SCADA & DCS Design – Deployment

Whether the goal is to select and implement an entirely new SCADA or DCS system on a greenfield project or to upgrade or replace a system currently in use, UTSI’s experience, breadth, and depth render it a perfect partner to guide and manage the project.

UTSI is equipped to handle concept to completion project consulting services including:

  • Business requirements definition
  • Detailed RFP development
  • Vendor vetting
  • Proposal evaluation
  • Selection recommendations
  • Contracting advisory services
  • Project engineering
  • Documentation
  • Acceptance testing (FAT and SAT)
  • Field/site commissioning services
  • Control center cyber security assessment and testing
  • ICS integration

UTSI has been providing these services to operating companies throughout the world for more than thirty (30) years, and has been established as a leading and consistent source for expertise with significant depth in all types of automation technologies applicable to oil & gas pipeline infrastructures.

Pre-design

Establishing a clear path from design to deployment is vital to the success of any ICS project. In the pre-design stage, UTSI will engage the customer in a Needs Assessment, where key stakeholders will be interviewed to determine the business and operational requirements for the new or improved SCADA or DCS system. Once clear objectives and expectations have been established, UTSI will develop a technical specification to set baseline requirements, which will then be used as the basis for a detailed RFP. Subsequently, UTSI can evaluate proposals from vendors or integrators and provide recommendations and feedback to the customer on which solution best accomplishes their objectives while staying on schedule and within budget.

Design

Functional and detailed design is critical to the successful implementation and operation of pipeline and terminal SCADA and DCS systems, and no company is better equipped to take on this responsibility than UTSI. UTSI has successfully designed SCADA and DCS for pipeline and terminals companies across six (6) continents by placing an emphasis on fulfilling the unique needs of each individual customer. Having spent over thirty (30) years working with a wide variety of customers and system vendors, UTSI has the experience to identify problem areas in the design phase, and can address them before they incur project delays or additional expenses.

Implementation

From concept to completion, UTSI places an emphasis on highly engaged project management and minimal operational impact. While an integrator or software vendor might play a large role in rolling out the system, UTSI will always ensure that the project stays on track, that key stakeholders remain knowledgeable and engaged at each stage of the process through periodic reporting, and that the customer’s goals remain the top priority.

Vendor Oversight and Management

UTSI will manage the configuration of the baseline SCADA or DCS product to meet the needs and preferences of the customer. UTSI is also equipped to engage in application development to augment system functionality or address challenges like CRM (Control Room Management), or to work with the vendor’s software development team to implement the needed functionality. UTSI will also work with the customer to conduct in-house testing, ensuring that full functionally has been achieved.

Testing and Migration

Once the necessary framework and configuration have been implemented, UTSI oversees the site installation, factory acceptance test (FAT), and site acceptance test (SAT) to ensure that the system is functioning appropriately while meeting the expectations of the customer. From there, UTSI will manage the migration of operations onto the new system, ensuring that operations are minimally impacted and that the transition is executed seamlessly.

Need additional information or want to speak with us about a specific project or need?