BPCL, a leading player in the energy industry, has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Aspen Technology Inc., USA. This partnership aims to integrate Aspen Tech’s process simulation solution with BPCL’s BPMARRK software, enabling the generation of complete assay data within a fraction of the time it would traditionally take using laboratory methods. Assay, a comprehensive chemical analysis of crude oil, plays a vital role in predicting the volume and quality of refined products resulting from refining processes.
The groundbreaking BPMARRK technology predicts a detailed Crude Oil Assay for any unknown crude oil within an impressive timeframe of 2 to 5 minutes, utilizing just four physical parameters as input. By providing comprehensive crude characteristics, the tool empowers refiners to anticipate the volume and quality of refined products with utmost accuracy.
During the MOU signing event, BPCL also unveiled K Model, an innovative web-based software that enables swift and precise prediction of crude oil blend compatibility and optimization for any number of crude oils within minutes. K Model empowers refiners to select the most suitable crude oil blend based on economics, availability, and processing feasibility in real-time. This allows for simultaneous evaluation of multiple blend options, enabling optimal decision-making.
Sanjay Khanna, Director (Refineries), BPCL, delivered a remote address to the attending audience. In his speech, he stated that, “Refiners often process mix of crude oils, for which accurate assay is not available on real-time basis. Variations in crude quality as well as lack of reliable crude assay information makes the task of real-time optimization extremely challenging if not impossible. BPMARRK generates the entire assay within one hour as compared to several weeks through conventional laboratory methods, and it predicts detailed Crude Oil Assay with more than 500 data information of any unknown crude oil within 2-5 minutes making it extremely useful for real-time applications.”
Further, Dr. Ravi Kumar V., Head (R&D), BPCL said, “BPMARRK will benefit our community of users with faster and more accurate decision-making for the characterization of crudes and maximize the refinery profitability.”
Sunil Patil, Senior Director, Solution Consulting at AspenTech, said: “AspenTech is pleased to expand its long-standing partnership with BPCL to ensure operational excellence and generate sustainability advances from more informed feedstock selections and value additions to its accurate processing in crude distillation units. In addition, the integrated solution will enable real-time decisions in response to changing operating conditions.”
Combining the power of BPMARRK with Aspen Technology’s digital twin models, this collaboration is set to revolutionize crude oil sourcing and real-time optimization. The integrated solution can be seamlessly implemented in any refinery configuration, empowering real-time applications across the industry.
K Model – another major initiative from BPCL – brings unique capabilities in predicting crude oil blend compatibility, thereby significantly impacting profit margins for refiners dealing with large crude mix parcels. Refiners processing mix parcels comprising 4 to 10 crude oils from different sources will find K Model® indispensable, as it allows for the selection of crude mix parcels with more constituents, ultimately increasing overall profitability.
BPCL remains committed to adopting cutting-edge technology solutions to enhance refinery operations, ensuring optimal performance, profitability, and environmental responsibility. The integration of K Model and BPMARRK digital twin models in Aspen online interfaces marks a transformative milestone in crude oil sourcing and real-time optimization.
