Complete Guide to Emerson ROC Flow Computers and Remote Automation Controllers
Key Takeaway
The Emerson ROC (Remote Operations Controller) family — including the ROC800, ROC300, and FloBoss series — are flow computers and remote automation controllers used for natural gas and liquid measurement, custody transfer, and pipeline automation in oil and gas applications. They are configured using ROCLINK 800 software, support AGA-3 orifice and AGA-7 turbine flow calculations, and communicate via ROC protocol, Modbus, and DNP3. The ROC product line competes directly with the ABB Totalflow XFC/XRC and Schneider Electric SCADAPack in oilfield RTU applications.
Quick Answer
The Emerson ROC (Remote Operations Controller) family — including the ROC800, ROC300, and FloBoss series — are flow computers and remote automation controllers used for natural gas and liquid measurement, custody transfer, and pipeline automation in oil and gas applications. They are configured using ROCLINK 800 software, support AGA-3 orifice and AGA-7 turbine flow calculations, and communicate via ROC protocol, Modbus, and DNP3. The ROC product line competes directly with the ABB Totalflow XFC/XRC and Schneider Electric SCADAPack in oilfield RTU applications.
What Is the Emerson ROC Product Family?
The Emerson ROC is a family of flow computers and remote automation controllers manufactured by Emerson Automation Solutions. The product line has roots in Fisher Controls and Bristol Babcock, companies that Emerson acquired and integrated into its measurement portfolio. ROC devices are purpose-built for natural gas measurement, custody transfer, and oilfield automation — combining AGA-certified flow calculations, data archiving, and SCADA communication in a single field-hardened device.
What Hardware Platforms Does Emerson ROC Include?
- ROC800 series — Full-featured modular flow computer and automation controller. ROC800L for liquid and gas; ROC800 for advanced automation with FST programming.
- ROC300 series (ROC306, ROC312) — Compact legacy RTUs still widely in service with onboard I/O and AGA calculations.
- FloBoss series — FloBoss 107 (low-power pipeline RTU), FloBoss S600 (high-accuracy fiscal measurement), FloBoss 503/504 (electronic volume correctors).
What Software Configures Emerson ROC Devices?
ROCLINK 800 is the primary configuration and programming tool for all ROC devices. It provides device configuration, meter run setup, FST programming, archive viewing, and live data monitoring. See the ROCLINK 800 interface overview for navigation details.
What Flow Measurement Standards Does the ROC Support?
- AGA-3 — Orifice plate measurement for natural gas custody transfer
- AGA-7 — Turbine and inferential meter measurement
- AGA-9 — Ultrasonic meter integration via Modbus
- API MPMS — Liquid measurement with volume correction
What Communication Protocols Does the ROC Use?
- ROC protocol — Proprietary protocol for ROCLINK 800 and Emerson OpenEnterprise SCADA
- Modbus RTU/TCP — Field device polling and SCADA integration
- DNP3 — Utility and pipeline SCADA integration
- EFM (Electronic Flow Measurement) — Native Emerson report format for flow data collection
How Is the ROC Used in Oil and Gas Pipeline Automation?
- Gas measurement at wellheads and gathering systems
- Custody transfer metering stations (fiscal measurement)
- Compressor station monitoring and control (ROC800 with FST)
- Pipeline SCADA remote nodes
- Liquid measurement at LACT units
How Does the Emerson ROC Compare to Other Flow Computers?
The ROC800 competes with ABB Totalflow XFC/XRC and SCADAPack. ROC is strongest in Emerson-centric SCADA environments using OpenEnterprise and EFM report formats. For a detailed comparison, see ROC vs ABB Totalflow. The Bristol FB300 is a separate Emerson product with different software and programming.
Getting Started
- What Is the Emerson ROC?
- ROCLINK 800 Installation
- ROCLINK 800 Interface
- ROC800 Hardware
- I/O Configuration
- AGA-3 Orifice Meter
Sub-Article Index
Frequently Asked Questions
An Emerson ROC (Remote Operations Controller) is a flow computer and remote automation controller used in oil and gas pipelines for AGA-compliant flow calculations, data archiving, and SCADA communication via ROC protocol, Modbus, and DNP3. The family includes ROC800, ROC300, and FloBoss series.
ROCLINK 800 is the primary configuration tool for all Emerson ROC devices, available as a free download from Emerson's portal. It provides device configuration, meter run setup, FST programming, and archive viewing.
Both are AGA-certified flow computers for custody transfer. ROC is preferred in Emerson OpenEnterprise SCADA environments with EFM reporting. ABB Totalflow is preferred with TAS programming and ABB infrastructure. Both support DNP3 and Modbus for third-party SCADA.
No. Both are Emerson products but have different hardware, software (ROCLINK 800 vs OpenBSI), and programming (FST vs Bristol BASIC). They target different customer bases.