When critical lifting operations take place hundreds of miles offshore, reliability is measured not only by operational performance but by the ability to maintain control when every second counts. It is this challenge that led Norwegian engineering contractor Aibel to partner with Brierley Hill-based electrical control systems specialist Banelec to develop an innovative emergency control solution for one of the world’s most significant offshore energy developments.
Working on the Johan Sverdrup platform in the Norwegian North Sea, Banelec designed and manufactured an industry-first double redundancy control system for specialist gantry cranes operating on the blowout preventer (BOP) deck – one of the most safety-critical environments on an offshore installation.
The project drew upon Banelec’s extensive expertise in hazardous area electrical control systems, functional safety and bespoke automation engineering to create a solution capable of maintaining safe crane operation even in the unlikely event of a primary system failure.
Unlike conventional crane control systems, the new design incorporates two completely independent control systems housed within a single enclosure. Should the primary control system detect a fault during a lifting operation, the crane automatically transitions into an Emergency Operating System (EOS), allowing operators to safely recover suspended loads at controlled low speed before maintenance teams investigate the fault.
The approach provides an additional layer of operational resilience while helping safeguard personnel, equipment and the surrounding working environment.
Dean Banner, Managing Director of Banelec, said the project demonstrated how specialist control engineering can solve some of the most demanding operational challenges found anywhere in industry.
“When equipment operates in hazardous offshore environments, resilience has to be engineered into every stage of the control system. The objective was to create a solution that maintains safe operational capability whenever it is required.”
“Designing a completely independent secondary control system within the same enclosure required significant engineering expertise across electrical control, functional safety and hazardous area applications. It reflects the level of technical capability that Banelec brings to complex projects across the energy sector.”
At the heart of the solution is a high-integrity programmable safety controller operating to Performance Level e (PLe), supported by dedicated safety modules, master and slave relay architecture and independent switching logic. Together, these systems continuously monitor operational status and automatically transfer control to the secondary Emergency Operating System whenever required.
The duplicated architecture ensures the backup system remains entirely independent of the primary controls, allowing essential lifting operations to continue under tightly controlled conditions while preserving the highest levels of operational safety.
For offshore operators, the benefits extend beyond equipment reliability. Maintaining controlled crane operation during critical recovery scenarios helps minimise operational disruption while providing engineers with a safe platform from which to investigate and rectify any primary system fault.
Banner believes projects such as Johan Sverdrup illustrate how automation continues to evolve beyond productivity alone.
“Modern control systems are increasingly about operational assurance as much as automation. Customers are looking for intelligent systems that provide resilience, maintain continuity and support safe decision-making throughout the life of an asset.”
“As infrastructure across offshore energy, nuclear, defence and advanced manufacturing becomes more sophisticated, the demand for high-integrity electrical control systems continues to grow. These are the types of engineering challenges where specialist knowledge delivers genuine value.”
Today, Banelec continues to apply the same principles across complex automation and electrical control projects throughout the energy, defence and advanced manufacturing sectors, delivering bespoke systems where reliability, safety and engineering performance remain mission critical.