3. The refining department advises the supply department of the actual quantities
they can produce and how much crude they will require to do so.
4. The supply department arranges with the transportation department for the
necessary shipping to:
• Provide the crude.
• Lift the products.
• Import the quantities that cannot be produced.
In the above sequence of events, Item 3 is carried out by the planning section of
the refinery department. Their objective is to translate the production requirements
given by the supply department into a workable system, which specifies the actual
operation of each plant to ensure that the final result is the most economical one
practicable. This is termed the “running plan” for the operation.
Running Plans
Running plans are developed and issued on a monthly basis. They usually cover
periods varying from 11 to 18 months ahead. Long-term periods are broken down
into quarters, while short term (up to 6 months ahead) are broken down into months.
The main uses of the running plan are to provide data for:
• Keeping the supply department and the company executives informed
• Providing information for long-term chartering of ships
• Arranging import programs
• Pinpointing future product quality and equipment difficulties
The running plan is used in a refinery as the basis for an operating program. Such
a program is developed in the refinery by converting the plan into a day-to-day
operation program for each refinery plant. At the end of every month, the plant
operation for that month is summarized and compiled into an operations summary
which compares the actual plant operation with the program. Usually, the refinery
organization will include a planning department, and the production of both the
operating program and the subsequent summary is their responsibility.
The Rules of Planning
Before looking at the development of running plans in some detail, it is necessary to
understand some fundamental rules. These are listed below and are the “Planning Data”:
• Equipment availability
• Plant performance
• Service factors
• Product quality
• Planning properties
• Blending properties
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D.S.J. Jones and P.R. Pujado ´
they can produce and how much crude they will require to do so.
4. The supply department arranges with the transportation department for the
necessary shipping to:
• Provide the crude.
• Lift the products.
• Import the quantities that cannot be produced.
In the above sequence of events, Item 3 is carried out by the planning section of
the refinery department. Their objective is to translate the production requirements
given by the supply department into a workable system, which specifies the actual
operation of each plant to ensure that the final result is the most economical one
practicable. This is termed the “running plan” for the operation.
Running Plans
Running plans are developed and issued on a monthly basis. They usually cover
periods varying from 11 to 18 months ahead. Long-term periods are broken down
into quarters, while short term (up to 6 months ahead) are broken down into months.
The main uses of the running plan are to provide data for:
• Keeping the supply department and the company executives informed
• Providing information for long-term chartering of ships
• Arranging import programs
• Pinpointing future product quality and equipment difficulties
The running plan is used in a refinery as the basis for an operating program. Such
a program is developed in the refinery by converting the plan into a day-to-day
operation program for each refinery plant. At the end of every month, the plant
operation for that month is summarized and compiled into an operations summary
which compares the actual plant operation with the program. Usually, the refinery
organization will include a planning department, and the production of both the
operating program and the subsequent summary is their responsibility.
The Rules of Planning
Before looking at the development of running plans in some detail, it is necessary to
understand some fundamental rules. These are listed below and are the “Planning Data”:
• Equipment availability
• Plant performance
• Service factors
• Product quality
• Planning properties
• Blending properties
688
D.S.J. Jones and P.R. Pujado ´