What is a Burner Management System (BMS)?
In oil and gas operations, combustion systems play a critical role in managing waste gases, maintaining tank temperatures, and supporting overall site performance. But without proper control and oversight, these systems can introduce safety risks, inefficiencies, and unnecessary downtime.
This is where Burner Management Systems come in.
A well-designed BMS does more than just operate a burner; it ensures safe startup and shutdown sequences, monitors system performance, and helps maintain optimal combustion conditions in real time.
A Burner Management System is a control system designed to safely manage the operation of industrial burners. It governs key processes such as ignition, flame monitoring, shutdown procedures, and fault detection.
In oilfield applications, BMS solutions are commonly used in:
Tank heating systems
Enclosed combustors
Flaring systems
Production facilities
By automating these processes, a BMS reduces reliance on manual intervention while increasing consistency and reliability across operations.
Enhancing Safety in the Field
Safety is one of the primary drivers for implementing a BMS.
Combustion systems involve flammable gases, high temperatures, and pressurized environments, making proper control essential. A BMS helps mitigate risk by:
Ensuring proper ignition sequences
Monitoring for flame failure or irregularities
Automatically shutting down systems if unsafe conditions are detected
Preventing unburned gas accumulation
These built-in safeguards help protect both employees and infrastructure, while supporting compliance with industry regulations.
The Role of Automation and Real-Time Monitoring
Modern BMS solutions go beyond basic control by integrating with SCADA systems and remote monitoring platforms.
This allows operators to:
Monitor burner performance in real time
Receive alerts when issues arise
Make adjustments remotely
Identify potential problems before they escalate
In remote oilfield environments, this level of visibility is especially valuable. Instead of reacting to failures after the fact, teams can take proactive steps to maintain uptime and prevent disruptions.
Supporting Combustion Performance with Proven Solutions
While Burner Management Systems provide the control and oversight needed for safe and efficient operation, the performance of the overall system also depends on the equipment supporting it.
At Noralta, our combustion solutions are designed to work alongside BMS and monitoring systems to improve reliability, especially in challenging field conditions:
nSure Heated Orifice Block – Helps prevent freezing at the orifice level by maintaining consistent heat, reducing the risk of blockages and unplanned downtime in cold environments.
nCinerate Combustors – Provide efficient, smokeless combustion of waste gases while supporting compliance and stable performance across a range of operating conditions.
nFerno Burners – Designed for reliable, high-efficiency operation, supporting consistent combustion and long-term system performance.
Together, these solutions support safer, more efficient combustion while helping operators maintain uptime and adapt to changing operating conditions.
Noralta’s monitoring software notified the nControl 24/7 Control Centre which in turn called the Production Co (Client) to make them aware the situation.
The Noralta n-Enterprise software automatically reduced the pump RPM speed conserving the equipment and automatically increased the pump RPMs later.
These autonomous actions saved the pump from damage and significantly reduced the time of low production.
How Burner Management Systems (BMS) Improve Safety and Efficiency in Oilfield Operations
Improving combustion safety, reliability, and operational efficiency across oilfield applications.