Innovative Decision Support in a Petrochemical Production Environment

Marlize Meyer (), Hylton Robinson (), Michele Fisher (), Anette van der Merwe (), Gerrit Streicher (), Johan Janse van Rensburg (), Hentie van den Berg (), Esmi Dreyer (), Jaco Joubert (), Gerkotze Bonthuys (), Ruan Rossouw (), Willem Louw (), Lorraine van Deventer (), Cecile Wykes () and Ebert Cawood ()
Additional contact information
Marlize Meyer: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Hylton Robinson: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Michele Fisher: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Anette van der Merwe: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Gerrit Streicher: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Johan Janse van Rensburg: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Hentie van den Berg: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Esmi Dreyer: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Jaco Joubert: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Gerkotze Bonthuys: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Ruan Rossouw: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Willem Louw: Sasol Technology, Sasolburg 1947, South Africa
Lorraine van Deventer: Clarkson, Western Australia 6030, Australia
Cecile Wykes: Sasol Synfuels, Secunda 2302, South Africa
Ebert Cawood: Sasol Synfuels, Secunda 2302, South Africa

Interfaces, 2011, vol. 41, issue 1, 79-92

Abstract: Sasol, an integrated energy and chemicals company based in South Africa, leads the world in producing liquid fuels from natural gas and coal. Sasol faces many challenges, such as stricter fuel specifications, fluctuating oil and gas prices, and unique developing-world issues. Historically, the petrochemical industry based business decisions on average production limits. Sasol critically needed a better method to understand and include the effect of variability and dynamics in its decisions. The company's modeling operations using stochastic simulation (MOSS) methodology is an application of operations research that has helped to radically improve decision making. Sasol used this methodology to build three discrete-event simulation models spanning its unique coal-to-liquids value chain. The models have repeatedly proven their value by enhancing insights, enabling collaboration, ensuring efficient and effective production, and improving Sasol's bottom line. This work has applications in the wider chemical and fuels industries and represents a major step forward for operations research and chemical engineering.

Keywords: petrochemical; simulations; application; probability; stochastic model applications; statistics; data analysis; decision support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:orinte:v:41:y:2011:i:1:p:79-92

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