Barry D. Payne and Associates Inc. Monthly Newsletter

April 2011

Events in the News:

2011 GPA Convention Wrap Up

Barry D. Payne & Associates Inc. offers sincere thanks to our clients and colleagues who participated in BDP Inc. events at the 90th Annual Gas Processors Association Convention in San Antonio, Texas. This year’s convention with over 1680 registrants offered an extensive agenda aimed at “advancing the midstream vision”, combined with safety recognitions and social events to foster networking among attendees.

The Computer Technology Forum included a technical presentation by Barry D. Payne & Associates, Inc. with Prism Gas Systems discussing a case history on Overcoming CO2 Challenges Using Advanced Controls at the Waskom gas plant. Our thanks go to Paul Glaves (Mustang Engineering) and Valerie Stern (Targa Resources) for their ongoing support of BDP Inc. technical papers on plant automation and advanced process control solutions, and for their 10 years of service to GPA as Session Chairs for this annual forum.

The Early Bird Reception with Vendor Night benefitted from the extended duration on Sunday evening, providing opportunities for GPA and GPSA attendees to renew acquaintances and initiate new endeavors. The Vendor Night table-top display and the Hospitality Suite hosted by Honeywell Inc. with participation by Wilson Mohr Inc. and Barry D. Payne & Associates, Inc. enjoyed high traffic, and the BDP Inc. team was pleased to visit with so many clients and colleagues as part of this event.

Through conversations with attendees and by observing topics presented in several sessions, it appears that regulatory and compliance issues are demanding more attention within midstream companies. A sampling of topics discussed at the GPA Convention highlight challenges and opportunities for GPA and GPSA members to develop standards for operating procedures and equipment applications that will benefit midstream companies and enhance the stature of the natural gas industry. The agenda for the recent GPA Convention included discussions on the following topics:

<> Control Room Management, as envisioned by the US Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

<> The new NFPA 87-2011 Recommended Practice for the Oil & Gas Industries Fired Fluid Heaters

<> Environmental Issues and Industry Initiatives related to Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) MACT Rule, National Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Mandatory Reporting Rule, and GHG Permitting

Please contact the Gas Processors Association for copies of technical presentations or additional information to follow up on this year's GPA Convention.

BDP Inc. offers process control consulting, advanced control strategy design and implementation, and system integration services to deliver overall control system performance enhancements. Contact BDP Inc. for more information on similar control system services and process control improvements to enhance your plant operations today.

Partial List of Current Projects at BDP:

<> Process control consulting and APC commissioning for NGL fractionation strategies at a Texas gas plant.

<> Engineering, configuration, and commissioning support for PLC/ HMI applications at two compressor stations in North Dakota.

<> Electrical and instrument design services for new compressor stations in the Marcellus Shale region.

<> Engineering, configuration, and commissioning support for PCS and SIS applications at a two-train cryogenic gas plant in south Texas.

Partial List of Systems included in recent BDP projects:

<> Emerson Delta V control system.
<> Honeywell Experion PKS system.
<> PAC8000 process control system from GE Intelligent Platforms.
<> Wonderware InTouch HMI with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLC.