Draft:Open Process Automation Standard

The Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS standard) is developed by the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF) and published by The Open Group. It defines a standards-based, open, secure, and interoperable process control architecture. As an open standard it addresses the business problem of proprietary lock-in experienced by companies that use industrial control systems. The standard enables innovation in the process automation market. The scope of the standard currently excludes safety instrumented systems and field devices like instrumentation and actuators.

O-PAS System Attributes
The O-PAS standard defines three foundational quality attributes: safety, reliability, and securability. The O-PAS standard defines an additional four key quality attributes: interchangeability, interoperability, portability, and modularity.

Structure of the O-PAS Standard
The O-PAS standard is available to the public for download free of charge on the publisher's website. The standard contains different chapters where each part addresses a different topic.

Part 1 Technical Architecture
 * A technical overview of the technology and how the entire standard addresses the goals of the architecture

Part 2 Security
 * Provides an overview of how the IEC 62443 standard is integrated into the O-PAS standard

Part 3 Profiles
 * Details groupings of features and functions in all parts of the standard where product suppliers are expected to demonstrate conformance. Including how products will be tested and certification be granted

Part 4 Connectivity Framework
 * Details how the connectivity framework defined in the O-PAS standard is based on OPC Unified Architecture

Part 5 System Management
 * Details how the Redfish standard, published by DMTF, is integrated into the standard. The section explains what information should be exposed by software programs, hardware platforms, and other system components

Part 6 Information & Exchange Models


 * Part 6.1 Overview and Interfaces
 * Part 6.2 Basic Configuration
 * Part 6.3 Alarm and Events Configuration
 * Part 6.4 Function Blocks
 * Part 6.5 IEC 61499
 * Part 6.6 IEC 61131

Part 7 Physical Platform
 * Defines how the O-PAS standard approaches integration of the InterEdge standard that is developed and published by PICMG

Part 8 Application Portability
 * Details the approach to application portability, which will provide end users the ability to move applications, intellectual property, and control strategies between different systems

Part 9 System Orchestration
 * Published in February 2024, the document is currently available in snapshot form. The document publicly communicates the direction and path to defining a standard around system orchestration. Specifically, system orchestration management to automate functions and give systems the ability to rebalance workloads to ensure desired system performance, improve reliability, and improve system resiliency

Reference Implementations
The Open Process Automation Forum seems to be aware of the technology life cycle and technology adoption life cycle in efforts to boost industry adoption. A number of reference implementations, proofs of concept, field trials, and test beds have been developed in accordance with the O-PAS™ standard. Publicly announced implementations are listed alphabetically below:


 * ExxonMobil Test Bed and Field Trial
 * Georgia Pacific Demonstration Board
 * Petroleum Development Oman Field Pilot
 * Petronas Test Bed and Field Trial
 * Reliance Industries Test Bed
 * Saudi Aramco Test Bed
 * Shell Test Bed

Certification and Test Tools
O-PAS certification is due to launch in Q4 of 2024.

The certification program requires third party verification for each O-PAS Profile. This must be done by O-PAS Recognized Verification Labs. The exceptions to this rule are for those requirements that involve other certification bodies. The OPC UA Connectivity Profile (OCF-001) and Global Discovery Service (GDS-001) are two profiles that must be verified by the OPC Foundation.

In June 2024, the OPC Foundation announced availability of verification for OCF-001 and GDS-001 O-PAS profiles in the OPC UA Profile Reporting Application.

Each Profile requires the SEC-F-001 Security Facet. This facet is derived from the ANSI/ISA-62443-4-2 SL2 security requirements. In order to verify this facet, the Supplier must use an ISA Secure Lab.

Academic, Technical, and White Papers

 * Open Process Automation is Gaining Sustainable Momentum (January 2023)
 * Open Process Automation- and Digital Twin-Based Performance Monitoring of a Process Manufacturing System (June 2022)
 * Comparison and Alignment of OPAS and MTP Concepts (April 2022)
 * Open Process Automation: A standards-based, open, secure, interoperable process control architecture (July 2020)
 * Legacy Control System Transition into the IIoT Era (August 2017)