How Voltex Manages Power Network in the Natural Gas Industry Using ETAP NetPM

The technical aspect of launching ETAP wasn't a significant problem because you installed a server or had a server installed with NetPM, loaded your models, granted people access, ensured the proper permissions, and were up and running. If you're an ETAP user, it doesn't take much to learn to use ETAP NetPM.
By Raul Barrera, Lead Engineer, Voltex Power Engineers

This presentation explores the pivotal role of ETAP's Network Project Manager (NetPM), an innovative solution utilizing ETAP to manage the challenges of power distribution networks in Queensland's Western Downs region, where dynamic infrastructure and evolving gas well lifecycles necessitate robust data collection, network monitoring, and reliable studies, bolstered by stringent cybersecurity measures and a collaborative master model shared among subcontracted consultancies to ensure reliability and efficiency.

Voltex Power Engineers (VPE) specializes in High Voltage Power, from Design to End-of-Life. They manage electrical risk and improve plant reliability through design, protection, commissioning, auditing, maintenance, and asset management. Their familiarity with industry compliance requirements, legislative standards (e.g., AS, IEC, IEEE, ANSI), mining regulations, hazardous areas, and HSE systems enables customers to avoid design issues, performance shortfalls, budget overruns, legislative impediments, and industrial or environmental difficulties. As specialists in high-voltage power and protection system projects, audits, and asset management, with a deep understanding of the industry, they offer world-class project continuity from design to commissioning.

Location: Brisbane, Australia

Year: 2023

Maintain electrical data for the electrical installations of the wells in the large area

Challenges

  • Finding the right tool to read and register information about power systems in the cloud, ensuring effective communication between all stakeholders (generally gas drilling companies).
  • Keeping single-line diagrams with substations and transmission lines of the wells up to date, despite the wells being periodically activated and deactivated. Each well requires a power supply, which is supplied by substations distributed. 
  • Developing collaborative models for electrical power systems that ensure multi-user access, adhere to high-security standards, and manage permissions effectively.
  • Synchronizing various sources of electrical data in the model and enabling communication with different tools.
  • The primary challenge is the organization's change management process. Aversion to changing routine behaviors, such as using spreadsheets and bitmap images, is a significant issue for many people.
  • Coordinating various stages of issue identification, event planning, and role definition. Emphasizing the risks connected to outdated or inaccessible information.
  • Highlighting the risks associated with outdated or inaccessible information.

Which solutions did they choose?

Selected applications

They utilize ETAP Network Project Modeling (NetPM) for real-time information management of the electrical power system, encompassing synchronization, data integration, model coordination, validation, and information transfer. ETAP Digital Twin is also employed as a base solution.

The online etapAPP application, which captures electrical data directly in the wells, is the primary free tool used by stakeholders.

Why do they use ETAP?

Main Customer Benefits

  • Users can utilize the online etapAPP application, the best tool for capturing electrical data in the field and loading it into the virtual model. It eliminates the need for paper documentation. EtapAPP is a free tool for every ETAP user.
  • Modeling of a distributed power network is easy and can be maintained step by step. Single-line diagrams are up to date. It is a significant benefit that can be used to persuade people to change.
  • ETAP NetPM is used for an electrical network topology synchronization and data validation between ETAP Desktops and etapAPP. It serves as a single source of truth for electrical engineers, adhering to standard cybersecurity protocols.
  • Streamlined collaboration with internal and external stakeholders through appropriate access, with defined roles and permissions, is essential to success in change management.
  • Thanks to the data and parameters from the field, an electrical design process and studies are safe and efficient despite the large and sometimes inaccessible area.
  • Clear visualization of the impacts of infrastructure upgrades and changes in the electrical model.

What do they think about ETAP?

Opinions

You can try to investigate a project merchant to determine who did what, but that becomes complex and messy very quickly. Thus, using the ETAP Internet PM proves to be an effective solution.

By Raul Barrera, Lead Engineer, Voltex Power Engineers

In our case, for example, even keeping a single line diagram within the correct data was quite challenging.
So, what's the solution?
For us, it was evident that Etap NetPM was the answer.

By Raul Barrera, Lead Engineer, Voltex Power Engineers



Videos

Natural gas well power network management using ETAP NetPM

Explore our innovative solution utilizing ETAP to manage the challenges of power distribution networks in Queensland's Western Downs region, where dynamic infrastructure and evolving gas well lifecycles necessitate robust data collection, network monitoring, and reliable studies, bolstered by stringent cybersecurity measures and a collaborative master model shared among subcontracted consultancies to ensure reliability and efficiency.


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