End to end capability
HAZOPs, LOPAs, SRSs, SIL verification, validation, and ongoing SIS performance management.
Functional Safety
PCS Upgrade & ESD System Replacement
A UK oil terminal operator upgraded its PCS and ESD systems to address obsolescence, reliability, and operability challenges while strengthening functional safety assurance.
The Challenge
Manual control was carrying risk
A UK oil terminal operator required the replacement and upgrade of both the Process Control System (PCS) and Emergency Shutdown (ESD) system to address equipment obsolescence, declining reliability, and operability challenges.
The existing systems were predominantly operated in manual, with fragmented control interfaces, inconsistent alarm management, and limited automation. These issues reduced situational awareness, made abnormal situation management less effective, and increased operator workload and response times.
The upgrade created an opportunity to implement a fully integrated and automated control and shutdown platform, transforming the facility's control philosophy and delivering significant improvements in safety, reliability, and operability.
ICSS was engaged to provide specialist engineering and commissioning expertise to deliver the PCS and ESD upgrades and support the broader functional safety improvement programme, including independent design verification in accordance with IEC 61511.
Our Scope
Assurance from design to start-up
ICSS provided specialist engineering resources and acted as the Control & Instrumentation (C&I) discipline design authority, responsible for developing and reviewing the PCS and ESD system architecture needed to deliver a cohesive and automated control and shutdown platform.
We oversaw the PCS and ESD suppliers, including review and approval of engineering deliverables, witnessing factory and site testing, and monitoring delivery performance. ICSS also managed the engineering support service contractor, reviewing and approving deliverables to maintain design integrity and project governance.
Our functional safety scope included independent review of the design against IEC 61511. This included desktop HAZOP and LOPA studies, review of Safety Requirement Specifications (SRS), and verification of Safety Integrity Level (SIL) targets.
ICSS also provided specialist commissioning engineering resources and acted as the commissioning authority, ensuring system readiness, validation, and a controlled transition to live operation.
The Result
Safer automated operations
The project delivered a modern, integrated PCS and ESD platform that transformed terminal operations from manual to automated control, significantly improving safety integrity, reliability, and operability.
Through disciplined engineering management, functional safety assurance, and rigorous commissioning oversight, the facility now benefits from enhanced situational awareness, improved control ergonomics, and optimised system performance.
The upgraded PCS and ESD systems were delivered seamlessly, establishing a fully automated control and shutdown environment that replaced largely manual processes.
Enhanced functional safety and operability were achieved through improved alarm management, clearer operator displays, and consistent control logic, setting a stronger benchmark for operational excellence.
Functional Safety
Beyond compliance. Safety that works in practice.
We apply structured engineering, practical experience, and operational insight to go beyond compliance. From early design through to operation and maintenance, we deliver functional safety that works in practice, not just on paper.
Custom tools
Engineering tools built for operators to reduce shutdown durations and cost of functional safety management.
Start Here
Need help with a functional safety project or improvement programme?
Tell us what you are trying to protect, prove, or optimise across greenfield projects, brownfield upgrades, or late-life assets. We will help shape the scope, de-risk the decision, and define a practical route to safer operations.