Energy | Equinor

Alarm system upgrade: Equinor

Significant alarm reduction and system optimisation to meet governing regulations and improve operational safety.

The alarm system at Equinor’s Norne field required a comprehensive upgrade to meet performance requirements and improve the overall work environment. With thousands of alarms and outdated configurations, Init was tasked with delivering a solution that would bring the system in line with governing regulations, while significantly reducing alarms and optimising operational performance.

Aspiration

Ensuring compliance and improving the work environment

Equinor was looking to upgrade its alarm system at the Norne field to meet strict performance requirements mandated by governing regulations. A deviation observed by the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) had highlighted the need for immediate compliance.

 

 

Additionally, the excessive number of alarms was overwhelming operators, impacting both safety and operational efficiency. The goal was to rationalise the alarm system, ensure regulatory compliance, and create a safer, more manageable work environment for operators.

Solution

Comprehensive alarm reduction and system optimisation

Init conducted a detailed review of the alarm system, resulting in a series of key upgrades to improve performance and compliance. The project involved rationalising and optimising thousands of alarms and alarm texts, ensuring that only critical notifications were presented to operators. Init’s responsibilities included:

 

 

  • Alarm rationalisation: Streamlined 24,366 alarms, altering 33,806 alarm texts, and providing 16,333 new tag descriptions to ensure accurate and relevant alarm information.
  • Alarm removal: Removed 918 unnecessary alarms to reduce system overload and improve operator response times.
  • System optimisation: Optimised the hysteresis for pressure, temperature, flow, and level alarms where necessary, ensuring a more efficient and manageable system for operators.

 

Result

Improved compliance, efficiency, and operator safety

Init’s upgrades resulted in a significant reduction in alarms, improving compliance with governing regulations and enhancing the overall work environment for operators at the Norne field.

 

 

By streamlining the alarm system and optimising key parameters, the project not only ensured regulatory compliance but also improved operator response times, reducing potential risks and enhancing safety performance.

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