SMART EMS MATCHES SUPPLY AND DEMAND TO LOWER YOUR OPERATING COSTS 

You know running all the engines on your drilling rig all the time is an inefficient way to operate. It results in a low average load, which drives up fuel and maintenance costs. But it’s the easiest way to ensure adequate power is available when you need it, right?

Not anymore. With Smart EMS from Caterpillar, you can reduce engine runtime on your drilling rigs up to 25 percent, cut fuel consumption up to 10 percent and improve diesel displacement up to 15 percent — all without sacrificing power, performance or productivity. Here’s how.

How Smart EMS Works

“EMS” is short for Engine Management System, and “Smart” means just that. Developed exclusively for land electric drilling rigs — with more than 25,000 hours of field validation — Smart EMS monitors rig demand and engine load continuously, then matches supply to demand efficiently.

If power demand from the rig is low, Smart EMS turns engines off. If demand is high, it turns engines on. And it all happens automatically, so your rig crew can focus on drilling. Plus, by providing remote access to engine controls — eliminating the need to enter the engine room to start and stop engines manually — Smart EMS improves safety at the rig.

6 Ways You Benefit

1. Lower fuel and maintenance costs: Smart EMS eliminates the debate about how many engines need to be online at any given time because it automates the process, optimizing performance and operating costs based on programmable targets. Fewer engines running at higher loads is more efficient — reducing fuel consumption. And decreasing runtime means you don’t put as many hours on your engines, so you spend less time and money on maintenance and repairs.
2. Fast payback: By driving significant fuel and maintenance cost reductions, Smart EMS is designed to pay for itself in less than a year. It can also save you money on capital expenditures during rig builds or upgrades by eliminating the need for third-party engine controllers.
3. Higher diesel displacement: If you’re running engines with the Cat® Dynamic Gas Blending system, Smart EMS keeps them operating at a higher load, which improves diesel displacement.
4. User-friendly interface: Smart EMS’s human-machine interface (HMI) provides all the information operators need on an easy-to-read, easy-to-control touchscreen panel. The HMI can be installed in the driller’s cabin or the rig power house to provide remote access to the engines.
5. Easy installation: Integrating Smart EMS into your drilling rigs is a quick process, with little to no downtime required if installation takes place during a rig move. The transition for rig operators is seamless, too.
6. Proven technology: Numerous rigs equipped with Smart EMS are already running successfully in the field, and the control panel has been fully validated in both the electric power and oil and gas industries.

Running Smart EMS on your engines requires EMCP 4.4 digital controls technology, which comes standard on the Cat Dynamic Gas Blending system and all new Cat Tier 4 land electric drilling engines. You can also upgrade existing engines to EMCP 4.4.

Ready to put smart engine load management to work on your rig — and start seeing the benefits on your bottom line? Talk to your Cat dealer for more details.