PCS are vital refinery balance and profit tools

Journal Article · Mon Mar 03 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5944630

Corbett, R A

The U.S. refining industry is using microcomputers - commonly refered to as personal computers or PCS - in applications that pertain primarily to refinery planning, economics, scheduling, and process evaluation. Typical calculations done on PCS include: material and fuel balances, heat balances, product blend optimization, crude oil scheduling, feed and product economics, and marketing studies. Although each refinery will use the computer in a specific way dependent on the specific feedstock and product mix of that refinery, the generic applications are the same. One of the most widely used pieces of software is the spreadsheet. Spreadsheet software has been adapted to most of the necessary analyses. For overall refinery optimization, the use of linear programming (LP) techniques has been utilized by many companies. And although many LPS are too large for use on PCS, a few can run on them. Other systems use the PC in conjunction with a mainframe LP. Suppliers to the refining industry, such as process engineering companies and catalyst suppliers, are also utilizing the PC to offer better products and services to the refiner. They are using pcs to perform process unit performance evaluations, catalyst analyses, material balances, and yields analyses for the refiner. The use of computer-aided design and drafting (CAD) systems is finding its way into the refining industry, at both the refiner and supplier levels. Normally the playing field of large capacity mainframe computers, new software and CAD system designs are becoming increasingly available for application to microcomputers. Refining industry applications of personal computers are relatively new. Refiners began using them a little more than 5 years ago, but usage has grown dramatically since then.

• OSTI ID: 5944630
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 84:9; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTERS
DIGITAL COMPUTERS
DISPERSIONS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MARKETING
MATERIAL BALANCE
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
MICROPROCESSORS
MIXTURES
NORTH AMERICA
OPTIMIZATION
PERSONAL COMPUTERS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
PLANNING
PROFITS
SCHEDULES
USA