Avoiding the Potholes along the Road to On-line Optimization in the Chemical Process Industries

Presented By
Robert S. Morrison (Invensys)

April 19, 2005

Abstract:
Real-time process optimization technology has been commercially available for over twenty years yet broad acceptance of this technology has been slow to develop. Invensys Performance Solutions has been in the optimization business for the past fifteen years through the development of optimization tools and delivery of RTO solutions. Invensys’ SIMSCI ROMeo (Rigorous On-line Modeling with Equation-based Optimization) product has contributed to a recent acceleration in the implementation and step change in the usability and maintainability of RTO solutions. Invensys Performance Solutions has implemented numerous on-line optimization applications in refining, petrochemicals, chemicals, utilities and oil and gas production and processing. Based on Invensys’ long experience in RTO, this presentation will cover some of the reasons for the slow and bumpy road to the current level of RTO acceptance and some of the important factors in accelerating future RTO implementation. Topics addressed will include reasons why the process industry landscape is littered with failed RTO applications and some of the critical success factors to consider when planning an RTO implementation. Improvements in RTO technology have addressed many of the technical issues in RTO implementation but successful RTO consists of more than just the right software.

About Robert

Robert Morrison attended The University of Texas at Austin and graduated in 1980 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. After graduation, he worked in Engineering and Construction for a period of two years where he worked on process engineering for debottlenecking and energy improvements in refining units. In 1982, Robert joined Simulation Sciences where he worked in product support and training for the various SIMSCI simulation products. Robert went on to manage the support and training organization in the SIMSCI Houston office. In 1990 Robert helped to startup the SIMSCI optimization applications group where he was responsible for managing the product and application development of the SIMSCI ROM (Rigorous Online Modeling) technology. In 1995 Robert was on the design team for SIMSCI’s next generation ROMeo (Rigorous On-line Optimization with Equation-based Optimization) software. Since the ROMeo release in 1997, Robert has managed the ROMeo Optimization Applications Group in SIMSCI and Invensys. Robert has been responsible for over 30 optimization applications in refining, ethylene, gas processing and chemicals.