Master Control Station (MCS) – Distributed Control System (DCS) Interface Standardization Network
During your oilfield development, you will utilise the services of many different vendors: one of the areas we have been working on with the industry is the implementation of a “universal translator”: imagine your vendors control systems being plug and play through a common interface. This was the vision for MDIS.
MDIS was formed to optimise the MCS to DCS communications of topside systems by defining and establishing a standard for the interface and in order to simplify implementation of data communication links, whilst increasing the data quality.
By implementing the MDIS standard the operator will benefit from simplified implementation and testing of the MCS – DCS interface, a single common interface to all subsea vendors’ equipment, reducing the risk of interface failures and delivering reliable control and monitoring via the DCS.
The MDIS standard is based on an OPC UA interface. The standard is approaching completion (scheduled for early 2021) and will be submitted to the API for referencing in API 17F. A draft version of the standard is available on the OPC website.
The next main MDIS meeting will take place on 9th /10th September 2020
Please contact Richard Shelton for more information.
