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 8,095,335 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• 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: Hill, Susan C, Calhoun, Elvis L, Castro, William M
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/898,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 702/152, 702/150, 702/176, 702/142, 702/2, 702/5, 324/220, 324/207.13, 738/656.8, 738/650.8, 707918-919
• US Class Current: 702/152
• 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 and assigning a unique intersection identifier for each of the select land based identifiers and providing descriptive information for each of the select land based identifiers, wherein each of the select land based identifiers being located in the vicinity of one of the at least one facility unit and a piping system;

locating and identifying at least one location for at least one cut sheet in the vicinity of at least one of the select land based identifiers and assigning a unique cut sheet identifier for each location of a 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 each piping line within the pipeband at the location of the particular cut sheet, wherein the mapping of each cut sheet includes identifying each piping line at the location of the particular cut sheet and location within the pipeband; and

mapping each of the at least one piping line, wherein mapping each piping line includes (i) assigning a unique piping line identifier for the piping line, (ii) providing descriptive information for the piping line, (iii) identifying each piping line device associated with the piping line, (iv) providing description information for each piping line device, (v) mapping the location of each piping line device associated with the piping line, (vi) providing a unique descriptive identifier for each piping device, and (vii) mapping at least one of the location of each cut sheet location on each piping line and the location of each piping line on each cut sheet location.

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, and 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 the at least one piping line device comprising at least one of a valve, piping object, sensor, and monitoring device.

5. 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.

6. The method of mapping according to claim 5, wherein the mapping of each of the at least one piping line includes preparing an electronic representation of each piping line.

7. The method of mapping according to claim 6, 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.

8. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein the mapping each cut sheet includes providing a directional indicator orienting the cut sheet with respect to at least one select land based identifier.

9. The method of mapping according to claim 1, providing descriptive information for the piping line includes providing the diameter of the piping line.

10. The method of mapping according to claim 1, wherein the mapping each of the least one cut sheet to identify each piping line includes identifying the diameter of each piping line at the location of the particular cut sheet.

11. A system for emergency isolation and response to 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 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 piping line extending through the pipeband at the particular location of the cut sheet in the facility and the location of the piping line with respect to other piping lines within the pipeband at the particular location of the cut sheet, wherein each representation of a piping line is electronically linked to the each cut sheet in which such piping line appears, wherein each cut sheet is electronically linked to each representation of a piping line within the pipeband at the particular location of the cut sheet;

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.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein each of the at least one piping line is one of an off-site piping line and an on-site piping line.

13. The system according to claim 11, 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.