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ABB India Automates First Oil Pipeline Between India & Bangladesh

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ABB India Ltd., the Indian subsidiary of Switzerland-based ABB Schweiz AG, stated in its press release dated 28th March 2023 that it has provided automation services for the India-Bangla Friendship Pipeline (IBFP). IBFP is the first cross-border oil products pipeline between India and Bangladesh.

India-Bangla Friendship Pipeline to Carry High-Speed Diesel

India-Bangla Friendship Pipeline will carry High-Speed Diesel (HSD) from Numaligarh Refinery Ltd.’s (NRL) Siliguri marketing terminal to Bangladesh Oil Corporation’s Parbatipur depot over a distance of 130 Km. Out of this total distance, 6 Km will fall in Indian territory, while the rest will be in Bangladesh.

This cross-border pipeline was recently inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh.

ABB Supplies IIoT-Enabled SCADA Solutions, Leak Detection System to NRL

ABB India has supplied ABB Ability SCADAvantage, its Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-enabled SCADA solution, to NRL for this pipeline. Further, Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) for SCADA and leak detection systems for the 1 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) pipeline have also been supplied to NRL by ABB.

These solutions will enable NRL to monitor operations and ensure safe functioning of this pipeline. Data will be acquired by RTUs, which will help control key parameters of the IBFP such as temperature and pressure. This system will furnish NRL with real-time data about the pipeline which will not only be used for monitoring purposes but will also generate history sheets and reports to manage the IBFP efficiently.

Speaking about the company’s role in this project, Mr. G Balaji, Senior Vice-President, Head of Energy Industries, ABB India, said “The ABB Ability SCADAvantage system will enable safe and reliable monitoring of the pipeline network, allowing operators to access real-time data and make more informed decisions”.

Mr. Rahul Goswami, Chief Manager of Projects, Numaligarh Refinery, said “With ABB’s system, we can effectively monitor and optimize our pipeline operations by having access to real-time information, detailed analysis, and timely interventions”.

Over 5,000 Km of Oil Product Pipelines Automated by ABB India to Date

ABB India has an extensive record of providing pipeline automation solutions for LPG, CNG and other petroleum product pipelines. The company has automated approximately 5,000 Km of such pipelines across India.

ABB India’s first cross-border pipeline automation project was the 69 Km-long Indo-Nepal petroleum products pipeline, which was commissioned in 2019. This pipeline was the first cross-border oil pipeline in South Asia.

About ABB India: ABB India Ltd (Formerly Known as ABB Ltd), founded in 1949, is one of the World’s leading engineering companies and a direct subsidiary of Switzerland-based ABB Group. It has 27 factories in four Indian cities, namely Vadodara, Nashik, Bengaluru and Faridabad.