MULTIPRODUCT OPERATIONS -2 (Conclusions) New scheduling rule improves pipeline efficiency

V. CAFARO; D. CAFARO; C.A. MÉNDEZ; J. CERDÁ

OIL & GAS JOURNAL

PENNWELL PUBL CO ENERGY GROUP

Lugar: Houston; Año: 2011 vol. 109 p. 136 - 139

0030-1388

A new rule prioritizing product delivery to the eligible terminal closest to the one being currently served reduces total accumulated idle volume by about 40% and decreases the number of cut operations. Modeling the inventory level in every storage tank as a continuous variable allows accurate control of product stocks at the input station. Since handling product batches occurs discretely, their volumes are expressed as small, equal-size batch elements called entities. The pipeline system, divided into different segments (pipes), connects the nodes of the distribution network. Each pipe, modeled as a fixed-size first-in/first-out (FIFO) queue with a single server at the pipe extreme, permits the movement of material entities from one position to another. When a product batch entity reaches the terminal that demands it, the entity may be transferred from the pipeline to an available terminal tank.