WATERTOWN, CONN (July 12, 2007) – Emerson Process Management, a business of Emerson, has expanded its Smart Wireless solutions family with the addition of native communications capability for integration of wireless field networks to the ROC800-Series Remote Operations Controller. The ROC800 Smart Remote Wireless Interface Card enables the ROC800-series to support wireless field networks.  This, in turn, allows oil and gas operators to improve asset predictability, manage remote assets more profitably, improve maintenance efficiency and effectiveness, and deliver cost reductions in asset construction time.

Wireless technology has long been used in the oil and gas industry where production and distribution systems can span hundreds of kilometers. In this industry, Emerson's remote operations controllers communicate with instrumentation at wellheads, pipelines, and other remote sites. Secure and robust wireless technology centralizes access, helping users improve safety and minimize risk of dangerous environments. Furthering these benefits, Emerson's enhancement of the ROC800 adds wireless functionality to the company's Smart Remote Automation Solutions, which further extends the predictive intelligence of PlantWeb digital architecture into remote oil and gas locations.

The new ROC800 Smart Wireless Interface Card allows the ROC800-Series Remote Operations Controller to communicate directly with any mix of up to 30 wireless temperature transmitters or wireless pressure transmitters over the self organizing mesh field network. This has significant cost benefits when used for monitoring process variables that may be located up to 200 meters away from the RTU. Wiring of instrumentation has significant costs in these environments since land is often leased and surfaces may be rocky and difficult for wiring. The remoteness of such locations also makes manual monitoring very expensive.

Since Smart Wireless monitoring points enable up to 90 percent installed cost reduction as compared with wired installations, the technology opens significant opportunities for operations improvement. Field instruments that use the wireless self-organizing network approach can be installed to bring in diagnostic information from points that could not be monitored earlier because of cost constraints. There are a number of applications in these patches that can benefit from low cost incremental monitoring.

The predictive intelligence provided by the ROC800 with the Smart Wireless Interface Card increases process availability and eliminates unnecessary field trips for data retrieval, configuration changes, and asset profiling.

Through enabling online monitoring with deep-dive diagnostics and notification of potential problems, Smart Wireless helps users prevent unplanned downtime. Further, it extends asset lifecycles through proactive asset management. Scheduled maintenance is now linked to actual asset performance to target the highest value equipment.

Orders are being accepted today with shipping scheduled to start in early November 2007.

You can learn more about the ROC800 and other Remote Automation Solutions from Emerson Process Management at www.emersonprocess.com/remote.

About Emerson Process Management

Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com/home), an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the water and wastewater, chemical, oil and gas, refining, power, pulp and paper, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and other industries. Remote Automation Solutions (www.emersonprocess.com/remote), a division of Emerson, is a worldwide leader in the supply and commissioning of products services, and engineered systems to the oil, gas, water, wastewater and process industries. Smart Remote Automation, systems and solutions are an example of Emerson's combining of superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Emerson brands include PlantWeb®, Bristol®, ControlWave®, ROC, FloBoss™, Daniel®, Brooks®, Fisher®, Micro Motion®, Rosemount®, Mobrey®, DeltaV™, Ovation®, and AMS™ Suite.

About Spartan Controls

Spartan Controls sells, applies and services products that measure, control, and automate processes for the process industries in Western Canada. Dedicated to delivering great service and value, Spartan serves the oil and gas, power, pulp and paper, mining, chemical, water treatment and other process industries. As well, Spartan continually invests to provide differentiated local support for their customers. 

For more information you can download the following documents:

Smart Remote Automation Document
ROC 809 Operations Controller Spec Sheet
Smart Wireless Communications Interface Spec Sheet