An upgrade of the Melbourne Airport JUHI fuel hydrant control system hardware and software by Norton Consultants was successfully completed and cut-over on 5 September 2017.

Following project feasibility studies by Norton Consultants in mid-2010, this multi-year multi-site project required meticulous E&I engineering and software design, project planning and liaison involving stakeholders from various major Oil Companies and other major engineering consultancies, equipment suppliers and contractors.

This project commenced in June 2012 with a staged upgrade of the Somerton Jet Pipeline (Mobil Altona Refinery and Viva Energy Newport Terminal to Mobil Somerton Terminal) control system, followed in November 2015 by a similar upgrade of the Tullamarine Jet Pipeline (Mobil Somerton Terminal to Melbourne JUHI) control system and culminating in the recent upgrade of the Melbourne JUHI control system.

These upgrades necessitated complete replacement of ageing control system infrastructure at both Melbourne JUHI and Mobil Somerton Terminal.

The challenges of this project were many and varied including the need for all upgrade and replacement work to be carried out on systems in full operation, with fuel demand increasing on an almost weekly basis. This required extensive planning, stakeholder consultation and some novel approaches to E&I design, software development, installation supervision and commissioning carried out under the direction of Norton Consultants personnel.

Through significant increases in system reliability, maintainability and data supply to JUHI Operations and Maintenance, this new hybrid PLC / RTU / SCADA system now forms a dependable backbone upon which future capacity upgrades at this site can be built to meet the needs of a rapidly-growing international airport.

Norton Consultants Pty Ltd is an Australian-based electrical engineering consultancy which specialises in both hazardous areas and highly-reliable process control and is dedicated to providing clients and the general public with the safest, most efficient, cost effective and technologically advanced plant and equipment available.

Over the last two decades Norton Consultants have been at the forefront in developing modern electrical control systems for airport refuelling systems at both major and minor domestic and international airports within Australia and the Australasian region.

To see how we can assist you with your next project, please contact us using the enquiry form.