OT Infrastructure Cleanup for Low-Emission Iron Production

Project overview

Brownfield DRI plant with CO2 capture
Aging, risky OT network infrastructure
DeltaV™ DCS + SIS

Scope of work

Automation + controls engineering
OT solutions engineering
Project management
Installation, testing + certification
QA/QC documentation

Project summary

Restoring reliability for a complex OT network

Restoring reliability for a complex OT network Audubon Companies was contracted to optimize plantwide fiber-optic infrastructure at a steel plant that captures CO2 and produces 250,000 metric tons of direct reduced iron (DRI) per year. Years of modifications to the distributed control and safety instrumented systems (DCS and SIS) left the operational technology (OT) network unreliable and difficult to maintain.

Coordinated fiber mapping + turnaround execution

Our team delivered a full-scale OT infrastructure upgrade, providing engineering, field execution, testing, and documentation.

During pre-outage walkdowns, we mapped over 1,000 individual fiber strands and developed a coordinated turnaround execution plan. The scope included optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) testing and certification; installation of a new multi-strand fibers between substations: and QA/QC oversight with daily schedule coordination.

We also reorganized a fiber main distribution frame (MDF) cabinet; replaced fiber, Ethernet, and Profibus cabling with standardized labeling; and optimized a DCS controller panel with updated as-built CAD drawings.

Strengthening critical control systems + fiber optimization

Through mapping, testing, and infrastructure cleanup, Audubon improved the reliability, maintainability, and visibility of the site’s OT network. Our client now has a certified, clearly documented fiber network that supports faster troubleshooting, safer operations, and long-term asset management for critical control systems.

“Operating a heavy-industries facility requires more
than advanced technology—it requires a dependable
control network. Our team reestablished confidence
in this critical OT network, transforming a risky
system into an operation our client can rely on.”

– Jacob Reynolds, OT Solutions Supervisor, Audubon