The document summarizes an automation project between Metso Automation and Neste Oil to upgrade the control system for Neste Oil's fourth diesel production line in Porvoo, Finland. The project involved developing new automation and safety systems to control over 10,000 loops across two automation systems and nine safety systems. It was Metso's largest project with Neste Oil to date. Representatives from both companies express satisfaction that the project helped improve plant operations, safety, and maintenance through the new control system.

1. Neste Oil Diesel, Porvoo
ReferenceCase

2. The new production line enables to
better utilize heavy fuel oil in production
of sulphur free diesel. Several product
development projects that targeted
operator interface, diagnostics and system
interfaces were included in the project,
which was started at Metso Automation
in 2004.
The project was very extensive, with a total
of 20,000 hours used for design, planning
and testing. It covered two automation
systems and nine safety systems.The great
extent of the delivery is demonstrated
by the delivery scope: 10,000 loops, 50
operator and maintenance monitors and
more than 100 system cabinets.
Fluent operation with a high
level of safety
Ari Aitolahti, Refinery Automation
Manager at Neste Oil Porvoo says
that the project offered a number of
challenges related to the delivery scope
and automation solutions. “The wide
range field equipment offered an extra
challenge for the condition monitoring.
Process pressures and temperatures are
very high and substances in the process
foul the equipment easily.” Condition
monitoring utilizes HART technology,
which enables communication from
the condition monitoring equipment to
the control room. Profibus provides a
high amount of data from the electrical
equipment for the operators as well as
maintenance personnel.
A modern, reliable safety system was
one of the many development issues.
“It represents a totally new state-of-the-
art generation, and the implementation
ensures quick and secure operation. It
is separate from the automation system
through separate measurements and
valves, but it is also integrated in the
operator interface level.”
Development for the benefit of
many customers
Several development ventures were
realized during the project in order to
develop and tailor new solutions to
meet the specific requirements of the
Neste Oil diesel plant. Heikki Tanner,
Chief Engineer at Metso Automation
points out that the customer’s vision and
results of the development ventures, offer
important benefits for the processes of
other Metso Automation customers as
well. “Considerable improvements were
implemented together with Neste Oil
during this project. By answering the
challenges related to the demanding
control loop configuration, we were able
to realize the top level control expertise
of Neste Jacobs.” Neste Jacobs was in
charge of the project planning and
implementation to Neste Oil.
The highest level of automation
through integration of visions and solutions
The fourth production line at the Neste Oil Porvoo refinery, for which Metso Automation delivered the control system, started
up in summer 2007. This automation project was so far the most extensive at the Porvoo site, and included a great deal of
development related to quality and safety. A clear vision based on the strong automation know-how at the Porvoo site had
an important role in the planning and implementation of a system, which features the highest level of automation.

3. Ari Aitolahti is satisfied with the reliability
of the Metso Automation system: “So far
the availability seems to be at a good level.
The system is reliable and there have been
no disturbances.” He gives special credit
to the Metso Automation project team:
”The Metso team was persistent, and saw
through that the toughest problems were
solved.”
The diesel process is controlled via one
main control room, which is located
approximately one kilometer from the
process. As a result of the development
work, the user interface is much more
efficient than earlier. As many as six
screens can be connected to one operator
station, giving a good overall view of the
process status with all of them operated
through one keyboard and mouse. Ari
Aitolahti underlines that this cannot be
done in all automation systems.
High level of safety via
complete diagnostics and
instructions
The process alarms and alarm philosophy
were improved. Communication from
field equipment to the control room
user interface improves the condition
monitoring a great deal. Informative,
clear diagnostic displays enable efficient
process monitoring and maintenance.
Ari Aitolahti says that cross operation
between separate process areas was
implemented well. Instructions and
application descriptions can be quickly
retrieved from the system. Linux, in
addition to Windows, brings added safety
to the system operation.
A win-win case
The development ventures implemented
during the project offer possibilities
in other process areas. “The solutions
delivered to the Neste Oil Porvoo plant
are important steps, a remarkable part
of which have already been applied to
other projects in different operating
environments. They will certainly act
as a good base for innovations needed
to answer the challenges of future
automation,” Heikki Tanner says.
Integration skills are valuable
Jouko Rantala, Project Manager at Metso
Automation, stresses that wide technical
know how is especially needed in large
projects like this.“The IT business develops
at a high speed. That is why automation
suppliers need to act as integrators,
delivering solutions and components
but also taking responsibility for the
application work, making everything fit
and work as needed”.
Supply met the demand
Ari Aitolahti is satisfied with the
cooperation of the project teams. “We
succeeded well in matching our visions.
Metso Automation product development
helped in incorporating the new required
features into the system. Through
discussion, we could find solutions that
work in the way we want and ensure
the dependability of the system. The
cooperation could best be described
by the words ‘fair play’. Communication
between Metso Automation, Neste Jacobs
and Neste Oil Diesel teams was open and
honest. When it came to problem solving,
Metso Automation product development
provided valuable technical support”. He
saysthatingeneral,theprojectprogressed
on good terms and he is happy to notice
that also now, in the final straight, when
the project is being taken into production,
the support still continues strong.
Attitude and life cycle stage
were decisive
The automation system supplier’s
preparedness and willingness to develop
various system features during the project
were very important factors in the choice
of supplier. Ari Aitolahti says that quite a
few issues affected the decision: “From
our point of view the Metso Automation
system is at the correct stage of its life
cycle. It is modern and therefore fits
our requirements, but there is lots of
experience from the operation for us to
be assured of its reliability and suitability
for our purposes. We were also impressed
by Metso Automation’s willingness to
commit. We had an opportunity to meet
some of the project people already before
choosing the system supplier so we knew
communication with them would work.
Metso Automation also provided demo
equipment to Porvoo so we could test
the system properties well in advance. All
in all, Metso Automation took this project
very seriously.” The close location of
Metso Automation maintenance services
in Helsinki and Tampere ensures quick
technical back up, which is important to
Neste Oil.
Transition from the project planning
and implementation phase to operation
presents a whole set of new challenges.
“Development of our own skills is at
the top of the list, and there too, Metso
Automation will assist us by providing
training,” Ari Aitolahti says.
Neste Oil
A developer of cleaner fuels and oil
products
The Neste Oil Porvoo refinery is located on
the South coast of Finland, approximately
20 kilometers from Porvoo towards
Helsinki. The location is along the export
route of Russian crude oil. Approximately
2200 people work in the area, which also
includes a large tank farm, harbor and
technology center.
Neste Oil research is a forerunner in the
development of new, cleaner fuels and
oil products. The Neste Oil processing
plants produce all important oil products
for industry, transports sector and energy
production. The production capacity is
11,000,000 tons per year.
A fourth production line was built in
the Porvoo plant during 2003-2006. It
enables the utilization of heavy fuel oil
in the production of sulphur free diesel.
The new production line started up in the
summer of 2007.
The operations of Neste Oil Corporation
cover oil processing, sales and marketing,
sea transport and engineering.The Porvoo
and Naantali processing plants produce
gasoline, diesel fuels, heating oils, heavy
crude oils, air fuels, bunkers, base oils,
bitumen, solvents, LPG, lubricants and
components of liquid fuels used in traffic.
The corporation employs a total of 4,700
people. The shares of Neste Oil Oyj are
listed on the Helsinki Exchange.
”The Metso team was persistent,and
saw through that the toughest problems
were solved,”says Ari Aitolahti,Refinery
Automation Manager at Neste Oil
Porvoo

4. 09/2007©MetsoAutomation
Metso Automation Inc.
P.O. Box 237 (Lentokentänkatu 11)
FI-33101 TAMPERE, Finland
Tel. +358 20 483 170
Fax +358 20 483 171
www.metsoautomation.com