COMPUTER BASED CONTROL AND TELECONTROL SYSTEMS FOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION PLATFORMS AND PIPELINES.

A description is given of the system approach to offshore computer based control and telecontrol systems. The types of system configurations to perform various tasks are described and reasons for siting control centers discussed. Differences between local centers, centralized control systems and distributed control systems are described. Telemetry equipment and apppropriate computer equipment are generally discussed with particular reference to the hardware and software facilities they should offer and the environmental and reliability aspects. Reference is made to installed systems. Operator interfaces are discussed in some detail. Comments are presented on the linking of computers using data links and packet switching techniques so that they may be used as an efficient tool for total oil field management.