Erbil Refinery (KAR Group) – PAGA System

Project Year: 2024

EPC Consortium Lead: KONGKONG KOON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED (KNTECH)

Location: Erbil Refinery, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Project Overview

KAR Group’s Erbil Refinery is a mission‑critical petrochemical complex operating in a high‑temperature, dusty, and potentially explosive atmosphere. The client required a plant‑wide PAGA system that would guarantee clear voice and alarm coverage, comply with ATEX/IECEx and EN 54‑16 safety standards, and integrate seamlessly with the Distributed Control System (DCS), telephony, and security subsystems. KNTECH, acting as EPC consortium leader, delivered a full turnkey solution covering system design, equipment supply, factory integration, on‑site installation, commissioning, SAT, and operator training.

Key Technical Challenges

Challenge: Hazardous & outdoor environment

Engineering Response:Specified IP66 / ATEX loudspeakers and outdoor enclosures; implemented dual‑loop loudspeaker circuits with line monitoring and UPS‑backed power redundancy.

Challenge: High ambient noise (>85 dB A)

Engineering Response:Deployed ambient‑noise‑sensing controllers that drive automatic output‑level compensation, maintaining ≥10 dB S/N ratio in all zones.

Challenge:Large footprint & functional diversity.

Engineering Response:Adopted a fully IP‑based distributed architecture scalable to 100+ end‑points, allowing flexible zoning and future expansion.

Challenge:No single point of failure

Engineering Response:8 + 1 hot‑standby amplifier configuration, dual Ethernet rings, A/B speaker loops, and 1 + 1 online UPS to secure ≥99.98 % availability.

Solution Architecture:

IP Core: 24‑bit / 48 kHz Audio‑over‑IP with AES67 media and AES70 control; dual‑NIC controller for rapid switchover.

End‑to‑End Supervision: All amplifiers, speaker lines, and field devices are continuously self‑monitored; faults are reported in real time via a web‑based GUI.

Hazard‑Rated Coverage: Combination of KNLB‑Ex30Y ATEX explosion‑proof horns and L5 30 W constant‑impedance weather‑proof horns ensures 360° intelligibility in process areas.

Interoperability: Multi‑protocol audio I/O (4‑wire/E&M, SIP) permits direct tie‑in with DCS emergency‑shutdown circuits and the existing telephone system.

Implementation Highlights

Factory‑pre‑wired 42 U cabinets accelerated on‑site installation; SAT passed on first attempt in November 2024.

Bilingual (English / Arabic) O&M manuals and hands‑on training enabled refinery staff to assume full ownership within one week.

Web dashboard reduced mean‑time‑to‑repair to<5 minutes by providing granular alarms down to speaker‑loop level.

Principal Equipment Supplied (selection, quantities withheld)

Client Testimonial

"The KNTECH team delivered a highly reliable, easy‑to‑maintain PAGA system within a very aggressive schedule. Audio clarity, alarm immediacy and explosion‑proof performance exceeded our expectations, providing a vital safety layer for refinery operations."

— Operations & Maintenance Manager, KAR Group

Measured Outcomes

Regulatory Compliance: System certified to EN 54‑16, ISO 7240‑16, ATEX and relevant IEC standards.

Recognition: Project cited internally by KAR Group as “Best Contractor of the Year 2024,” reinforcing KNTECH’s reputation in Middle‑East oil & gas EPC communications.