| CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM |
| By: Joe Carroll |
| In 1968 1968 a project was
developed to computer control and consolidate all refinery units into
one control center. (This did not include the power houses) |
| TO SEE LARGER COPIES
OF THESE PHOTOS CLICK ON THE PHOTO. TO RETURN, CLICK ON THE LARGE
PHOTO. |
 |
| Photo 1 shows the
control room under construction. The first floor housed the three
computers and the second floor was the actual control center and
supervisors offices. For those that may be familiar with the
refinery, this was just north of the number 10 pipestill. |
.jpg) |
| Photo number 2 shows
the completed and in service control center. Note the Cat Cracker
in the background. |
 |
| Photo
number 3 shows the panel operator with the units under his control.
This was the Cat Cracker and the associated light ends fractionation
units. |
 |
| Photo number 4 shows
the back-up panel and recorders for the four largest pipestills.
If Joe remembers correctly the combined capacity at the time was over
450,000 barrels of crude a day. |
 |
| Photo number 5 shows
the entire Cat & Light ends area back-up control panels. The two
men on the right are standing in front of the computer control panel
(One is the operator and the other is Gerry Smit, the process foreman.)
The other two men on the left are the operator and the instrument
supervisor Felix Bikker who was responsible for the control center. |
 |
| Photo number 6 shows
the entire crude processing area as well as the tar plant and a small
"rerun" unit that was located north of #1 power house. |
| It is interesting to
note the computers we use at home today have 100 times more power that
those used to control the refinery in 1968. However at the time
the control center was built it was on the cutting edge of technology. |
| At the time this
control center was placed in service, another was built near the docks
that automated the tank farm, ship loading, and product blending.
It too was very successful. |
|
RETURN TO THE DIRECTOR OF JOE
CARROLL'S PHOTOS |
| |
| |