LyondellBasell Selects Emerson to Modernise Automation Technology at Olefins Production Plants

Artificial intelligence and cloud-based solutions to aid control system and software upgrade at chemical giant’s largest manufacturing facility in Europe

Global software and technology leader Emerson has been selected by multinational chemical company LyondellBasell to modernise control systems and software at its Wesseling complex in Germany. The implementation of advanced automation technology will help to enhance operation of an ethylene cracker and butadiene production plant. Emerson digital tools and project engineering services will help to ensure a smooth transition during the planned plant shutdown in 2024.

The Wesseling site is LyondellBasell’s largest manufacturing facility in Europe. As part of a global modernisation programme, LyondellBasell is standardising its control system technology. Emerson was selected for the project after demonstrating that it could implement all hardware and software upgrades during the two-week turnaround period.

Emerson’s DeltaV™ distributed control system and DeltaV Live software will be deployed to operate the ethylene cracker safely and efficiently, with the company’s AMS Device Manager software supporting the start-up process and ongoing management of field instrumentation. 

The advanced automation solutions will significantly reduce engineering time for implementing control strategies aimed at improving efficiency. DeltaV Live software will provide modern user interfaces that simplify management of the plant, enable operators to identify issues earlier and maximise worker productivity.

Virtual DeltaV systems will be used throughout the project to support development, testing and training. An operator training solution using Emerson’s MIMIC™ process simulation software will help operators to familiarise themselves with the new control system prior to start-up, minimising the risk of potential issues, and optimising operator efficiency. Emerson on-site engineers will provide start-up support and consult on the implementation of modern control strategies.

Essential to meeting the timeline will be a range of digital tools that streamline system modernisation projects. This includes Emerson’s DeltaV REVAMP software, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to automate the task of identifying existing control system code to be used in the generation of DeltaV system configuration, eliminating errors and reducing engineering time. 

Cloud-based tools will support collaborative project planning and execution, streamlining the design, engineering and testing phases, while a range of digital tools will simplify the connection of existing I/O to the new control system.

“Emerson is committed to helping our customers to modernise and digitally transform their production facilities to enable operational improvements,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business. “AI, machine learning, cloud-based solutions and Emerson’s extensive project expertise will all help LyondellBasell simplify its control system upgrade, reduce project time and mitigate risk.”