Process Control Network Infrastructure and SCADA System Upgrade

Complete upgrade of existing processing and mining SCADA system for St Barbara Limited’s Leonora Operations, including the installation of new server/client computer infrastructure and upgraded SCADA project to ensure reliability, efficient system maintenance and most up-to-date support and security.

FCEng Scope

• Upgrading existing site SCADA projects to most up-to-date version.
• Design assistance with new server/client network interface and topology to integrate with existing brownfield system.
• Offsite system build, configuration and testing of new virtual Windows Servers (W2K8 R2) for Process Control Network (PCN) Domain Controller, Application Server (Virus Protection) and SCADA Servers.
• Offsite system build, configuration and testing of SCADA client machines (Windows 7).
• Deployment of new PCN devices (servers and client machines) on-site.
• Migrating existing SCADA system data history to new system.
• Testing and monitoring functionality of upgraded control system in parallel with existing system.
• Commissioning of upgraded system and decommissioning of old system.

Project Summary

Comprehensive off-site configuration and testing helped ensure seamless integration of the new PCN devices and upgraded SCADA projects to run in parallel with sites previously existing SCADA system. This established the foundations required to facilitate the detailed comparison of the two systems (side-by-side) for operational and behavioural consistency analysis. Having the installation and commissioning of the upgrade coincide with a scheduled site shutdown further assisted with ensuring the smooth transition to the upgraded system, without any disturbances to production.

Project Referee

Mr Andrew Fisher (Project Manager)