FUELS AND OILS
For Rio Tinto Amrun, Banlaw crafted a state of
the art fuel management solution solution,
customised to meet what was a complex
specification from a technology and assurance
standpoint
Paul Moore reports on the state of the
art fuel management system at Rio
Tinto’s Amrun project, plus reviews
best practice for fuels and oils as well
as some site applications
High octane mining
T
he best examples of fuel management in
mining are from the most recent and state
of the art projects using the most up to
date fuel systems. Rio Tinto’s new Amrun Project
is to produce some 22.8 Mt/y of bauxite for the
local production of aluminium, as well as direct
export to markets north of Australia. Some $1.9
billion is being spent to expand production from
one of the world’s premier bauxite deposits,
which has the potential for expansion to around
50 Mt/y. Global fuel management major
Banlaw’s involvement is the design,
engineering, and supply of two fuel facilities.
“Banlaw was engaged at EOI stage. Rio Tinto
has some history with Banlaw solutions from
other current operations. This allowed for
references from existing sites to be obtained,
and the benefits of choosing Banlaw once again
to be made evident. Banlaw crafted a design
solution, customised to meet what was a
complex specification (from a technology and
assurance standpoint). Banlaw specialists in the
fields of mechanical, electrical, software,
automation, hazardous areas as well as
machine and facilities maintenance were all
involved in the planning process. Leveraging our
team’s wide range of skills, Banlaw proposed a
creative blend of technologies to deliver the
required project scope at a competitive price-
point. The Banlaw proposal also focused heavily
on the environmental considerations of the
project site itself with a view to enable ease-of-
deployment and long term reliable operation.”
The project includes Banlaw’s FuelTrack™
Dry Break Auto ID dispensing hardware (for
heavy vehicles) and Banlaw FuelTrack™ Splash
Fill Auto ID dispensing hardware (for light and
medium vehicles). The fuel management
software used is Banlaw ResTrack™ RMS
(Resource Management System) with Banlaw
FuelTrack™ Advanced Controllers and Banlaw
FuelTrack™ Tank Side Controllers. Infrastructure
includes unloading skids, transfer skids,
dispensing skids, LV bowsers, bulk air
eliminators, temperature-compensated
metering, self-bunded tanks, loading arms,
filtration solutions and custom process control
systems (PLC, MCC, SCADA).
The engineering involved was extensive: the
design of two distinct fuel farms from a
mechanical, electrical, and operational/process
perspective, plus the engineering of two tank
facilities, each with two tanks deployed
immediately, and the ability to add two
additional tanks to each facility in the future
(400,000 litres to 880,000 litres of diesel
storage). All fluid management functions are
deployed on prefabricated skids. The skids are
pre-assembled, prewired, pre-tested and ready
to drop-and-go. “On-site commissioning is as
simple as connecting inlets, outlets, and power.
The skids are self-bunded, and incorporate
custom pipework as well as pumping, filtration,
metering, air-elimination, and fuel management
functions.” Significant PLC and motor control
functionality enables advanced remote process
control, a nd the automation of stock management.
For supply itself and unloading two unloading
skids are equipped with a single pump and
specified to unload 1,100 lpm of diesel. Both
skids incorporate a bypass line for unloading
using the tanker pump when needed, and are
self-bunded. Two Banlaw Bulk Air Eliminators
are incorporated into the unloading skids (one
for each fuel farm). “This functionality removes
free air from bulk fluids, dramatically increasing
metering accuracy, and protecting flow meters
in the process.” The unloading skids incorporate
a user interface for the Fuel Management
System to capture delivery manifest information
and allow inwards transactions to be initiated.
The storage tanks include three 110,000 litre
self-bunded tanks delivered to site which are
appropriately engineered, and constructed of
all-Australian steel. The tanks incorporate
filtered tank breathers with local analogue
display. Automatic tank gauging consists of a
Banlaw Precision ATG that monitors all tank
levels and temperatures in real time, interfacing
directly with the fuel management architecture.
There are also Overfill Protection Systems (for
each tank). The primary method is actuated
valves on the inlet of each tank triggered to
close based on a configurable high level signal
from the guided-wave radar level probes. The
secondary method is a SIL-rated high/high level
probe connected to a safety-rated controller.
This triggers a fail/closed valve, and also
disables the pumps on the unloading skid. For
transfers there is a diesel generator transfer
skid which pumps fuel on request to the diesel
generator day tanks. Automated requests from
the power station are PLC controlled. An NMI-
certified Coriolis ‘mass flow meter’ is
incorporated into the transfer skid. The
NMI/Custody Transfer certified meter allows
highly accurate reconciliation of diesel
consumed by third parties.
For lighter vehicles dispensing equipment
includes two fuel bowsers: 1 x LV 40 lpm bowser
and one MV 80 lpm bowser. These are equipped
with Splash Fill Auto ID vehicle identification
equipment and wirelessly communicate with the
Fuel Management Controller, eliminating
manual process steps. For heavy vehicles there
The Amrun project includes Banlaw FuelTrack
Advanced Controllers and Banlaw FuelTrack
Tank Side Controllers
JULY 2018 | International Mining 37