Research and Design Institute for Automated Control Systems of Gas Transportation, Branch of Subsidiary Company Naukaneftegas, of National Joint-Stock Company Neftegas of Ukraine

The history of the Institute dates back to October, 1971, when the Kharkov Branch of Special Design Bureau "Gaspriladavtomatika" was founded, which later in 1973 was reorganized in the Ukrainian Branch of All-Union Research and Planning and Design Institute for Automated Control Systems of Gas Industry (UF VNDPIASUgasprom) of the USSR Ministry of Gas Industry.

By Order №108-org. of the USSR Ministry of Gas Industry dated 24.05.1979 NDPIASUtransgas was founded on the basis UF VNDPIASUgasprom. Up to 1991 the Institute had been the only specialized establishment for automation and telemechanization of over 230-thousand kilometre-long gas-main pipelines in the former USSR. It was this institute which defined scientific and technical policy of automation in the industry, made developments of the methodology aimed at creation of control systems for the sophisticated gas transmitting complex.

In 1991 the Institute was transferred under the jurisdiction of the State-Owned Property Fund of Ukraine, and later it became subordinate to the Ukraine's Ministry of Industry. In December, 1992 the Institute was included in the sphere of function control of GOSNEFTEGASPROM. In 1993 the Institute became an organization department of the Production Amalgamation "Ukrgasprom", and since 1994 it is a branch of the Joint-Stock Company "Ukrgasprom", one of the most powerful corporations of the Ukrainian fuel and energy complex. Now it is this institute that has to solve the tasks of creating the Uniform Automated System of gas supply in Ukraine.

In connection with separation of functions in production, transportation, storage and marketing of natural gas, in 1998 NDPIASUtransgas was reorganized in a branch of the Subsidiary Company (SC) "UkrTransGas" of the National Joint-Stock Company (NAK) "Naftogaz of Ukraine".

The activities of NDPIASUtransgas are aimed at scientific and technical support in natural gas storage, transportation and distribution, increase of reliable and safe operation of equipment and processing facilities and the whole GTS, development and implementation of energy-saving technologies, automation of both processes and industrial - economic activities on the basis of modern information processing technologies in such basic fields as:
- Integrated automation and telemechanization of processes of linear parts of pipelines, compressor shops and stations, underground gas storage facilities, gas-distributing and gas-measuring stations and GTS;
- Scientific and technical support of on-line dispatching control at all the levels of the gas transportation system,
- Scientific and technical and methodical support of gas stock records at processing facilities within the gas transportation system;
- Development and implementation of the state-of-the-art software and hardware for gas stock recording;
- Creation, fabrication and implementation of the latest automation facilities and systems;
- Creation and implementation of automated systems for diagnostic monitoring of gas-compressor equipment to ensure its efficient operation;
- Creation and implementation of the I&R system for monitoring corrosion condition of gas-main pipeline of the GTS;
- Information services for scientific and industrial activity of SC "UkrTransGas", evaluation of patentability of the developments made by SC "UkrTransGas", examination of third-party creations, and certification of the works designed by the Institute;
- Scientific - methodical support of the developments created by the Institute at the SC "UkrTransGas" facilities;
- Creation and fabrication of pilot models of the automation and a remote control facilities and systems;
- Development and introduction of the specifications and technical documentation, and the state and branch standards;
- Development and introduction of the quality systems at the SC "UkrTransGas" facilities;
- Advanced training of SC "UkrTransGas" specialists with respect to the latest information processing technologies, computer networks, software, and gas quantity and quality monitoring, etc.

The Institute has a state-of-the-art scientific and experimental centre, including test benches for improvement of the software and hardware being developed, and a pilot plant. The Institute fruitfully cooperates with several companies of Russia, USA, France, England, Germany, Hungary and other countries. Along with domestic developments the Institute applies in its works the software and hardware of Microsoft, DEC, Oracle, GE Fanuc, Serck Controls, CCC, Honeywell, Emerson, Mitsubishi, Siemens, etc.

The Institute has a license granted by the State Committee for Issues of Construction, Architecture and Housing Policy of Ukraine for execution of special works, the certificate of system of quality of the State standard of Ukraine on conformity of the quality system with international standards. Also the Institute has at its disposal accredited labo-ratories of control systems for anticorrosive protection and metrological support of computer-aided facilities, a licensed Centre for advanced training of specialists in the field of computer-related sciences.

On the basis of the Institute's developments, about 500 automation designs have been introduced into all the segments of gas industry in the former USSR, Ukraine and the CIS countries. Nowadays more than 20 doctors and candidates of science work on the problems of automation at the Institute. A high level of the developments by the Institute is reflected by over 400 certificates and patents for inventions, 32 monographs and over 1000 scientific and technical articles published in specialized magazines of Ukraine and the CIS countries.

The developments by the Institute are commemorated by dozens of golden, silver and bronze medals of the Exhibition of National Economy Achievements of the USSR and Ukraine, premiums of Ministry of gas industry of the USSR (1990) and the Ukrain-ian Oil-and-Gas Academy (1998 and 1999). As a result of the All-Ukrainian contest "Leader of the Fuel and Energy Complex - 2002" the Institute became the winner for the scientific and technical development "Creation of Modern Automated Control System for Compressor Station", and was awarded with a diploma, an honorary badge, and several medals.