Energy Efficiency in Terminals
Refining and upstream are large industries, but the world of terminals is a bit different. The terminal industry is shaped by multiple regulations and the focus is on turning the assets as quickly as possible, meeting contractual obligations, and avoiding demurrage. Energy efficiency has not traditionally been an area of focus in the midstream terminals space.
Recently, Becht worked with a major terminal global company, whose terminal was facing substantial government —and societal— pressure in Europe to become more energy efficient and reduce emissions.
Given the nuances of this project, our team found the opportunity to be ground breakers. BRAVO (Becht Reliable Asset Value Optimization) approach to energy efficiency has been successfully applied in refineries, but not in terminals to date. Our team took on the challenge to adapt the BRAVO approach to terminal operations.
The first phase was focused on developing a solid baseline and understanding of the operations via roundtable onsite meetings and field walk arounds to visualize the equipment and its configuration.
We visited the terminal, and our subject matter experts identified several opportunities to improve energy efficiency. We reviewed options developed by the client and offered feedback and recommendations. The team also developed a Petro-Sim based model to visualize and quantify the benefits of the various options compared to the base case.
One of the most significant opportunities was found in data management. This finding steered us towards reviewing the business process -from nomination to execution- and developing an option to ensure that data-driven energy efficiency considerations were included as part of the business process. To this end, data needs to be accessible, available, and accurate. As a first step in this process, stakeholders in the commercial, planning and operations–business process had a workshop facilitated by our Project Manager to conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis based on their current process workflow. We also reviewed all available data sources, their connectivity, and current capabilities for the use/management of data, as well as the investments the client had already made in data management and data analytics.
Our suggested approach starts by closing “quick win” gaps identified in the SWOT analysis, conducting a harmonized business process assessment (again, a first for standalone terminal operations), focused on the work process and company culture, and identifying and prioritizing initiatives to incorporate energy considerations in the work process to fulfill orders at the terminal, based on cost, effort, and value.
BRAVO allowed the team to develop a truly holistic approach for this project by:
- Providing recommendations to increase thermal efficiency in heating equipment,
- Improving operation of rotating equipment (the main energy consumer in the terminal), to reduce power consumption,
- Strengthening customer initiatives by contributing best practices to ensure success in a project to recover heat from a vapor treatment unit
- Providing insight on how to treat data as a valuable asset.
Becht’s BRAVO is helping the terminals industry comply with ESG regulations. Helping our clients succeed! For more information on how BRAVO can help you, click the links below: