Simulating inventory management ate the GATE LNG import terminal
- 1. Your company logo “Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal” Feikje Wittermans Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 1
- 2. Your company logo Contents 1. The Gate terminal 2. Managing LNG inventory and throughput 3. Simulation model(s) over time 4. SIMA functionality 5. Benefits of simulation 6. Next steps Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 2
- 3. Your company logo 1. Gate terminal provides an alternative for pipeline gas • The Gate terminal is considered as a major component of the Dutch strategy of becoming the Gas Roundabout of Europe • Gate terminal is an LNG regasification terminal where we – Receive LNG by unloading LNG carriers (2 jetties) – Store LNG temporary (3 storage tanks) and – Deliver Gas in the National Grid (GTS) by regasifying the LNG using cooling water from the Eon power plant • Yearly output (in natural gas) of the terminal in Gas is 12 billion m3 (n) per year Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 3
- 4. Your company logo 1. Cooling water is used to regasify the LNG • Cooling water used to regasify the LNG is transported via a pipeline and tunnel from the Eon Power station to the Gate terminal • The terminal is Considered a zero emission terminal Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 4
- 5. Your company logo 1. Process overview of the terminal Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 5
- 6. Your company logo 2. Modeling LNG inventory and throughput management Setting: • Multiple customers → 12 BCMa • Terminal capacity = 540,000 m3 (3 tanks of 180.000 m3 each) • Max parcelsize (Q-Max = 266,000 m3 LNG) • 2 jetties (unloading capacity of 15.000 m3 per hour) Challenges: • Guarantee customer throughput • Minimize demurrage • Optimize capacity usage • Manage send out rate for Gas delivery in the Grid Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 6
- 7. Your company logo 2. Inventory and throughput is ruled by many variables 600,000 Inventory capacity level Customer 1 500,000 Customer 2 Total 400,000 300,000 Reality adds more complexity: Variability in arrivals More customers 200,000 Spot cargo’s Different vessel sizes and more… 100,000 time arrival arrival arrival open slot Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 7
- 8. Your company logo 3. SIMA developed over time from a Decision support tool only into a general support tool • The simulation models used for Decision support have developed from a complex, non-transparant model using huge excel files into a user friendly web based application allowing secured access from anywhere • Now additional functionality (e.g. back loading) is easily added to the model • The next version of the model will also support the terminal planning function 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 • Student • Redesign • Scenario • Decision • Web • Arena model Navigator support based model with • Inventory • Operation • Excel additional mgmt support interface capacities Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 8
- 9. Your company logo 4. SIMA gives insight in the terminal’s boundaries of the “hard- and software” • Over several dimensions we are able to change inputs and parameters in order to analyse the impact of these changes on the performance of the terminal New scenario Edit scenario Create schedule Run simulation Results & analysis •Duplicate •Customer(s) •Allocates all •Arena •Throughput •Scenario name •Terminal vessels to an software •Delays •Date •Port arrival slot •Terminal •Demurrage •User •Vessels model •Logs •Equipment •Variability •Causes •Failures Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 9
- 10. Your company logo 4. The User interface for creating scenario’s and running the model only needs 4 buttons: Hosted by: 08/11/2011 10
- 11. Your company logo 4. SIMA’s parameters are “easy” built up over several dimensions • SIMA data entry Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 11
- 12. Your company logo 4. SIMA functionality also contains animation • Arena model animation Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 12
- 13. Your company logo 4. SIMA ‘s dashboard shows the bottlenecks in one overview • SIMA results overview Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 13
- 14. Your company logo 4. Per issue, we can drill down into more detail to look for the cause • SIMA results on waiting Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 14
- 15. Your company logo 5. Benefits of simulation for Gate • With the first Arena model we were able to optimize the dimensions of the terminal and the business model for Gate first and later on other LNG terminals to be planned • Later on, simulations helped us to learn how the several parameters impacted each other • We used these insights in defining the optimum parameters for future expansion in both size and functionality • Simulations enable us to show current customers the impact of any expansions Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 15
- 16. Your company logo 6. Next steps for SIMA • Operational planning support – Import annual unloading schedule – Cancellation of berth slots – Client dedicated dashboards – Actual versus scheduled user interface • Web deployment – SIMA online – Global access by iPad, PC & Notebook Hosted by: November 8, 2011 Simulating LNG inventory management at the Gate terminal 16