Displays its Broad Offering to Offshore Oil and Gas Production at Offshore Technology Conference (OTC)
HOUSTON, TEXAS, May 2, 2005 – ABB unveiled today its demonstration unit showing how its advanced Industrial IT Extended Automation System 800xA can improve the productivity and safety of an onshore LNG facility that receives and re-gasifies natural gas being imported from overseas producers in liquid form. The Industrial IT Extended Automation System 800xA extends the scope of traditional control systems to include all automation functions in a single environment for faster navigation, integration and decision making. After its introduction in 2004, more than 600 systems have been sold. It was selected by Control Engineering magazine as one of the top global products for that year.
"Natural gas is a rapidly growing energy source for the North American market," said J.A. "Buddy" DeVoe, ABB's vice president of its North American Oil & Gas Process Automation operation. "So far, more than 50 of these land-based facilities have been proposed." He went on to say System 800xA provides integrated batch and continuous control, BTU monitoring and control, a reliable safety instrumented, and integrated electrical and drive platform for owners of these facilities.
DeVoe, who has more than 27 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, also said this is the latest offering from ABB, which has been a supplier to the Oil Patch for over 25 years. "Globally, ABB continues to be a supplier of systems and equipment for the offshore production of oil and gas," said Sandy Taylor, ABB Group Vice President of its Global Oil and Gas Process Automation Business. "ABB recently supplied control systems to ExxonMobil for its new gas compression platform off eastern Canada and for a number of PEMEX's platforms in the Gulf of Mexico." Taylor also pointed to recent system awards for platforms in the North Sea and Caspian Sea.
Taylor, who has been in the oil and gas industry for 20 years, also said, "ABB is fully committed to this industry and has the unique position of delivering industrial solutions which utilize automation, power and telecommunications technologies. In addition, ABB is delivering innovative power solutions using HVDC technology, which allow powering of platforms from remote locations, either offshore or onshore, thus reducing environmental impact for operation of offshore facilities." ABB developed HVDC, or high voltage direct current transmission technology, in 1954 to transmit electric power underwater or underground over great distances. HVDC and HVDC Light technologies are installed around the world.
ABB ( www.abb.com ) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 103,000 people. The company's North American operations, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, employ about 11,000 in 20 manufacturing and other facilities.
