An integrated optimization and simulation model for refinery planning including external loads and product evaluation

Abstract

Because of its potential benefits, petroleum refineries are increasingly concerned about their planning operations. Although models for this planning exist, they are bounded into their usefulness. This study describes an integrated approach involving nonlinear optimization and simulation of refinery units in order to obtain a production planning for a given refinery that maximizes profit. The problem is modeled through the LINGO 16.0 software interface and is solved using LINGO’s Global Solver. A case study pertaining Refinaria de Paulínia (REPLAN) is proposed, and external loads, product adding, and product pricing is studied, achieving global optimum solution for the blending on less than a second on every case, assuring the model usefulness into refinery planning and being important to sensitivity analyses and the determination of break-even points of external loads and of new products. The results indicate that this new approach has a considerable potential for achieving significant gains in terms of planning and profit increase. The flexibility of the model allied with its quick generation of good solutions is highlighted