Engineer-in-a-plant-Petrokemya-Jubail-2017-08-1

SABIC T&I PI System

Engineering & Marketing International
Technology

Aveva

Industry

Chemical Manufacturing

Client

SABIC T&I

Country

KSA

Goals

Upgrade PI Server from 32-bit to 64-bit architecture. Migrate 10 years of historical PI data seamlessly. Modernize interface nodes across five plants. Implement PI Asset Framework and PI Buffering for enhanced reliability.

Challenges

Obsolete PI Server platform limiting compatibility and support. Migrating extensive historical data without loss or disruption. Coordinating upgrades across multiple. distributed interface nodes. Minimizing downtime during migration and upgrade.

Solutions

Installed 64-bit PI Server on high-performance new hardware. Upgraded system to PI 2015 version with enhanced features. Migrated all historical data intact to the new environment. Upgraded six interface nodes and implemented PI Buffering. Deployed PI Asset Framework on dedicated node for structured asset modeling.

Results

Robust, modern 64-bit PI System infrastructure with full backward compatibility. Preserved data integrity ensuring continuous historical access. Improved interface performance and system reliability across plants. Enabled structured data organization and future analytics expansion. Future-proofed PI system supporting SABIC’s innovation and operations.

SABIC T&I PI System Migration and Upgrade

In 2016, EMI successfully executed a comprehensive migration and upgrade of the PI System at SABIC’s Technology and Innovation (T&I) Center located in Saudi Arabia. The existing system was running an outdated PI Server, which posed risks related to reliability, compatibility, and scalability. The project’s core objective was to modernize this critical data infrastructure by transitioning to a robust 64-bit architecture while ensuring uninterrupted access to historical data accumulated over a decade.

This upgrade encompassed a full migration of ten years’ worth of historical PI data to the new environment without loss or corruption, guaranteeing continuity in long-term data analysis and reporting essential for R&D and operational activities. Additionally, EMI upgraded interface nodes spanning five separate plants, enhancing data collection efficiency and communication reliability. A key part of the project was implementing PI Asset Framework (AF), which introduced structured asset modeling capabilities to facilitate organized data representation and enable advanced analytics. To improve data resilience, PI Buffering was integrated to protect data integrity during network outages or communication interruptions.

Throughout the migration and upgrade process, EMI managed the transition carefully to minimize downtime and operational impact, coordinating with multiple plant environments and ensuring a smooth cutover.
The result was a future-proofed PI System infrastructure that elevated SABIC’s data management capabilities, enhanced system reliability, and provided a scalable platform to support ongoing innovation and operational excellence.