The Scheduling Decision of a Refinery: The Decision Maker in Search of Conflict Resolution

Refineries typically gather a set of activities that are complex and dynamic. Adding to the complexity of the refining process, there is also great freedom in refinery operations, multiple possible arrangements to convert certain oils in derivatives. In this context, this paper focuses on the decision-making processes that lead refiners of an integrated oil company in their day to day. As decision making, the text refers to a process that always brings a kind of conflict resolution, in which conflicting goals have to be negotiated and reconciled. The object of analysis is inserted in hierarchical decision-making processes, e.g. a breakdown process, which begins with a comprehensive evaluation and then divides the decision into ever smaller and more defined elements so that they are interdependent. The output at an aggregated level is then input in the next detailed level. In each of the hierarchical levels, the decision-making is the result of a problem presented in a certain context to a decision maker. This decision maker will be responsible for the direction of the refinery production in which he/she is allocated. The programmer of each refinery have general guidelines that should be considered, albeit non-explicitly or non-definable way, these take the form of criteria in some cases of technical origin and in other situations derived from the business. Given these aspects, this article presents a critical and analytical view in the face of dilemmas that emerge before the search of the decision makers to converge scheduling production considering both set of criteria.