Emerson helps Romania’s largest refinery reduce control system alarms by more than 95%

Emerson Automation Solutions 22 minutes ago

26 4 minutes read

Key points

Listen to this article

DeltaV AgileOps software helps Rompetrol Rafinare improve alarm management, operator performance and compliance with EEMUA 191 guidelines

Emerson has helped Rompetrol Rafinare, Romania's largest refinery, reduce distributed control system (DCS) alarm volumes by more than 95% through the implementation of its DeltaV AgileOps™ operations management software. The project has significantly improved control system alarm performance, increased operator effectiveness and brought refinery alarm rates in line with the recommendations set out in the Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association (EEMUA) 191 alarm management guidelines.

The deployment demonstrates the growing importance of effective alarm management, process automation and industrial control systems across the refining sector, where reducing alarm overload is essential for improving operational safety, reliability and efficiency.

With an annual processing capacity of approximately five million tonnes of fuel products, the Petromidia refinery in Navodari is one of Eastern Europe's largest and most complex refining facilities. Operating a wide range of conversion units with a Nelson Complexity Index of 9.32, the site generates vast amounts of process information every day, resulting in significant volumes of control system alarms.

Over time, the refinery's alarm system had developed beyond recognised industry best practice, creating increasingly high alarm volumes for operators, particularly during process disturbances and plant upsets. Frequent chattering alarms generated unnecessary noise, making it more difficult for operators to distinguish between routine notifications and genuinely critical process events.

Operators also experienced regular alarm flooding, while some alarms remained permanently active during normal operating conditions, increasing the risk of alarm fatigue and reducing overall situational awareness.

To overcome these challenges, Rominserv, Rompetrol's engineering and maintenance services provider, worked closely with Emerson to improve alarm quality across the refinery and eliminate nuisance alarms.

The project centred on the implementation of Emerson's DeltaV AgileOps software, providing continuous monitoring of alarm system performance together with detailed operational analytics. The platform gives engineering teams clear visibility of average alarm rates, peak alarm activity, recurring alarm sequences and the amount of time alarm performance falls outside recommended operating thresholds.

DeltaV AgileOps captures alarm and event data directly from the DeltaV Distributed Control System (DCS) controlling the refinery. This enables engineers to quickly identify high-frequency alarms, stale alarms and nuisance ‘bad actor' alarms responsible for a disproportionate amount of alarm activity.

Using performance dashboards together with historical trending tools, refinery personnel were able to analyse alarm behaviour during normal production, plant start-ups and process disturbances. The software also enabled engineers to validate proposed changes to alarm limits, alarm priorities and suppression strategies using actual operational data before implementation.

Rompetrol Petromida refinery Romania — The Rompetrol Petromida refinery in Romania used Emerson’s DeltaV AgileOps software to reduce control system alarm volumes by more than 95%. Image courtesy of Rompetrol.

The improvements delivered substantial results.

The refinery reduced alarm generation from more than two million alarms per month during normal operation to fewer than 50,000 alarms per month, representing a reduction of more than 95%.

According to the EEMUA 191 guidelines, operators should receive no more than one alarm every ten minutes during steady-state operation, a benchmark designed to help operators maintain awareness and respond appropriately to abnormal situations.

“Alarm management plays a critical role in maintaining safe, efficient refinery operations,” said Nilca George, process engineering director, Rompetrol Rafinare. “The continuous alarm performance monitoring and analytics provided by DeltaV AgileOps has significantly reduced operator alarm burden while improving overall operational awareness. The resulting system is more stable and better aligned with actual plant conditions, enabling operators to focus on meaningful alarms and respond more effectively to process disturbances.”

In addition to reducing alarm volumes, the implementation has delivered significant long-term operational benefits by improving visibility into overall control system performance.

Automated alarm and event reporting has extended the refinery's historical alarm and event retention period from approximately four to five days to almost two months. The additional historical data enables engineering teams to carry out more detailed investigations into recurring operational issues while supporting better-informed maintenance planning, performance optimisation and continuous improvement initiatives.

The enhanced reporting capabilities also provide valuable insight into long-term alarm trends, helping engineers refine alarm strategies and maintain compliance with recognised alarm management best practice.

“Modern control systems provide enormous amounts of operational information, but operators need the right context and visibility to act effectively,” explained Guido Wink, vice president of Emerson's control systems and software business in Europe. “DeltaV AgileOps helps organisations continuously monitor and improve alarm system performance so operators can focus on the events that matter most to safe, efficient operation.”

As industrial organisations continue to embrace digital transformation and smarter process automation, effective alarm management remains a critical component of safe and efficient operations. Solutions such as DeltaV AgileOps enable manufacturers and refineries to reduce alarm fatigue, improve operator decision-making and optimise plant performance through continuous monitoring, analytics and data-driven operational improvements.

To learn more about Rompetrol Rafinare’s alarm management project, download the full project summary at Emerson.com.

___________

FAQ's

What is DeltaV AgileOps software?

DeltaV AgileOps is Emerson's operations management software designed to improve alarm management, operational visibility and operator effectiveness through continuous monitoring, analytics and performance reporting. It helps industrial organisations identify nuisance alarms, optimise alarm strategies and improve overall control system performance.

Why is alarm management important in refinery operations?

Effective alarm management enables operators to quickly identify critical process conditions, minimise alarm flooding and maintain situational awareness during both normal production and plant upset conditions. Well-managed alarm systems contribute to safer, more reliable and more efficient refinery operations while supporting compliance with recognised industry standards such as EEMUA 191.

How does DeltaV AgileOps improve operator performance?

DeltaV AgileOps continuously monitors alarm system behaviour, identifies nuisance and recurring alarms, provides real-time performance analytics and helps engineering teams optimise alarm settings. This allows operators to focus on actionable process events, improving response times, operational awareness and overall plant safety.

Contact Details

Emerson Automation Solutions

0870 240 1978
uksales@emerson.com
Meridian East, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, Leicestershire LE19 1UX GB

About us

Leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, water and wastewater treatment, mining and metals, food and beverage, life sciences and other industries.

Where we supply to

Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America

Industries we supply to

Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater