Refinery System Process Analysis & Testing using Agent Based Simulation

Training course overview

The oil refining process is one of the most complex processes in today’s industry, as it incorporates catalyst systems, complex reactor designs, sophisticated computer control hardware and software, and advanced safety and environmental controls.

A typical medium-size refinery has hundreds of pumps, heat exchangers and drums; dozens of furnaces, compressors, and high temperature/high pressure reactors; and thousands of control loops and associated computer control technologies. In order to optimize these complex systems and their interactions approach to single point or single system optimizing cannot work as effectively as we hope, as the refinery has to be considered as a system, rather than connection of its parts. Here is where the multi-method simulation comes to play an important part, as we can use Discrete Event, Agent Based and System Dynamics simulation to incorporate all the refinery systems into one and be able to have the outputs from the system, as well as its components, rather than just having an output from one of the components.   

This training course will feature:

• Explanation of refinery process
• Basis of Discrete Event, Agent Based and System Dynamics simulation
• Establishing relationships between measurements and reservoir properties
• How to minimize overall operating costs while achieving the maximum possible “upgrade” for each hydrocarbon molecule (called “molecule management”)
• Hands-on practice in AnyLogic software for all three methods of simulation
• Advanced concepts: AnyLogic fluid library, incorporating operator performance