Case Studies

Operational since 2006, Darwin is Australia’s second oldest export plant after the North West Shelf project and has a nameplate capacity of 3.7 million tonnes per annum. The Darwin LNG project was the first of its kind, it was the first project to use high-efficiency, low emissions, aero-derivative designed gas turbines for refrigerant drivers. The LNG plant also incorporated several other design features to reduce greenhouse emissions.

The Darwin LNG (DLNG) Custody Transfer Metering System measures the flow of natural gas from the Bayu Undan Offshore Facilities via the subsea pipeline into the Darwin LNG Terminal. The flow measurement is used for several purposes including calculation of government royalties, joint venture partner revenue allocation, plant process control and plant efficiency calculations.

Swinton Technology was asked by Honeywell Process Solutions (Perth) to offer a proposal to provide an alternative implementation strategy for a MeterSuite application for ConocoPhillips, Darwin Australia. There was an existing Honeywell DCS within the site, the main intention of the project was to build an expansion of the site. As part of the DLNG flow metering upgrade project, the metering system was to be upgraded from the SGC.MeterNet integrator system into a Honeywell Experion R430 MeterSuite C300 based system. The flow measurement is used for several purposes including calculation of government royalties, joint venture partner allocation, plant process control and plant efficiency calculations.

Due to the Darwin LNG CTMS located on the other side of the world to the Swinton Technology base, the system was partly developed using Honeywell virtual engineering platform (VEP) technology in the cloud. The client then chose to attend a physical FAT and the ST home office in Malton, UK. 

Installation/commissioning was performed by CoP with assistance for the local Honeywell LSS team in Darwin. ST provided specialist remote support. Since installation, a couple of enhancements to the CTMS have been performed. These were initially developed/tested by ST in-house before emailing the configuration changes to the site. These were also installed by CoP with minor involvement from LSS engineers.