LP models are almost the best tools for Production planning and Investment planning activities. But don’t forget, it is Just a tool .
Use of LP models is a must for planning activities for optimization of the production in refineries and without the use of it, it is very unlikely to perform the planning activities as it is supposed to be.
The key factor for success is to have a free mind and to break the unnecessary/fake boundaries in all the planning activities (from modelling to implementing the result of study). A free and rational perspective/mind is prerequisite for all activities in planning. All the rest, correctly modelling the process units and validation are secondary factors for success. Remember, it is only possible to have the optimization when there are variables.
Defining the operational real limits of the unit and then modelling of the units in proper manner are key to successful planning activities. Imagine a unit where the operation (feedstock, operational parameters and/or products drawn from fractionation) are all constant and the operator is not willing to change anything, or even rigid about keeping them as they are then it is not meaningful to talk about an optimisation of that unit. I have seen units where almost all the parameters such as feedstock properties and conversion are kept almost constant for yrs. caused millions of dollars as opportunity cost.
Refiners or modellers are usually tending to have models which reflect the usual operation of the refinery and they may make adjustment on models to get the similar result with the actual operations as they used to live with. This is one of the biggest and common mistake done. The refinery operation should be adjusted in accordance with the result of the optimisation study after careful analysis of the results.
LP models are also used for; 
- Investment planning,
- Technology selection,
- All kinds of what if studies,
- Etc.
The consideration for the modelling activities are,
- The models should have enough details (shift Vectors) to reflect the behaviours of the units on for different feedstock properties and different operation conditions,
- The limits of the units should be defined correctly, and these limits should be correctly included in the models,
- The model should not be too complicated, don’t forget it is an LP and too complicated models are main reasons for the local optimums,
- The models used for optimization of refinery are similar but different than the models used for Investment planning,
- The models, should be validated periodically,
- Wrong or improper models can be cause of important losses, opportunity losses, even if not admitted
The owner of the company has more than 25 years of experience on use modelling and use of PIMS.
We modelled almost all available units in the refinery such as crude, reformers (CCR and regenerative), hydrocrackers, Isomerization, FCC, Ebullated Bed Hydrocrackers, Solvent Deasphalting, IGCC, Desulphurisation, H2 Production, Coker Units and Steam Turbines and Gas Turbines.
The services offered by The Company are;
- Any kind of Consultancy,
- Construction of any process unit,
- Construction of refinery wide models,
- Assessment of the models
- Generating the delta shift vectors from actual unit operation data
Coming soon ..
For the updating of the models the most important thing to do is the generation of the delta shift vector and soon we will release here for sale, a simplest tool to generate the vectors from the real plant data.
Here are the key features of the tool;
- Simple to use,
- No need to use challenging and demanding rigorous simulations,
- Rely on real plant data and reliable,
- Ability to control the delta shift vector(s) or define it to be as any number. i.e. user can select any number or define the limits for the subject delta shift vector as >0 or any number, < 0 or any number,
- Ability to select the base case among the data given or as the average of them based on the preference,
- Fine tuning and normalisation of any set of data or base case within the limits set by user,
- Generation of the shift vectors within seconds,
- Automatic generation of the sub models with the delta shift vectors (future versions),
- Graphical comparison of the generated values with the real plant data
The relaese of the software will be delayed for sometime because of some unavoidable reasons, but we are pleased to provide the services as you need offline. Please feel free to contact us by “contact us page “ or by e mail to [email protected]