Supply-chain simulation and analysis of petroleum refinery systems: a reusable template with incremental approach

Simulation technology has been successfully applied in Supply Chain studies, mostly to assist onetime decisions, and rarely in recurrent situations. Several authors have chosen traditional approaches like developing simulators or developing templates for better modeling, facing pitfalls like lack or excess of detail, lack of flexibility of tools, how to continue to evolve models in a dynamic environment etc. This work addresses application of a systems approach to better describe and model complex processes. We also demonstrate how a combined approach of templates and simulators, described as incremental modeling, was used to create a refinery simulation toolset, and present results of an application at Petrobras Energia.