Building the Next-Generation Process Automation System: An O-PAS Field Pilot Initiative Between Schneider Electric & Petroleum Development Oman

The evolution of process automation has been largely dominated by legacy control systems. Although these systems are reliable and robust, they are closed, proprietary in nature. These legacy systems have costs of upgrades and maintenance, due to the specific, custom nature of their components and the lack of interoperability between different systems. Additionally, system security often comes as an afterthought and maintenance updates are required after install to maintain the current level of security or regulatory standards, especially in an increasingly connected world. Industrial manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce both the capital and lifecycle expenses of their process control systems while enhancing operational profitability. Even though modern automation systems incorporate certain improvements, integrating best-in-class, third-party components into proprietary, closed systems remains a challenge. Moreover, despite the ongoing efforts by automation vendors to adopt industry-standard security measures and best practices, these systems lack the built-in cybersecurity measures needed to protect operations, equipment assets, and other capital investments. The solution to these impediments is an open, interoperable, and secure-by-design process automation architecture. Open, interoperable systems stimulate growth in the supplier market, reducing costs through heightened choice and competition. They facilitate the integration of products from multiple vendors, enabling the adoption of best-fit and best-in-class components. Ensuring future automation systems embrace and reinforce standards that promote genuine heterogeneity, inherent security, multi-vendor interoperability, future-proof innovation, and an uncomplicated pathway for system migration will enable end users to derive more values and profitability from their controlled operations. This case study is a field pilot, a collaboration between Schneider Electric, and Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) aimed at demonstrating some of the Open Process Automation™ Standard (O PAS™) requirements which is one of the emerging next-generation process automation system. Additionally, the O-PAS will accelerate the digital transformation of industry. The O PAS™ redefines the architecture of industrial automation and control systems, enabling the development of scalable, modular, interchangeable, secure-by-design, and interoperable distributed control systems. This initiative leverages the IEC 61499 architecture and UniversalAutomation.org (UAO) to achieve these objectives of the pilot to demonstrate these requirements and implement a multi-vendor architecture.