VMG Public Lecture – From small computers to big data, oil and gas, and beyond

Dynamic simulation is a powerful but under used tool.  This presentation will introduce the benefits of using a modern rigorous dynamic process simulator for dynamic modelling for process operations and safety.  Previous barriers to widespread use, changes in the industry that has enabled its potential widespread adoption, and an “ideal” dynamic simulator are defined.  Applications in process design, control strategy development, conceptual design, fault tree and safety analysis & evaluation, operator/engineer training and process improvement/process understanding will be highlighted, with examples including pipeline pigging, pipeline leak detection, a pipeline burst, LPG transfer and vapour recovery, vessel relief and blow downs, gas plant safety monitoring, and a gas plant boiler tube burst.  Finally a layer of protection analysis inspired framework for an economic risk based assessment of advanced process control schemes is introduced.