Planning an Olefins Unit Startup with an Operating Training Simulator As Part of a Plant Revamp Commissioning Strategy

Startup strategies, sequences and procedures were developed using an Operating Training Simulator (OTS) in preparation for starting up an olefins plant undergoing a significant revamp. The revamp involved the replacement of internals on numerous towers, re-wheel of compressors and a non-negligible amount of process integration. Most of those modifications being implemented during a major plant turnaround. This paper discussed the challenges of validating the OTS with pre-turnaround operating data no longer reflecting the revamped unit and process design simulations. A significant portion of this work was conducted during COVID-19 restrictions and added on the complexity. Execution of the actual startup is also discussed and compared to the expected sequence.