Process for mapping off-site piping systems in a refinery and/or petrochemical facility and a system for providing emergency isolation and response in a refinery and/or petrochemical facility

• US 20080215256A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Calhoun, Elvis L., Castro, William M., Hill, Susan C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/36
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/00 Protection or supervision of installations arrangements for protecting foundations E02D31/00; protecting pipes from damage or internal or external wear F16L57/00, against corrosion and scale F16L58/00; investigation of the fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/14 Pipes

Abstract

A process of mapping piping systems associated with a refinery and petrochemical facilities is disclosed, which maps piping systems, which interconnect facility operating units with other operating units, utilities, distribution facilities and storage units. A system for aiding in the isolation of piping systems, operating units and other facility components is also disclosed. The system includes a search database having representations of the piping systems and its related components. A method of isolating an event within a facility is also disclosed. The method includes identifying the location of an event in the facility, performing a search to identify the impacted piping systems and related components, and identifying measures to isolate the event.

Claims

1. A method for mapping a facility having at least one facility unit and a piping system, wherein the piping system includes at least one pipeband extending through at least a portion of the facility, each pipeband contains at least one piping line through which a designated substance flows there through and at least one piping line device associated therewith, comprising:

locating and identifying select land based identifiers within the facility, wherein each of the select land based identifiers being located in the vicinity of one of the at least one facility and a piping system;

locating and identifying at least one location for at least one cut sheet, wherein each cut sheet is located adjacent to the piping system and identifies each piping line at the location of the cut sheet;

mapping each of the least one cut sheet to identify piping line associated with the particular cut sheet; and

mapping each of the at least piping line.

2. The method of mapping according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining at least one image of the facility, wherein the at least one image identifies approximate locations of the at least one off-site pipeband, the at least one facility unit, the at least one land based identifier.

3. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein the piping line is one of off-site piping line and on-site piping line.

4. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein locating and identifying select land based identifiers comprising:

assigning a unique intersection identifier for each of the select land based identifiers.

5. The method of mapping according to claim 4, wherein locating and identifying select land based identifiers comprising:

providing descriptive information for each of the select land based identifiers.

6. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein locating and identifying at least one location for at least one cut sheet comprising:

assigning a unique cut sheet identifier for each location of a cut sheet.

7. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least piping line containing at least one piping line device, wherein mapping each of the at least one piping line comprising:

mapping the location of each piping line device for each piping line; and

providing a unique descriptive identifier for each piping device.

8. The method of mapping according to claim 7, wherein the at least one piping line device comprising at least one of a valve, piping object, sensor, and monitoring device.

9. The method of mapping according to claim 7, further comprising:

mapping the location of each cut sheet location on each piping line.

10. The method of mapping according to claim 7, wherein the mapping of each of piping line comprising:

providing descriptive information for each piping line.

11. The method of mapping according to claim 10, wherein the mapping of each of piping line comprising:

providing descriptive information for each piping line device.

12. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein the mapping of each of the at least one cut sheet includes preparing an electronic representation of each cut sheet.

13. The method of mapping according to claim 12, wherein the mapping of each of the at least one piping line includes preparing an electronic representation of each piping line.

14. The method of mapping according to claim 13, further comprising:

providing at least one electronic link between each piping line represented on a particular cut sheet and the electronic representation corresponding to such piping line.

15. A system for emergency isolation and response of the piping in a facility, wherein the facility includes a piping system having at least one pipeband extending across a portion of the facility, wherein each pipeband contains at least one piping line, wherein each piping line containing piping through which a substance flows therethough and at least one piping line device, wherein the facility includes at least one facility unit, comprising:

a searchable database containing at least one representation of each piping line, and at least one cut sheet for each of the at least one pipeband, wherein each cut sheet illustrating the at least one pipe line extending through the pipeband at the particular location of the cut sheet in the facility;

a computer operating unit for storing the searchable database and retrieving representations and cut sheets;

at least one terminal for accessing and displaying representations and cut sheets retrieved by the computer operating unit.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein each of the at least one piping line is one of an off-site piping line and an on-site piping line.

17. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:

at least one representation of a cut sheet, wherein the at least one representation of the cut sheet is displayed at the particular location of the cut sheet in the facility.

18. A method of isolating an event in a facility, wherein the facility includes a piping system having at least one pipeband extending across a portion of the facility, wherein each pipeband contains at least one piping line, wherein each piping line containing piping through which a substance flows therethough and at least one piping device, wherein the facility includes at least one facility unit and at least one land based identifier, comprising:

identifying the location of the event in the facility;

performing a search to identify the pipebands and facility units impacted by the occurrence of the event;

identifying measures to isolate the event.

19. The method of isolating an event according to claim 18, wherein identifying the location of the event comprising:

identifying one of the pipeband, piping line, a facility unit and a land based identifier to identify the location of the event.

20. The method of isolating an event according to claim 18, wherein performing a search to identify the pipebands and facility units impacted by the occurrence of the event comprising:

performing a search based upon the identification of one of the pipeband, piping line, a facility unit and a land based identifier to identify the location of the event.

21. The method of isolating an event according to claim 20, wherein performing the search includes searching an electronic database of representations and cut sheets for each of the piping lines based upon the identification of one of the pipeband, piping line, a facility unit and a land based identifier to identify the location of the event.

22. The method of isolating an event according to claim 18, further comprising:

performing the safety measures to isolate the event.

23. The method of isolating an event according to claim 22, wherein performing the safety measures to isolate the event includes operating at least one piping device.

24. The method of isolating an event according to claim 18, wherein identifying measures to isolate the event includes identifying one of a safety perimeter and at least one piping device.

25. The method of isolating event according to claim 18, wherein the event is one of an emergency event and a non-emergency event.