ExxonMobil Collaborates on Open Process Automation Systems

Summary

ExxonMobil signed collaboration agreements with six other companies to accelerate the development of Open Process Automation (OPA) systems. The companies currently included in this collaboration are Aramco Services Company, BASF, ConocoPhillips Company, The Dow Chemical Company, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Linde PLC.

Advances in computer hardware, software, networking and security, coupled with increasing global competition and cybersecurity risks, have pushed continuous process industries toward greater digitalization of process automation systems. The goal of this collaboration is to accelerate the creation of a standards-based, open, interoperable, and secure automation architecture that addresses both the technical and commercial challenges of current systems.

A test bed is being developed for use and testing by the collaboration partners for the OPA systems, which will act as the foundation for testing the performance and operation of individual components and standards. Once the test bed is fully functional, the collaboration partners will nominate and prioritize new components, standards, and system features to be added and tested. ExxonMobil’s OPA systems test bed is targeted to be operational by year-end 2019.

The results from the test bed will be shared with all collaboration partners and the learnings will support independent field trials. All partners are encouraged to develop their own independent field trials.

The collaboration partners are members of the Open Process Automation™ Forum (OPAF), a group established by The Open Group, with the purpose of identifying and selecting standards to be used for OPA technology and systems. The Open Group works with customers and suppliers of technology products and services, and with consortia and other standards organizations to capture, clarify, and integrate current and emerging requirements, establish standards and policies, and share best practices.

For more on The Open Group, see Breaking Closed Architecture Bonds, and for moe onthe O-PAS Standard Version 1.0, see The Open Process Automation Standard Takes Flight.