Intelligent system for start-up of a petroleum offshore platform

It is difficult to control and to manage the start-up of a petroleum offsho re platform. In order to solve this problem an intelligent system can play an important role, since available qualitative operator and design knowledg e can be easily implemented to assist the operator during start-up. This pa per describes the integration of an expert system with a fuzzy controller a pplied to such a process. The intelligent system has many heuristic rules t o implement the automation of the start-up procedures, like the opening of many on-off valves while simultaneously monitoring process variables. It al so has a fuzzy controller to optimize the opening of the oil wells, in orde r to minimize the start-up time. This intelligent system is being implement ed in the platform P-19 of Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company, in Campos Basin, Brazil. The prototype has been operating since October 1998. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.