Refining & Petrochemicals

To help customers manage and optimize processes associated with refining and petrochemicals, SAIC applies a detailed understanding of plant processes, management of environmental concerns, and understanding of business and physical risks associated with operating in a hazardous refining and petrochemicals environment.

Refining & Petrochemicals Solutions:

Non-Destructive Evaluation Process for Refining and Petrochemicals
Unlike typical commercially available systems for the non-destructive evaluation of materials and structures, SAIC's single system solution provides high-resolution, real-time response in a portable package that allows in situ inspection of large structures at drill or production sites for refining and petrochemicals.

SAIC developed an optical-based (hyper-spectral) system and a microwave-based system to provide integrated real-time, real-system mapping of defect characteristics. Originally developed for military, highway authority, and industry applications such as bridge and airframe inspection, these systems have been adapted to specific structural designs and are field-portable, allowing in situ evaluation of stress points, materials failure, cracks, coating erosion, and other defects.

Automation and Control
SAIC has provided real-time process monitoring and control systems used at nuclear and fossil-fired power plants and oil and gas transmission pipelines in more than 80 separate installations worldwide. SAIC's turnkey systems can include:

• Specification, procurement, and staging of major hardware components
• Detailed design and development of real-time software systems, including customized interfaces to plant and facility instrumentation and external systems
• Extensive display development, using either SAIC or third-party packages
• Training, documentation, factory and site testing, installation support, and warranty

SAIC manages complex programs involving combinations of SAIC and third-party technologies. One such system is SAIC's supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which has been used to control and monitor some of the largest pipeline systems in the world for Saudi Aramco and other oil and gas companies.

Process Optimization and Safety Management
SAIC can help refining and petrochemicals customers maximize financial returns from investments n process safety management (PSM) technologies. SAIC has nearly 1,000 person-years of experience in the quantitative risk assessment of advanced technologies. SAIC leads and performs process hazard analyses and has developed a unique methodology for applying hazard and operability (HazOp) techniques to computer-based control systems. Our expertise in atmospheric dispersion and consequence modeling has been applied to a wide variety of issues. SAIC has developed proven computer models for the atmospheric dispersion of large-scale accidental industrial releases of hazardous vapors.

Efficient management of information is vital to operating safely and efficiently. The foundation for SAIC's system for managing process safety information is its Windows®-based PHA-Workshop and Risk Management and Tracking System (Resolution-Tracker). The system includes methods for prioritizing recommendations and implementation within the framework of change management. Other modules include audits and incident investigation.

SAIC's computerized operating procedures, can be used for concise technical documentation of safety and business efficiency for refining and petrochemicals. To help develop a performance-based maintenance program for production equipment, part of the basis for the asset manager's decision process for the reservoir of the future, SAIC evaluates how petroleum companies maintain their production facilities and where improvement is possible.

Virtual Prototyping
SAIC's virtual prototype of the refining process includes detailed modeling of both physical and facilities processes. Individual processes can be described as software objects, complete with physical characteristics and constraints. The initial design process can be entirely virtual. As the model progresses, it can be interfaced to the actual measurement systems of the refinery. Simulations of this mixed virtual/actual system are then used to determine the best steps to take in optimizing refinery operations or improvements. The system also can be used by refining and petrochemicals organizations to optimize just-in-time scheduling of deliveries by notifying the supply chain of consumption of materials and delivery of products.

SAIC has practical experience in implementing virtual prototyping for both commercial and U.S. government customers. A primary focus has been in the aerospace industry for the optimization of the manufacturing process. Customers include Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Hughes Aircraft, and General Dynamics.

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