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Summary
Today's operator training simulator (OTS) and immersive training simulator (ITS) solutions provide some of the most effective ways to train new operators, refresh the skills of experienced ones, and qualify or re-qualify all operators globally to retain knowledge, help ensure efficient operations, and avert potential disasters. KBR recently briefed ARC Advisory Group on developments in the company's operator training simulator business. While not a primary supplier of OTS software, KBR is in a unique position because of its ability to create effective and detailed models.
As a technology licensor and engineering company that builds plants, KBR has a wealth of process knowledge that it can bring to bear to develop the simulation model and assist users through the whole process of developing, deploying, and maintaining the OTS throughout the plant lifecycle. The process industries are already experiencing a huge crisis related to human resources, and it is getting more difficult to find trained and qualified employees to fill key roles in process plants. A good OTS solution can greatly reduce training costs, get new employees up to speed faster, and provide significant operational and reliability benefits.
OTS Benefits
Today's advanced training simulators allow realistic, hands-on training for normal operations, start-ups, shut-downs, familiarizing people with workflows, and for abnormal or emergency response to situations without compromising the health or safety of operators, the plant, or the surrounding community. Training simulators can enable plant operators to receive realistic, plant-specific, hands-on training in advance of plant startups as well as during normal operations.
Training simulators are typically used for startup training for new capital projects, significant expansions, technology upgrades, training, and re-training of procedures. With many experienced operators getting ready to retire, companies need to ensure that they can continue to operate their plants in a safe, reliable, and profitable manner.
Most people familiar with OTS attribute significant benefits for operator training. These range from increased operator confidence in their ability to handle process upsets or other abnormal events, to improving operator effectiveness, and decreasing their work-related stress. For the plant or operation - the benefits range from faster time to startup, to reduced operational risk, increased production performance, and reduced liability.
KBR Is a Value Added Provider of OTS
KBR partners with leading OTS software suppliers and adds value to these OTS solutions by providing a good model, training scenarios, and services throughout the lifecycle of the simulator installation. KBR partners with several OTS suppliers and many of the leading DCS suppliers, and has decades of experience working with the major process automation system platforms and OTS providers. The company's large staff of engineers then leverage this experience to develop and implement solutions that represent the best fit for a single plant or multiple plants.
The company licenses a wide range of process technologies, from ammonia plants to hydrocrackers, for which it can develop a wide range of models. To date, the company has provided simulator solutions for the chemicals and petrochemicals industries as well as for several applications in the upstream oil & gas industry. These range from floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) to subsea systems and LNG applications.
According to the company, it has delivered OTS in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia. KBR has global centers of excellence for simulation in Houston, London, and Pune.
The Model Is Essential
Developing a good model is the key to success in any OTS implementation. To train users effectively, the model must accurately reflect the process and provide good information about the current plant configuration. Accuracy and consistency are all important. KBR is both an engineering partner and a technology licensor. The company leverages this knowledge when configuring the OTS and building the model. The company can take its own proprietary reactor models and physical property methods and include scenarios that are specific to the process.
KBR takes advantage of its exclusive proprietary information to develop high-fidelity models of the plants and processes it designs. This includes highly specialized thermodynamic and physical property routines as well as custom models for KBR equipment, such as reformers, reactors, LNG equipment, and specialized systems for upstream oil & gas applications.
Operator Training Scenarios Emphasize Correct Work Processes
It is well known that most incidents in process plants happen during key plant procedures such as startup or shutdown. These are complex processes and the margin for error is low. Meanwhile, many of the more experienced operators and technicians that have the deep knowledge of these processes are retiring or otherwise exiting the workforce. A good training simulator that incorporates the latest work processes and procedures, combined with a good model, can often help reduce incidents and increase profitability.
KBR's intensive process and engineering knowledge combined with its large staff of process experts allow the company to mirror specific processes and procedures effectively. The company has developed a sold set of scenarios to train people across all levels of the organization quickly and effectively. These scenarios include full process startup from cold and empty or hot stand-by, process shutdown to stand-by or fully shut down state, and emergency situations.
According to the company, arbitrary faults with equipment and instrumentation can be introduced throughout the various training scenarios to spot test operator skill. The status of interlocks can also be tracked and reset to bypass operating areas.
A Lifecycle Approach to Simulators
Like advanced control, operator training simulators can fall out of use or become ineffective due to a lack of lifecycle management. As plant parameters change and work processes evolve, it can be helpful to partner with a company that can provide services throughout the lifecycle of the simulator. According to KBR, to maximize training value, it partners with end users from the conceptual stages of the project through model development, integration of the process control and safety strategy, and assistance during the site acceptance.
KBR's Lifecycle Approach to OTS
As a technology licensor, KBR also validates the EPC data for the project, which brings another level of added value to the OTS. KBR also involves its commissioning experts to help evaluate its OTS models. Any project delivered by KBR is tested and validated according to the recommendations and guidelines of the commissioning and startup services team. Among other benefits, this helps ensure that the simulator is in a state of operational readiness and requires no further testing.
Conclusion
KBR appears well positioned to take advantage of the growth opportunities in the OTS business. Being able to develop a good model is an advantage, but even the model itself is not enough. KBR's lifecycle approach should help ensure that end users will not only have a high-fidelity simulation model but a sustainable OTS solution for operators and other employees throughout the lifecycle of the plant.
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Keywords: KBR, Operator Training Simulators, OTS.