OCEAN RESOURCES, SEPTEMBER 2001 [RETURN]
Today's business climate is changing. Many processes that in the past were labour-intensive are now done more efficiently through computer automation. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, important decisions have to be made on the spot, and decision makers need access to the most reliable and up-to -date-information available. In the oil and gas industry, where the old adage that "time is money" is especially true even a few minutes of down time translates into thousands of dollars in losses.
Two experienced local companies have joined forces and combined their strengths in order to meet the automation and information management needs of the expanding oil and gas industry.DPL Systems Engineering of Halifax and ASG-Automated Systems Group of Bridgewater recently formed East Coast Systems Engineering Limited (ECSEL), a company designed to provide energy industry clients with engineering and data management services for electrical, instrumentation, automation and information applications.
DPL Systems Engineering was established in 1984 as a registered engineering firm specializing in industrial automation. ASG-Automated Systems Group has been in operation for a decade, providing electrical, automation and mechanical engineering services. ECSEL draws on the experience and diverse abilities of more than 40 engineers and technologists. The compact size of the company allows them to competitively execute dynamic automation solutions .
Sean Hickey, Business Development Coordinator with ECSEL, says that, "by combining our resources, we are able to offer the most comprehensive automation engineering services in the Maritimes." ECSEL can design, build, program and commission electrical, automation and data management systems. These systems allow real time and historical data to be collected, visualized, and transferred seamlessly within an organization. The company is experienced in a variety of WEB-based information systems that allow corporate access regardless of location.
ECSEL has experience designing and fabricating custom control and electrical panels for hazardous locations in offshore applications. ECSEL's two CSA-certified panel fabrication shops total more than 20,000 square feet of workspace.
This is not the first time the two companies have collaborated in providing services to the oil and gas industry. In 1997, DPL and ASG worked together to engineer the power, instrumentation and control systems on the Extended Cohasset projectıs oil production jacket located near Sable Island. That assignment included the detailed design, programming and commissioning for the hot standby PLC system configured with redundant communications to the Bailey distributed control system (DCS). This system allowed operations on the oil production jacket to be automated and controlled from a production platform located 10 miles away.
Mr. Jim Gillis, Vice president and Engineering Manager says that the company is now pursuing a number of opportunities to showcase their capabilities. They have recently responded to the request for expressions of interest on the Deep Panuke project, in conjunction with an Alberta-based company. Mr. Gillis feels there is a lot of work, not only for electrical and control system design, programming and commissioning, but for quality assurance and quality testing." Other opportunities include the Eirik Raude and a number of subcontractors who require localized expertise.
Mark Wentzell, President of ECSEL, suggests that ECSEL offers a number of advantages over larger multi-national companies. "We offer a fast response time in terms of service and availability. As well, we are very cost effective because we are located right here in Atlantic Canada".