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Increasing demand for reliable, safe, and efficient power network operation causes network operators to search for an efficient operational platform, gathering all applications and solutions into one integrated platform, model and user interface. Consequently, the electricity market moves in the direction of sophisticated integrated software products, which may unify operation technologies (OT) and information technologies (IT) into a single platform. Proven and award winning Advanced Distribution Management System is Schneider Electric’s response to these growing trends.

Increasing demands for reliable, safe, and efficient operation of natural gas networks cause network operators to require software of growing sophistication. The first comprehensive operational platform for gas, joining all users and applications on one common network model and one user interface, is in development by Schneider Electric and a large European gas transmission system operator. Advanced Gas Management System is based on the proven and award winning Schneider Electric ADMS technologies.

of ADMS research and development. However, it is still a product natively built and strictly targeted for natural gas pipelines. It is a modern, network model based SCADA product with numerous advanced gas management functions. It forms the basis of an enterprise solution that easily integrates with other expert systems, simulators, corporate IT, etc.

Since they are built on the same software platform and infrastructure, and follow the same usability principles and business procedures, ADMS and AGMS together form a unified utility management system for companies that operate both electricity and natural gas networks.

The entire AGMS product suite shares the same single network model database, which means less effort in data management, less cost in integration build and testing, and more robust running. The model is either maintained via AGMS user-friendly graphical tools or imported from external sources, such as a GIS using standards-based integration included in the product, and then used to drive the functionality of the entire system. All the applications share the same single user interface, which allows better and more consistent user experience and more efficient and less error-prone operations. A service-oriented architecture saves integration costs, and fully supported software development kit (SDK) allows integration of the product with other enterprise systems and develop customizations on top of it.

AGMS offers the most innovative user interface in the market. Network is presented in an arbitrary number of schematic views and a geographic view which includes landbase layers for satellite imagery and street and other maps. All information available to the system can be visualized in network views using any customer-defined symbology. Navigation is user friendly, with the possibility to locate assets one click away. Searching is possible by asset name, ID, or location like address, intersection or field marker. Decluttering and visibility profiles allow for easier viewing and better situational awareness.

Detailed model of all pipeline and station assets is kept within the AGMS product. Tools for efficient and user friendly management of the network data, which require a minimum learning curve, are included in the product. Most companies already have a large amount of useful network data in an electronic form in their GIS systems, so the product also provides GIS importer tools to import these data and keep them up-to-date. Job-based model management with configurable workflows allow the process of data entry and promotion to production to be flexible and safe. Such detailed model in AGMS is sufficient to feed any integrated simulation product.

Data acquisition from the field or external systems is performed by using standard SCADA protocols like IEC 608705-104 and IEC 60870-6 (ICCP/TASE 2). Scalable and performant SCADA front-end can support the largest networks with millions of telemetered points. Multiple value sources are allowed, such as telemetry, manual, estimation, calculation and external. Data processing includes alarming, based on an arbitrary number of high/low limits, rate of change, flatline, creep, instrument failure, uncommanded change, abnormal state, etc. Advanced alarm management -like alarm suppression, inhibit, maintenance mode, and limit sets are included. Trend charts are based on past, current, and future values and are flexible in terms of data processing and visualization.

Supervisory control of all discrete and analog values is integrated into all the views of the network, as are all the standard operations like manual override, tag and note placement, etc. All user actions are checked against roles and permissions, as well as assigned areas of responsibility. Then, they are logged in the event database for reporting and auditing purposes. A flexible logbook is provided for operators’ manual entry of important information.

A generic calculation engine allows customers and project implementers to write calculation routines based on C# language, which takes any value from the AGMS system as an input, including model values. User-defined routines can also be used to generate alarms and events or issue commands depending on customer-specific logic.

A proven artificial intelligence algorithm used in both AGMS and ADMS provides a fast and accurate forecast of flow (demand) on all ends of the network based on historical flow data and weather forecast (temperature, cloud cover, wind, humidity). Nominated flows are used instead of the forecast, where available. The flow forecast results are used daily to efficiently create correct and accurate dispatch schedules for the gas transmission networks.

Hosting both the network model and real-time data, AGMS is able to determine the real-time as-operated network state and keep it up to date during all the operations. Topology processing offers a series of features to end users: a flow direction indication - detection and alarming of closed-in areas (areas of the network with no connection to an entry or exit point), and topological tracing which allows for efficient and reliable navigation through the network to the points of operator interest.

AGMS network model and topology processing are aware of different types of gas products transported via network, as well as blending of different gases found in complex transmission networks. With provided estimated values, AGMS offers dynamic coloring based on configurable gas types and calorific values. Visual tracking of the concentration of different gas compounds, often used in networks with varying gas quality, can be used for short-term planning and disturbance tracking.

Due to the compressibility of the gas and the inert nature of the gas transport process, linepack is a value which needs to be monitored during daily operations and actions are often decided depending on the value or trend of the linepack. Similarly, balance between the inflow and outflow of the natural gas gives the transmission network operators information about whether network buffer is increasing or decreasing. Balance and linepack are calculated in near real-time and reported for the entire network and per smaller network parts. Reports also include the past and future values of balance and linepack, allowing operators to monitor trends and react timely.

Pipeline inspection and cleaning is an important part of transmission network operations. AGMS streamlines the processes of pipeline pigging by allowing an arbitrary number of user-defined pig routes and tracking the pigs based on the network topology and estimated or telemetered gas speed values.