Operator Training Simulator Case Study - Saving 1-2 months training each operator with Invensys OTS

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From RefinerLink.com: 10 Steps for Refinery Startup Readiness (By Steve Pagani)

This is a very good article, and I believe illustrate the importance of OTS at a refinery. 

"The most critical and dangerous aspect of refinery operations is unit startup. Safe and seamless unit startup requires all refinery disciplines to work cooperatively.
" Read the full article here

Many of his points can be directly assisted with an Operator Training Simulator (OTS). 

For instance, the following points can all be address with an OTS:

1. People readiness
2. Process readiness
3. Knowing your place
4. Understanding the procedures
5. Understanding process interactions

I am sure there are more, and I would like to hear your opinion. How does an OTS assist in startup?

About Operator Training: Invensys offers a computer-based training method, Operator Training Simulators (OTS), to help give operators the skills they need to run a process or plant. Refineries and other plants are being forced to rely on inexperienced operators due to the aging workforce. Undertrained employees reduce performance and profitability in a refinery and may also risk the safety of other employees. The aging workforce is moving closer to the age of retirement, making it imperative to train younger, less experienced employees. Invensys offers an Operator Training System to aid refineries in educating inexperienced operators, who will soon be relied upon to operate the refinery and perform operational excellence.

Operators learn the ins and outs of a refinery in this virtual control room. DYNSIM is a model that controls the plant response. Trainees learn how to react appropriately when a similar situation occurs in the actual plant. DYNSIM Checkout is the first process dynamic simulation product designed specifically for control checkout. This solution can validate control system design before it is installed in the plant which eliminates many problems that occur during startup.

Technical Support: As always, feel free to reach out to your local technical support team for more information.

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Refinery Performance Webinar recordings now available for viewing

Invensys frequently offers live webinars to help viewers gain a better understanding of our solutions.These webinar recordings are now available for you to view on-demand.

This webinar series introduces ways to optimize performance in a refinery. The following webinars address two major issues in today’s refineries.

First, is “Reducing Material Losses with Better Yield Accounting”, which addresses the need for better yield accounting. In order to prevent major monetary loss, refineries must tighten control on their raw material, inventory, and products. Unaccounted for material loss may be due to a number of factors including inaccurate or inconsistent data, coming led ownership of processed materials, environmental (HSE) pressure to report yields and losses, or Joint Venture (JV) pressure to report transactions. Our new Yield Accounting solution has corrected these issues in order to provide refiners with an accurate means of accounting for material losses.

Next is “Aging Workforce and Operator Training – Improve your bottom line with faster, more effective training techniques”.  This webinar explains how so much of the aging workforce is nearing retirement, leaving plant operation in the hands of less experienced, undertrained operators. SimSci-Esscor offers operator training that will optimize performance and improve safety in a plant. Watch this webinar to learn more about these innovative methods that will prepare your workforce in an efficient and effective manner.

In the “Using New Modeling Technology to Help Solve Heavy Oil Processing Issues” webinar, Invensys employees explain the importance of processing heavier feedstock. Today’s refineries were originally designed for lighter crudes.  Since there is an ever-increasing demand for oil and the amount of heavy oils on Earth is greater than twice the supply of lighter crudes, refineries are being forced to utilize them.  Conventional refineries find great difficulty in processing these “molasses-like” substances.  Processing the crude incorrectly leads to operational errors, like equipment failure and process downtime, which can risk operator safety.  This webinar offers insight on how to deal with heavy oils.

“Make better feedstock business decisions in real-time with Assay Knowledge Management” explains how to use this solution to make knowledgeable and profitable decisions based on your refinery’s needs. Invensys has paired up with Spiral Software, bringing you a new technology that properly determines the properties of feedstock, allowing a refiner to evaluate all available feedstocks in real time. This leads to better decisions and improves profitability.

The final webinar on demand is “How to improve refinery profitability with real-time, online, optimization”. Plant and operations managers should take an interest in finding out about the benefits of real-time online optimization. This Invensys solution can assist you in improving performance, making better business decisions, and increasing refinery profitability. If you are already interested in real-time optimization solutions but are not sure which solution is right for your refinery’s needs, this webinar can help!

In case you missed it, you can check out the recordings of the above mentioned webinars and others here: 

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Operator Training from Invensys

About Operator Training: Invensys offers a computer-based training method, Operator Training Simulators (OTS), to help give operators the skills they need to run a process or plant. Refineries and other plants are being forced to rely on inexperienced operators due to the aging workforce. Undertrained employees reduce performance and profitability in a refinery and may also risk the safety of other employees. The aging workforce is moving closer to the age of retirement, making it imperative to train younger, less experienced employees. Invensys offers an Operator Training System to aid refineries in educating inexperienced operators, who will soon be relied upon to operate the refinery and perform operational excellence.

Operators learn the ins and outs of a refinery in this virtual control room. DYNSIM is a model that controls the plant response. Trainees learn how to react appropriately when a similar situation occurs in the actual plant. DYNSIM Checkout is the first process dynamic simulation product designed specifically for control checkout. This solution can validate control system design before it is installed in the plant which eliminates many problems that occur during startup.

Technical Support: As always, feel free to reach out to your local technical support team for more information.

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Announcing the release of DYNSIM 5.1

Invensys Operations Management is pleased to announce that DYNSIM Version 5.1 from SimSci-Esscor has been released and is available for electronic download from the Invensys Operations Management SimSci-Esscor (ESD) client support website.

DYNSIM 5.1 was developed based on a prioritized based on user feedback and requests, both internal and external, and focused on 5 themes: 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.      <!--[endif]-->Increased Engineering Productivity - with many new features including: 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.      <!--[endif]-->Improved Overfill Robustness for Separator Model

<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.      <!--[endif]-->Simulation Merge Tool

<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.      <!--[endif]-->Partial Load Capability for large models (LE)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.      <!--[endif]-->Enhanced Instructor and Training Capabilities - with many new features including: 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.      <!--[endif]-->Instructor and Trainee Event Logger

<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.      <!--[endif]-->Scenario enhancements

<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.      <!--[endif]-->Backtrack Replay enhancements - with many new features including: 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.      <!--[endif]-->GUI Enrichment for Improved Ergonomics and Ease of Use

<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.      <!--[endif]-->Prior display short cut key (alt+q)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.      <!--[endif]-->Cycle through open flowsheets short cut key (ctrl+tab)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.      <!--[endif]-->Double Click FS node

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.      <!--[endif]-->Miscellaneous Improvements - with many new features including: 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.      <!--[endif]-->Position Indication of Reverse Acting Valve

<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.      <!--[endif]-->Set/Reset capability to digitally operated valves

<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.      <!--[endif]-->Smooth transition on choke flow calculations

<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.      <!--[endif]-->Thermodynamic updates and additions

<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.      <!--[endif]-->Upgraded to SIM4ME Thermo 3.6

About DYNSIM: DYNSIM is part of the Dynamic Simulation Suite from Invensys, assisting in process design, controls checkout, and control system design. This dynamic simulator helps plant management operate in a safe and profitable manner. Its operator training simulator provides safer operation while also improving performance and productivity. One example is using DYNSIM to evaluate flare and relief systems in a plant to raise the safety standard by making sure that the flares can handle the loads as they occur dynamically. DYNSIM is a cost-effective program, reducing the cost of process equipment.

Technical Support: As always, feel free to reach out to your local technical support team for more information.

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EYESIM - The Gamification of Operator Training

Undertrained employees reduce performance and profitability in a refinery and may also risk the safety of other employees. The aging workforce is moving closer to the age of retirement, making it imperative to properly train younger, less experienced employees. Invensys Operations Management offers solutions that aid refineries in educating inexperienced operators, who will soon be relied upon to operate the refinery.

SimSci-Esscor offers an immersive training system, EYESIM, which is a technology breakthrough in training. The EYESIM solution connects all refinery operators by a high-fidelity process simulation and virtual walkthrough plant environment. The virtual plant feature will significantly improve maintenance activities by offering direct feedback once a trainee completes an action. This will provide the knowledge necessary to act appropriately in any given situation. For more information on EYESIM, view the product page here.

Guest Blogger: Kaylen McMullen, Marketing Assistant, Invensys Operations Management

About EYESIM: Undertrained and inexperienced employees reduce performance and profitability in a refinery while also risking the safety of other employees. The aging workforce is moving closer to the age of retirement, making it imperative to properly train younger, less experienced employees. Invensys offers solutions that aid in educating inexperienced operators, who will soon be relied upon to operate the plant.

The immersive training system (ITS), SimSci Esscor EYESIM, is a technology breakthrough in training. The EYESIM solution connects all operators by a high-fidelity 3 dimensional process simulation and virtual walkthrough plant environment. Operator Training Simulators (OTS) allow operators to train on a computer in an identical environment to the control room. The virtual reality plant feature significantly improves maintenance activities by offering direct feedback once a trainee completes an action. This will provide the knowledge necessary to act appropriately in any given situation.

Technical Support: As always, feel free to reach out to your local technical support team for more information.

Read More

Refinery Performance Webinar recordings now available for viewing

Invensys Operations Management frequently offers live webinars to help viewers gain a better understanding of our solutions.These webinar recordings are now available for you to view on-demand.

This webinar series introduces ways to optimize performance in a refinery. The following webinars address two major issues in today’s refineries.

First, is “Reducing Material Losses with Better Yield Accounting”, which addresses the need for better yield accounting. In order to prevent major monetary loss, refineries must tighten control on their raw material, inventory, and products. Unaccounted for material loss may be due to a number of factors including inaccurate or inconsistent data, coming led ownership of processed materials, environmental (HSE) pressure to report yields and losses, or Joint Venture (JV) pressure to report transactions. Our new Yield Accounting solution has corrected these issues in order to provide refiners with an accurate means of accounting for material losses.

Next is “Aging Workforce and Operator Training – Improve your bottom line with faster, more effective training techniques”.  This webinar explains how so much of the aging workforce is nearing retirement, leaving plant operation in the hands of less experienced, undertrained operators. SimSci-Esscor offers operator training that will optimize performance and improve safety in a plant. Watch this webinar to learn more about these innovative methods that will prepare your workforce in an efficient and effective manner.

In the “Using New Modeling Technology to Help Solve Heavy Oil Processing Issues” webinar, Invensys employees explain the importance of processing heavier feedstock. Today’s refineries were originally designed for lighter crudes.  Since there is an ever-increasing demand for oil and the amount of heavy oils on Earth is greater than twice the supply of lighter crudes, refineries are being forced to utilize them.  Conventional refineries find great difficulty in processing these “molasses-like” substances.  Processing the crude incorrectly leads to operational errors, like equipment failure and process downtime, which can risk operator safety.  This webinar offers insight on how to deal with heavy oils.

“Make better feedstock business decisions in real-time with Assay Knowledge Management” explains how to use this solution to make knowledgeable and profitable decisions based on your refinery’s needs. Invensys has paired up with Spiral Software, bringing you a new technology that properly determines the properties of feedstock, allowing a refiner to evaluate all available feedstocks in real time. This leads to better decisions and improves profitability.

The final webinar on demand is “How to improve refinery profitability with real-time, online, optimization”. Plant and operations managers should take an interest in finding out about the benefits of real-time online optimization. This Invensys solution can assist you in improving performance, making better business decisions, and increasing refinery profitability. If you are already interested in real-time optimization solutions but are not sure which solution is right for your refinery’s needs, this webinar can help!

In case you missed it, you can check out the recordings of the above mentioned webinars and others here: 

Read More

Refinery Performance Webinar recordings now available for viewing

Invensys Operations Management frequently offers live webinars to help viewers gain a better understanding of our solutions.These webinar recordings are now available for you to view on-demand.

This webinar series introduces ways to optimize performance in a refinery. The following webinars address two major issues in today’s refineries.

First, is “Reducing Material Losses with Better Yield Accounting”, which addresses the need for better yield accounting. In order to prevent major monetary loss, refineries must tighten control on their raw material, inventory, and products. Unaccounted for material loss may be due to a number of factors including inaccurate or inconsistent data, coming led ownership of processed materials, environmental (HSE) pressure to report yields and losses, or Joint Venture (JV) pressure to report transactions. Our new Yield Accounting solution has corrected these issues in order to provide refiners with an accurate means of accounting for material losses.

Next is “Aging Workforce and Operator Training – Improve your bottom line with faster, more effective training techniques”.  This webinar explains how so much of the aging workforce is nearing retirement, leaving plant operation in the hands of less experienced, undertrained operators. SimSci-Esscor offers operator training that will optimize performance and improve safety in a plant. Watch this webinar to learn more about these innovative methods that will prepare your workforce in an efficient and effective manner.

In the “Using New Modeling Technology to Help Solve Heavy Oil Processing Issues” webinar, Invensys employees explain the importance of processing heavier feedstock. Today’s refineries were originally designed for lighter crudes.  Since there is an ever-increasing demand for oil and the amount of heavy oils on Earth is greater than twice the supply of lighter crudes, refineries are being forced to utilize them.  Conventional refineries find great difficulty in processing these “molasses-like” substances.  Processing the crude incorrectly leads to operational errors, like equipment failure and process downtime, which can risk operator safety.  This webinar offers insight on how to deal with heavy oils.

“Make better feedstock business decisions in real-time with Assay Knowledge Management” explains how to use this solution to make knowledgeable and profitable decisions based on your refinery’s needs. Invensys has paired up with Spiral Software, bringing you a new technology that properly determines the properties of feedstock, allowing a refiner to evaluate all available feedstocks in real time. This leads to better decisions and improves profitability.

The final webinar on demand is “How to improve refinery profitability with real-time, online, optimization”. Plant and operations managers should take an interest in finding out about the benefits of real-time online optimization. This Invensys solution can assist you in improving performance, making better business decisions, and increasing refinery profitability. If you are already interested in real-time optimization solutions but are not sure which solution is right for your refinery’s needs, this webinar can help!

In case you missed it, you can check out the recordings of the above mentioned webinars and others here: 

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Great Article in DOWNSTREAMTODAY

Great Article in DOWNSTREAMTODAY highlighting the aging workforce

Mindful that "50 percent of today's 10 million oil and gas workers are eligible to retire in 2015", GE Oil & Gas CEO Daniel Heintzelman said that the entire industry faces a “human resources challenge".

Read the full article on DOWNSTREAMTODAY!

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Invensys Event: New solution for aging workforce, operator training, worker productivity

Aging Workforce? Operator Training? Improve your bottom line with modern, efficient training techniques Join us on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire for a rare insight into how companies are using simulation and virtual reality technologies to optimize workforce performance – to dramatically reduce “time to experience” for their technical workforce. Learn how you can: Continuously improve workforce performance Measure proficiency and competency Attract the next generation of technical talent Improve retention of your best people Improve safety and avoid operational pitfalls Dr. Peter Martin, VP Business Value Solutions, Invensys, will discuss a new strategy for achieving workforce performance excellence.You’ll see a live demo and also learn from your peers as a special guest speaker, a simulator training expert in the field, will explain his company’s experience with this novel approach to training. Seating is limited. Please register now to reserve your seat.		Where Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire - 255 Barclay Parade Southwest Calgary, AB T2P 5C2, Canada, (403) 266-7200 When Tuesday, January 22, 2012, 2 to 4 p.m.; Drinks and appetizers 4-5 p.m. Who should attend? CEOs, CTOs, VPs, Plant Managers, Operations Managers, Human Resource Managers, Training Managers, Engineering ManagersSpeaker Peter Martin, Vice President, Business Value Solutions Peter is credited with leading the enterprise control movement toward converging real-time accounting measures with operational KPIs as the basis for driving measureable bottom line performance improvements.
Copyright © 2012-2013 Invensys Inc. All rights reserved. 10900 Equity Drive | Houston, TX 77041 USA | 1.713.329.1600

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Invensys Event: New solution for aging workforce, operator training, worker productivity

Aging Workforce? Operator Training? Improve your bottom line with modern, efficient training techniques Join us on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire for a rare insight into how companies are using simulation and virtual reality technologies to optimize workforce performance – to dramatically reduce “time to experience” for their technical workforce. Learn how you can: Continuously improve workforce performance Measure proficiency and competency Attract the next generation of technical talent Improve retention of your best people Improve safety and avoid operational pitfalls Dr. Peter Martin, VP Business Value Solutions, Invensys, will discuss a new strategy for achieving workforce performance excellence.You’ll see a live demo and also learn from your peers as a special guest speaker, a simulator training expert in the field, will explain his company’s experience with this novel approach to training. Seating is limited. Please register now to reserve your seat.		Where Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire - 255 Barclay Parade Southwest Calgary, AB T2P 5C2, Canada, (403) 266-7200 When Tuesday, January 22, 2012, 2 to 4 p.m.; Drinks and appetizers 4-5 p.m. Who should attend? CEOs, CTOs, VPs, Plant Managers, Operations Managers, Human Resource Managers, Training Managers, Engineering ManagersSpeaker Peter Martin, Vice President, Business Value Solutions Peter is credited with leading the enterprise control movement toward converging real-time accounting measures with operational KPIs as the basis for driving measureable bottom line performance improvements.
Copyright © 2012-2013 Invensys Inc. All rights reserved. 10900 Equity Drive | Houston, TX 77041 USA | 1.713.329.1600

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Has anyone attended our webinars? I would love to get your feedback.

Has anyone attended our webinars? I would love to get your feedback.

A few weeks ago we started our Refinery Wide Optimization Webinar series with a webinar on Training the refinery operators of the future. We followed that up with webinars on Heavy Oils and Yield Accounting.

Did you get to join the webinars? If so, what did you think of them. If not you can view the recordings here. We are repeating the webinar on training the refinery operators of the future on December 4th. Then in 2013 we are planning on continuing the series with webinars on optimization, Spiral Software, APC, and many other topics.

What did we do right during the first few webinars? What would you like us to do differently in the future?

I am open to all feedback.
If you don't want to post a comment on the blog, feel free to email me at joseph.mcmullen@invensys.com

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Operator Training

                Refineries are being forced to rely on inexperienced operators due to the aging workforce.  Undertrained employees reduce performance and profitability in a refinery and may also risk the safety of other employees.  The aging workforce is moving closer to the age of retirement, making it imperative to train younger, less experienced employees.  Invensys offers solutions that aid refineries in educating inexperienced operators, who will soon be relied upon to operate the refinery.

                Invensys offers a computer-based training method, Operator Training Simulators (OTS), to help give operators the skills they need to run a refinery.  Operators learn the ins and outs of a refinery in this virtual control room.  DYNSIM is a model that controls the plant response.  Trainees learn how to react appropriately when a similar situation occurs in the actual plant.  SimSci-Esscor’s immersive training system, EYESIM, is a technology breakthrough in training.  The EYESIM solution connects all refinery operators by a high-fidelity process simulation and virtual walkthrough plant environment.  The virtual plant feature will significantly improve maintenance activities by offering direct feedback once a trainee completes an action.  This will provide the knowledge necessary to act appropriately in any given situation.

There will be a free webinar on December 4th - register today.

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What is standing in the way at your refinery?

Need to breakthrough to better refinery performance - we can help!

What do you need help with - let me know!

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SimSci-Esscor Overview

Refineries are finding it increasingly difficult to compete in today’s global economy, whether it is due to increasingly heavy feedstock, inexperienced operators, or sub-optimal operating conditions. SimSci-Esscor understands these difficulties, and offers solutions to address each problem. Customers may then determine which offered solutions best fit their situation.

Invensys Operations Management provides a unique and innovative set of software, services and solutions aimed at addressing emerging industry needs and operational issues, and are designed to drive optimal performance within a refinery.  The solutions for refinery-wide modeling are comprehensive and complete, backed by an expert global delivery services organization

If you are one of the few refining companies not using SimSci-Esscor products, now is the time to optimize your company’s refinery performance.

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