery,” in which water is injected into their formation to displace residual oil. Meters were previously installed on their wells and pressure transmitters on their pipelines, but they were “local read-only.”
Crossroad installed infrastructure to deliver high-resolution data for the well flow rate and pipeline pressures.
Our technicians installed a SCADA system to help capture data about the waterflood that tracks flows and pressures with “timestamped data” synchronized across the customer’s field.
The SCADA system has proved helpful in tracking where the water goes and how it affects the pressures of the wells and pipelines.
Since our update, data collected by the SCADA system has allowed our customer to manipulate the waterflood to maximize the oil recovery and make critical changes in real-time. Operators now have greater visibility and can see complete trending with pressures and flows to assess what’s happening in the formation. This has helped the engineers monitor precisely how much water is going to each well via the timestamped data.
Additionally, we assisted the company with assessing pipeline capacity to gauge where pressure restrictions exist and where they can install extra pipelines to gain efficiency.
Why Does This Matters for the Customer?
Clear pipeline visibility allows for pipeline optimization so that our customer can operate its pipeline more efficiently. After the improvements, the customer doesn’t require as many water pumps for their injection wells. This gives them the ability to increase water flow into their wells with less horsepower.
The increased visibility helps the customer gauge how the systems interact under the ground and which wells respond positively to a waterflood and which ones don’t.
This is a private and very small oil and gas company. We worked on their flagship battery, and our improvements have made an enormous difference in their business outcomes.
Small companies like this must optimize their operations to stay competitive.
Crossroad Energy Solutions: Case Study #2
We performed a SCADA upgrade for a medium-sized Oil and Gas company in Saskatchewan. This was our first job with this client, and we continue to support their SCADA system remotely.
Their previous system didn’t provide them with enough detail to get an accurate idea of what was happening in their field. Most of their sensors were discrete (on/off, open/closed, yes/no), which doesn’t provide operators with a real-time sense of what’s happening in the process. They had difficulty identifying where the problems existed once they received an alarm.
Our technicians added more analog sensors to their PLC to track pressures and levels. We also upgraded the SCADA platform to a robust and reliable system called “VT SCADA.” This system now provides real-time values and historical trending to assist operations with troubleshooting.
Now when the customer receives an alarm, they know exactly what’s happening.
Additionally, we set up remote access to the SCADA system so that their operators can check analog readings remotely when they get an alarm. Their head office was also set up with remote access to better monitor what’s happening in their field.
Why Does This Matters for the Customer?
Though analog may sound like a step backward, analog readings provide operators with an accurate analysis of pressures and levels. They supply operators with more visibility into the processes to accurately predict when things will happen and, consequently, how to best respond.
For example, instead of a high-level switch shutting down an entire process, an analog signal will allow operators to monitor the tank’s level at any given moment. This improves efficiency, performance, overall precision, and prevents costly operational downtimes by enabling operators to make decisions based on real-time readings.
Additionally, operators can now remotely track how upstream field adjustments affect their plant without relying on another person to communicate information back and forth.
Let Crossroad Help Improve Your Business Decisions
Crossroad Energy Solutions technicians have the advanced skills and experience to bring your SCADA system up to date, so your facility benefits from all that technology has to offer.
Whether you require troubleshooting of your current system, remote support, migration, or a complete upgrade of your SCADA system, we have a diverse team of technicians to assist you throughout Canada and the USA.
We also offer 24/7 emergency callout support!
We invite you to click here or call us about your facility’s needs at 877-872-0222.
