據哈特能源7月19日消息，埃克森美孚已于7月18日與另外六家公司簽署合作協議，加速開發開放式流程自動化(OPA)系統。

目前參與此次合作的公司包括沙特阿美服務公司、巴斯夫石油公司、康菲石油公司、陶氏化學公司、埃克森美孚研究與工程公司、喬治亞-太平洋有限責任公司和林德公司。

計算機硬件、軟件、網絡和安全方面的進步，加上日益加劇的全球競爭和網絡安全風險，已促使流程行業考慮如何更新流程自動化系統的設計和維護。流程自動化系統在工業制造設施中扮演著類似眼睛和耳朵的角色。

這種協作的最終目標是加速創建基于標準的、開放的、可互操作的、安全的自動化體系結構，該體系結構同時處理當前系統的技術和面對的商業挑戰。在這個新的數字時代，這種轉變對于終端用戶和供應商的競爭力都是必不可少的。

埃森克美孚正在開發一個測試平臺，供OPA系統的協作伙伴測試使用，它將作為測試單個組件、標準性能和操作的基礎。一旦測試臺功能全面，協作伙伴將指定并優先考慮要添加和測試的新組件、標準和系統特性。埃克森美孚的OPA系統測試臺計劃在2019年底前投入使用。

該測試臺的結果將與所有合作伙伴共享，其經驗將支持獨立的實地試驗，鼓勵所有合作伙伴開展自己的獨立實地試驗。

程張翔 編譯自 哈特能源

原文如下：

Exxon Mobil Inks Agreement To Accelerate Open Process Automation Development

Exxon Mobil has signed collaboration agreements with six other companies to accelerate the development of Open Process Automation (OPA) systems on July 18.

The companies currently included in this collaboration are Aramco Services Co., BASF, ConocoPhillips Co., The Dow Chemical Co., Exxon Mobil Research and Engineering Co., Georgia-Pacific LLC and Linde PLC.

Advances in computer hardware, software, networking and security, coupled with increasing global competition and cybersecurity risks, have driven the process industry to consider ways to update the design and maintenance of process automation systems, which serve as the eyes and ears inside industrial manufacturing facilities.

The ultimate goal of this collaboration is to accelerate the creation of a standards-based, open, interoperable, and secure automation architecture that addresses both the technical and commercial challenges of current systems. This transformation is imperative for the competitiveness of both end-users and suppliers in this new digital age.

A test bed is being developed for use and testing by the collaboration partners for the OPA systems, which will act as the foundation for testing the performance and operation of individual components and standards. Once the test bed is fully functional, the collaboration partners will nominate and prioritize new components, standards, and system features to be added and tested. Exxon Mobil’s OPA systems test bed is targeted to be operational by year-end 2019.

The results from the test bed will be shared with all collaboration partners and the learnings will support independent field trials. All partners are encouraged to develop their own independent field trials.