Stavanger, Norway – September 2027 – Equinor ASA, a global energy company, has reported zero unplanned downtime and 27% lower maintenance costs after installing the ABB UFC760BE1042 3BHE004573R1042 control module on its “Troll A” offshore gas platform in the North Sea. The upgrade, completed in Q3 2027, resolved critical reliability issues with the platform’s legacy control system—where saltwater corrosion and harsh weather caused 6–8 module failures annually, each costing €1.2M in lost production.
The Challenge: Harsh Environment Failures and Safety Risks
Prior to the ABB UFC760BE1042 deployment, Troll A faced three life-threatening and costly challenges:
- Corrosion & Weather Damage: Legacy modules’ plastic housings corroded within 2–3 years in saltwater spray, leading to short circuits and system shutdowns. North Sea storms exacerbated failures, with 40% of outages occurring during rough seas.
- Slow Emergency Response: The old control system took 2–3 minutes to trigger safety shutdowns (e.g., gas leak detection), violating Norway’s offshore safety regulations (PSA Norge).
- Costly Maintenance: Replacing failed modules required offshore helicopter flights and specialized dive teams, costing €350,000 per maintenance mission.
“Offshore platforms need control systems that can survive the harshest conditions—and our old modules couldn’t keep up,” said Olav Hansen, Equinor’s Offshore Operations Manager for the North Sea. “We needed a module that was corrosion-proof, fast, and reliable enough to protect our crew and production.”
ABB UFC760BE1042: The Offshore-Grade Control Solution
After testing competitors from Emerson and Yokogawa, Equinor selected the ABB UFC760BE1042 for its offshore-specific design, safety features, and remote capabilities:
- Corrosion-Resistant Construction: Titanium alloy housing with IP68 protection (submersible to 10m for 24 hours) and anti-corrosion coating, designed to withstand 10+ years of saltwater exposure.
- Ultra-Fast Safety Shutdown: 200µs response time to safety sensors (gas detectors, pressure transducers), 10x faster than legacy modules. Complies with PSA Norge’s 1-minute emergency response mandate.
- Remote Monitoring & Maintenance: ABB Ability™ Offshore Connectivity allows technicians to diagnose issues, update firmware, and adjust settings from onshore control centers—eliminating 90% of offshore maintenance trips.
- Hazardous Area Certification: ATEX Zone 1 and IECEx certification for use in explosive gas environments, critical for offshore platforms handling natural gas.
- Low Power Consumption: Operates on 24V DC with 15W power draw, reducing load on the platform’s backup generators during power outages.
Results: Zero Downtime and Enhanced Safety
Six months post-deployment, Troll A achieved industry-leading performance:
| Metric |
Before ABB UFC760BE1042 |
After ABB UFC760BE1042 |
Improvement |
| Annual Module Failures |
7 |
0 |
100% Reduction |
| Emergency Shutdown Time |
2.5 Minutes |
0.3 Minutes |
88% Faster |
| Maintenance Costs |
€2.45M/Year |
€1.79M/Year |
27% Reduction |
| Safety Compliance Violations |
3/Year |
0 |
100% Compliance |
| Module Lifespan |
2.5 Years |
10+ Years (Projected) |
300% Extension |
“The UFC760BE1042 has set a new standard for offshore control modules,” Hansen said
