REAL-TIME CHEMICAL PROCESS MONITORING, ASSESSMENT AND DECISION-MAKING ASSISTANCE METHOD

A real-time method for operating plant executing a chemical process, comprising continuously, periodically or intermittently obtaining one or more process variable measurements; optionally, continuously, periodically or intermittently estimating one or more inferred process variables from measured process variables and/or mathematical models; estimating the current state of the chemical process based on the process variable measurements and/or inferred process variables; assessing the current state of the chemical process; projecting future probable process state based on the current state of the chemical process; linking the current and/or future probable process state with information in a database, the information comprising preferred actions aimed at favorably influencing the future process state; providing the information to a chemical process plant operating personnel; and optionally, performing manual and/or automatic actions aimed at favorably influencing the future process state of the chemical process is provided.