The control system also won the Power, Transport and Infrastructure category.

The project provided an automation solution for the coal terminal’s infrastructure. It was designed to allow a minimum staff of 50 to operate and maintain the plant.

This required a high level of automation, extensive diagnostics and condition monitoring, a first up alarm system and integration of data between the controls and corporate systems.

Implementation was fast-tracked. This added to the challenges.

After all, it was a large fast-tracked project with multiple vendors, a greenfield site, the development of project control system standards. The joint venture also had to contend with the unavailability of plant and vendor information when design output was required to progress the works. There was considerable data interchange between the systems to accommodate multiple vendor delivery too.

The control system is based on high-end PLCs.

The motor control centres are fitted with advanced multifunction protection relays and are bus controlled.

Variable speed drives and high voltage switchgear also were bus interfaced and controlled.

The system allows NCIG to monitor the plant’s fundamental business service, track incoming rail delivers and shipping outputs, and manage stockpiles. It also lets staff site-manage product and customer billing and monitor energy and services usage such as water, and lets them manage the plant to business key performance indicators.

The Aurecon-Hatch joint venture teams provided engineering, procurement and construction management services to NCIG for all stages of the coal export terminal project.

This included entire control systems engineering services and system design, function specification for programmable logic controller and supervisory control and data acquisition system configuration, factory testing, site commissioning, performance testing and operator training.