Vendor management
System integrator and OEM management including specification, review, and system acceptance.
Systems Engineering
ICSS Upgrade
A major UK oil and gas operator modernised an ageing Integrated Control and Safety System to reduce production losses, improve operability, and strengthen control performance.
The Challenge
Ageing systems were costing production
This project, delivered for a major UK oil and gas operator, involved the upgrade of an Integrated Control and Safety System (ICSS) to address obsolescence, reliability, and operability issues that had been contributing to significant production losses.
In addition to ageing hardware and software, the existing system had operability challenges arising from poor situational awareness, ineffective abnormal situation management, and suboptimal control scheme design.
We were engaged to provide specialist engineering and commissioning expertise to deliver the ICSS upgrade, improve control performance, and enhance operational effectiveness through system redesign and optimisation.
Our Scope
Controlled migration, stronger operation
ICSS provided specialist ICSS engineering resources and acted as the Control & Instrumentation (C&I) discipline design authority, giving the project clear technical ownership across the upgrade scope.
Our team developed the detailed migration strategies and commissioning procedures needed to protect operations through the pre-shutdown, shutdown, and post-shutdown phases. We also managed the ICSS supplier, including review and approval of deliverables, witnessing factory and site testing, and monitoring delivery performance.
All modifications were delivered in strict adherence with the client's change management procedures and required standards for safety and operational integrity. ICSS also provided specialist commissioning engineering resources, acted as commissioning authority, and delivered on-call engineering support throughout all project phases.
The scope also included support for redesigning the Central Control Room from first principles, improving operator ergonomics, visibility of critical plant information, and overall situational awareness.
The Result
Modern control without disruption
The project successfully delivered a modernised, reliable, and operator-friendly ICSS, strengthening both safety integrity and operational performance.
Through control optimisation, enhanced HMI design, and improved control room ergonomics, the facility now benefits from stronger situational awareness, reduced operator workload, and greater process stability.
The upgraded ICSS and associated modifications were delivered flawlessly through disciplined engineering management and effective supplier oversight. Robust migration and commissioning strategies also enabled zero unplanned disruption to production during the pre-shutdown, shutdown, and post-shutdown phases.
The completed upgrade improved system operability and control performance through enhanced control scheme design and optimised operator interfaces.
Systems Engineering
Change without chaos. Flawless execution.
Whether delivering plant modifications, system upgrades, or resolving performance issues, we apply rigorous systems thinking to ensure that every change is specified unambiguously, understood by all stakeholders, and executed flawlessly.
Application engineering
PCS, ESD, F&G, and BMS application design, auto generation, auto test, release, and installation.
Start Here
Need help with a systems engineering upgrade or improvement programme?
Tell us what you are trying to specify, change, or optimise across your control and safety systems. We will help shape the scope, de-risk the decision, and define a practical route to controlled delivery.