September 22, 2011 – EBMag’s associate editor, Alyssa Dalton, was there at the 58th annual IEEE IAS PCIC (Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee) Conference in Toronto, Ont., this week to check out the technical papers and awards presentation. She was tweeting the events while there, and posting LIVE to our Twitter feed with the hashtag #IEEEPCIC. Below, we’ve consolidated all those Tweets for your reading pleasure (in reverse chronological order):

CLICK HERE for our Day 1 photo gallery.

CLICK HERE for our Day 2 photo gallery.

CLICK HERE for our Day 3 photo gallery.

 
#IEEEPCIC -Thx for following along with EBMag’s associate editor, Alyssa Dalton’s live-tweeting. Hopefully you found it useful & informative.

#IEEEPCIC -What a day Day 3 has been! Thx to everyone for the great papers, conversations & laughs, but it’s back to the office for us tmrw.

EBMag is at #IEEEPCIC is visiting with @BurndyLLC, learning about grounding and safety yfrog.com/hw9wgzj

EBMag is at #IEEEPCIC TECO Westinghouse hospitality suite enjoying maple syrup in snow. yfrog.com/nzm9mhj

EBMag is at #IEEEPCIC Weg Hospitality Suite, meeting John Zach and others!

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47: In order to protect your GOOSE, they stress implementing VLANS & testing out the worst-case scenarios.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47: It’s critical to consider how tolerate the network is when it gets flooded with lots of info (a trip), they say.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47: IEC 61850 Standard for substns-they highlight GOOSE messaging, which they call one of the most important aspects.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47: They also note the differences between managed & unmanaged switches-which is helpful for your IT team, they say.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47: They explain the basics about ethernet, ethernet networks & how ethernet switches work.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47: “Network comm is becoming more and more important, & a bigger part of protection schemes.”

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-47 discusses what power engineers need to know about modern & future network comm for plants & substations.

#IEEEPCIC -Back to PM papers with Session 2011-47, presented by Nicholas Seeley (Schweitzer Engineering Labs) & Kurt Concienne (Chevron).

#IEEEPCIC -Just got some compliments from @JimDavis_7 of @SchneiderNA re: EBMag’s live-tweeting at the show. Thanks! Appreciate it.

#IEEEPCIC -And with that, Scappatura concludes today’s luncheon. Hopefully his words can inspire a few more winks tonight for all of us!

#IEEEPCIC -“People don’t like change but it’s the only thing that’s constant. Make the necessary changes to get a life you want.”-Scappatura

#IEEEPCIC -“Take responsibility. If you want your life to be different, go fix it yourself. Quit your job. Move.”- Scappatura

#IEEEPCIC -If there’s something on your mind you can’t solve in 1 night, fix it & make it what you want, Scappatura says. Easy, right?

#IEEEPCIC -“Go vacuum. Go wash the dishes, even if it’s 3am. You’ll be able to sleep after, and sleep better.”-Scappatura

#IEEEPCIC -Now do you go to bed with work on your mind? Scappatura suggests we actually get out of bed & accomplish those tasks.

#IEEEPCIC -“Just know enough about the world to get through the day. That’s all you need.” – Scappatura

#IEEEPCIC -“Stop watching the news & sports highlights. I’ve never seen video or read about Sept 11 & I sleep better for it.”-Scappatura

#IEEEPCIC -Scappatura suggests tips for getting better sleep: remove your TVs and work from the room and try not to sleep angry or worried.

#IEEEPCIC -“What do you think of when in bed?” Scappatura asks. “How you sleep and how much sleep you get really affects your day.”

#IEEEPCIC -Scappatura’s speech starts with him running up on stage in PJs & slippers. His topic? “Waking up on the wrong side of the bed.”

#IEEEPCIC -Today’s luncheon guest speaker is motivational coach Chris Scappatura, president of Contagious Enthusiasm Inc.

#IEEEPCIC -Morning sessions are all wrapped up and it’s time for the 2011 Local Committee Luncheon.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-34: They offer some wise words-if you blame lightning, it’s best to provide surge protection.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-34: “About 98% of transient failures aren’t lightning-related but from voltage transient, restriking, reclosure etc.”

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-34: They list ‘blame’ considerations like insulation inadequacy, scratched wires & high volts/coil voltage stresses.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-34: Failure to identify the root cause of the problem leads to lost opportunity for corrective action, they note.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-34: They stress identifying what killed the motor. “Lightning tends to get a bad rep, the way the family dog does.”

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-34: Chuck Yung & Jim Bryan (EASA) present “Your dog didn’t eat your homework & lightning didn’t kill your motor.”

#IEEEPCIC -Morning, everyone! Associate editor Alyssa Dalton is back live-tweeting from Toronto. Day 3, here we come.

#IEEEPCIC -And with that, the Suites are over for the evening. What a great turnout! EBMag’s Alyssa Dalton is back tweeting tmrw for Day 3.

#IEEEPCIC -The party is just getting started, with the first Hospitality Suites about to open their doors. Which will you be attending?

#IEEEPCIC -I (EBMag’s Alyssa Dalton) just met electrical engineer @BP_America, Alaska, Jason Dalton. Cool! Don’t think we’re related though.

#IEEEPCIC -And with that, the morning technical sessions are over. Time for lunch! Be sure to keep reading for more updates.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-27: He stresses facilities must be inspected by an ‘electrically qualified person’ on an ongoing basis, not a one-time event.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-27: Here’s a shocking stat-“10-15 employees per day are hospitalized from an arc-blast burn,” he says.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-27: He suggests looking at case histories-don’t get paranoid but consider the possible impact on your employees, equip & facility.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-27: “Without a well-developed plan, even small issues can become emergencies. Plan for the worst. It should be a priority.”

#IEEEPCIC -Now Dennis Neitzel (of AVO Training Institute) talks about controlling electrical hazards through effective risk management. Session 2011-27:

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-25: They note you can’t clear an arc-flash where you detect it. “You’ll need to clear the bus because of the ionized air.”

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-25: They suggest methods such as installing arc-resistant switchgears & enabling instantaneous elements during maintenance.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-25: “Since we cannot always turn off the power, we need other reduction methods to deal with arc-flashes,” they say.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-25: The paper argues that plasma still escapes the switchgear even if the door is closed.

#IEEEPCIC -First session of the day- Session 2011-25 arc-flash protection for low/med voltage panels, paper by individuals from Schweitzer Engineering.

#IEEEPCIC -EBMag’s associate editor Alyssa Dalton is back in Toronto to live-tweet today’s events. Check out our hashtag feed for updates!

#IEEEPCIC – Be sure to check out our website: www.ebmag.com throughout the week for updates and photo galleries from the conference!

#IEEEPCIC -What a fun night of hospitality suites! EBMag’s associate editor Alyssa Dalton stopped by to visit with some old and new friends.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-6: Along with using our tools, they advise we keep our eyes, ears & nose alert for weird sounds or smells.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-6: They point out the 3 types & stages of maintenance: breakdown, preventive and predictive. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-6: “What drives your decision to perform maintenance? Ethics? Best practices?” they ask.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-6: Now, Rick Mendler (ConocoPhillips), Gary Osborne (INEOS/Polymers USA) & Monty Janak (Tidal Power) talk electrical equip maintenance.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-5: The availability of electricity is critcal to uptime of production equip, they argue. Regular inspection, tests & repairs matters.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-5: Using Flawlist, they suggest you’ll be able to see a real difference between traditional and flawless turnarounds.

#IEEEPCIC – Session 2011-5: Here’s what they advise- document the details of the facility’s flaws. They outline the 6 steps of the ‘Flawlist’ process.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-5: Ron Derworiz, Nic Leblanc (both of Shell Cda Energy) & Wolfgang Berner (R.Stahl) discuss flawless turnarounds @ petrochem facility.

EBMag’s Alyssa Dalton will be there! MT @SchneiderNA Attending #IEEEPCIC? Visit our hospitality suite in the Spindrift room on 4th floor.

#IEEEPCIC -Wow, the entire room is on their feet for a standing ovation after Lanny’s acceptance speech.

#IEEEPCIC -And congrats also goes to Lanny Floyd, recipient of this year’s Russell W. Mills award.

#IEEEPCIC -Congratulations to PCIC veteran, Craig Wellman who receives this year’s David C. Azbill award.

#IEEEPCIC -IEEE Fellows Presentations & Recognitions go to Tom Neal, PK Sen & Vince Saporita, presented by Blake Lloyd, IAS president elect.

#IEEEPCIC -Now Paul Sullivan, chair, Safety subcommittee, presents the Electrical Safety Excellence award to Jim White.

#IEEEPCIC -This year’s Outstanding Technical Contribution award goes to Roy Cosse.

#IEEEPCIC -Best 2010 PCIC paper is titled “What do the API motor/generator features cost and what do they buy you?”

#IEEEPCIC -And now it’s time for the Awards Luncheon. Congrats to Bill Lockley and Barry Wood for Best Paper from last year’s conference.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-3: ..with common hazards like mech safety, arc flashes during MCC modification & opening doors on an operating motor to obtain IR.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-3: They identify the diff hazards for low/med voltage switchgear (LVSWGR/MVSWGR)& low/med voltage motor control centres (LVMCC/MVMCC).

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-3: The goal, they say, is to discuss/implement features that can be added today or within this R&D cycle, not in the distant future.

#IEEEPCIC -Now Jim Bowen (Aramco Servces Co) & Nick Weber (BP) explore how we can add safety features into the design of electrical substns. Session 2011-3.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-2: How should you deal with such hazards? Possibilities include emerg shutdown, added physical security/barriers & extra generators.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-2: Hazards include natural disasters, & accidental (ie-installation mishaps) or intentional human-caused events (ie-malicious acts).

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-2: They explain a Hazard Impact & Risk Analysis (HIRA) sheet they created which records info like hazard severity & warning time.

#IEEEPCIC -Session 2011-2: A tech session by Paul Guidry & Wahab Mehmood (both of Fluor) which looks @ mitigating hazards that cause downtime @ your facility.

#IEEEPCIC -Chilly morning in downtown Toronto. EBMag’s Alyssa Dalton is here at the IEEE PCIC Conference, ready for a busy day.