Methods and apparatus to standardize data properties in a process control environment

A method to standardize data properties in a process control environment (100) between geographically separated process control plants (A-C), a first process control plant (A) including a module (128a) having a plurality of function blocks (136a-d) that define functions performed by field devices (134a-c) to implement a process control routine, wherein the function blocks (136) cause the field devices (134a-c) to acquire measurement values such as pressure values, temperature values, flow values, voltage values or current values etc. The method comprises the steps of: €¢ executing a process control routine for a first process control plant (A) resulting in measurement values acquired by the field devices (134a-c); €¢ storing the measurement values in a data historian (118) of the first process control plant (A); €¢ associating data properties with a key, wherein the data properties represent measurement values of interest; €¢ storing the measurement values of interest in a history client (120) of the first process control plant (A) using the key; €¢ sending the associated key to a history standardizer (110), the history standardizer (110) communicatively linking the first process control plant (A) with geographically separated plants (B-C) via an intra-plant bus (102), in order to maintain consistency in a product of interest between geographically separated plants (A-C).