Since 1879, Chevron has been on the cutting edge of exploration and innovation. Over the years they have grown and changed with the times and have always continued to evolve along with the needs of the world. Today, they are not only one of the largest companies in the world; they are a global leader in technology. When Chevron needed a new technology for plant management, they chose ThinManager.
Time to Upgrade
For years, Chevron had used custom built remote units for their facilities to work within custom parameters specific to their industry regulations. After years of dealing with the added resource cost in cash and labor, a project manager made the suggestion to switch to thin clients as a hardware solution at a specific plant. The suggestion was met with approval and they began the task of searching for a thin client management platform that could meet their needs.
Another Great Discovery
After using the same HMI over the last decade for their basic platform and integration services, it was time to look beyond the known and find the next piece of the puzzle. While searching and calling around to other software companies and integrators, they encountered the answer in their own backyard. The ThinManager Roadshow came to town, and after experiencing the hands-on demonstration and seeing ThinManager in action, the decision was made to begin implementation. The decision to change from PC “fat clients” to a complete thin client install was made for them by the sheer effectiveness of the ThinManager platform demonstration they attended.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Deciding to not rush into anything, Chevron decided to move forward with a single plant deployment of ThinManager. “My intent with this project was to get the most out of every piece of technology,” said B.K. Wallace, the Infrastructure Server Analyst overseeing the project. He brought in new servers and updated to InTouch 10 and Windows server 2008. Then, with the help of his current HMI integrator, he began tying together all his systems to take advantage of the ThinManager MultiMonitor feature. After initial testing, everything worked well together and full test deployment was underway.
Planning for Success
The goal for the planned integration was to install two Terminal Servers and thin clients in place of eight PC “fat clients” and to deploy ThinManager in conjunction with their HMI software. By making use of MultiMonitor, IP Cameras, and TermSecure, they planned to set up an efficient and secure operation by using Smart HID cards to create an audit trail while allowing for a supervisor to view what was happening at every station via a centralized terminal that could display 5 client screens simultaneously. “Before, we could only shadow a single HMI with our old brick,” stated B.K. Wallace.
More than Affordable
Even while looking to build the most modern system available, cost was still a factor. Over the course of deployment, they were able to sell their old licenses to defray upgrade costs. By purchasing a Mirrored 5-Pack of ThinManager 5.0 XLi licenses from ACP, they were able to take advantage of every available ThinManager feature. With the additional purchase of COMP Support for 1 year, they not only receive one year of support, but also get all version upgrades at no cost. “The first thing I plan to do when we complete deployment is to upgrade our other plants with ThinManager 6.0.”
What about Tomorrow?
Even though they are still completing their test deployment by running the platform in parallel to their current system, they are already looking into the future. With a process control group that spans from Alabama to Wyoming, and 180 servers, there is room for a massive deployment in the future. “This plant will be the footprint for all our CO2 plants around the country.”
