Yokogawa Announces Partnership with Petrobras to Test ISA100 Field Wireless

Petrobras' Alberto Pasqualini Refinery

A wireless network can be used to connect a control system with field devices that are distributed throughout a plant. Such networks have many advantages that include reducing cabling and other installation costs and allowing the installation of equipment in difficult to wire locations.

Although the majority of wireless installations in the past two years have been done using the rival standard to ISA100.11a, IEC62591-WirelessHART, Yokogawa's championing of the ISA wireless standard is extremely important because Yokogawa is in the top five of field device manufacturers in the world. Absent such a champion, ISA100-11a would have already become a dead letter.

Petrobras wants to gather more data about the use of this technology in its production processes with the aim of assessing wireless communication robustness and performance. In so doing, it will be able to properly apply this technology and fully explore its benefits. Yokogawa is going to provide Petrobras the technical support needed.

Through this partnership, Yokogawa will provide Petrobras technical support on the use of field wireless communications and have the opportunity to demonstrate its field wireless products at this company’s test plant. Building on its strong global track record in delivering control systems, sensors, and advanced field wireless technology, Yokogawa will utilize this partnership with Petrobras to push the use of ISA100.11a compliant products. Yokogawa claims that Petrobras will be the first to introduce such wireless communications technology that Yokogawa calls "Wireless Anywhere." Yokogawa will support the conduct of large scale tests of field wireless systems at a Petrobras test plant.These tests will provide data to enable Yokogawa to further develop wireless products.