Lyondell has undertaken a project in optimizing the feedstock purchasing, planning, scheduling and execution functions in our olefins business. After working to understand our existing business, dataflow and workflow processes, we undertook a study in what those processes should look like. How should we do our business?

That led to scoping out over a dozen subprojects and a redesign of the business processes, which included resource requirements and job descriptions. The subprojects included implementing new tools, revamping some existing ones, and developing others from scratch. Each subproject planned for infrastructure, implementation, training and long-term support.

One of those subprojects was a multi-site program in implementing Real Time Optimization (RTO) and Advanced Process Control (APC). This paper discusses how the business requirements were translated into a subproject scope, how that scope was executed, some results, and some lessons learned.