WaterForce: Automation & Control Systems

Water Transfer and Automation—the leading edge of efficiency and performance

We maintain a proprietary and industry-leading industrial automation and control system, WaterForce, for use in water transfer, wastewater management, and water system operations and maintenance. WaterForce is capable of operating customized, mobile, and ruggedized water transfer systems, designed to operate in remote conditions and extreme terrain scenarios. Keystone’s on-staff engineers and automation technicians customize unique SCADA control scenarios for each unique water transfer system in support of clean, natural gas development.

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Key Features

Keystone’s WaterForce has been designed to allow for total water management and control from a command trailer, which includes connectivity to customized automated equipment, including “smart” manifolds, automated valves, remote pump control, and a variety of control and remote instrumentation, unique to each operation.

Communication

  • Cellular, mesh radio, fiber optics, & satellite
  • Best-in-class hardware for mission-critical operations to always connected

Programmable Logic

  • Safety interlocks at every level
  • Localized control logic prevents spills, over-pressured lines, and over-heated pumps

Transparency

  • Integrated customer transparency
  • View real-time and historical data on flow rates, tank levels, pressures, pump status, and more
Waterforce Command Center

Key Differentiators

  • Operators remotely control pump and valve functions but are governed by alarming suite with emergency shut down (ESD) interlocks
  • Wireless Tank Level Monitoring interlocked with pump control to ESD and prevent overflow
  • Built-in pressure sensors interlocked with pump control to ESD and prevent high pressures and line blowouts
  • Multiple communications options including dual-cellular SIM with automatic failover, mesh radio, fiber-optics, and Starlink satellite networks
  • Automation bypass integration allows for the automated system to be completely bypassed in order to operate manually
  • Industrial-grade cybersecurity protected network
  • Fully Automatic frac water transfer engineering – no remote control necessary

Fleet Options

  • Optional CCTV surveillance system
  • Optional LEL monitoring auto-shutdown available at pumps

Command Trailer

  • Industrial-grade SCADA
  • Dual monitors for pump status and tank level display
  • Wireless tank level monitoring
  • Plug and play radio, cellular, fiber optics, and satellite communications
  • UPS battery backup system
  • Optional CCTV surveillance system

Pump Control Unit

  • “Smart” plumbing manifold with integrated valving control, pump control, flowmeter, temperature, & pressure sensors
  • Localized Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) controls safety interlocking and system logic
  • Wireless tank level monitoring
  • Plug and play radio, cellular, fiber optics, and satellite communications
  • UPS Battery Backup system
  • Optional CCTV surveillance system

Modular Control Unit

  • Small footprint skids (4’x5′ and smaller)
  • Modular design allows for plug and play configuration of valves, pressure sensors, and flowmeters on-site
  • Modular Spool Piece models:
    • 1 Flowmeter with Temperature sensor
    • Up to Six Valves with Pressure Sensors
  • Localized Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) allows for customized control logic and localized safety interlocking
  • Wireless tank level monitoring
  • Plug and play radio, cellular, fiber optics, and satellite communications
  • UPS battery backup system
  • Powered by solar on some models
  • Optional CCTV Surveillance system available on some models

Case Study

Want to learn more?

Check out our recent blogs that go into more detail on this topic.

An overview of communication options in water transfer automation

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