Step #1: Planning

A crucial aspect of developing software is Requirements Analysis. Customers often have a general vision of the desired outcome but may not fully understand what the software needs to accomplish.

Regular demonstrations of live code can help mitigate the risk of incorrect requirements.

Once the initial requirements are gathered from the client, a thorough analysis of the project’s scope should be conducted and clearly articulated.

Step #2: Implementation

Implementation involves software engineers writing the code based on the specifications established during the planning phase. This is where the actual programming takes place, turning ideas into functional software.

Step #3: Testing

Software testing is a vital phase in the software development process. It aims to identify defects as early as possible, ensuring that the final product meets quality standards.

This phase provides an objective, independent assessment of the software, helping users understand the risks associated with deployment.

Testing can be defined as the process of validating and verifying that a software application meets the design and development requirements, functions as intended, and can be deployed with consistent characteristics.

Step #4: Deployment and Maintenance

Deployment occurs once the code has been thoroughly tested and approved for release, and it is distributed into a production environment. This phase may include installation, customization, further testing, and possibly an extended evaluation period.

Training and support are essential, as software effectiveness relies on proper usage.

Maintaining and enhancing the software to address newly identified faults or requirements can be time-consuming. Overlooked requirements may necessitate redesigning aspects of the software.

Types of Software Development Approaches

There are three primary software development approaches:

1. Waterfall Approach
2. Incremental Approach
3. Agile and Scrum

Waterfall Approach

In the waterfall approach, development activities are conducted in a sequential order, with minimal overlap and little to no iteration between phases.

User needs are first identified, followed by defining requirements, designing the complete system, and then building and testing it for final delivery, all occurring at a single point in time.

This document-driven methodology is best suited for systems with well-defined, stable requirements. The waterfall model is often referred to as the linear and sequential model, reflecting its straightforward flow of activities, where each phase must be completed before the next begins.

Software Development Process Metrics

Software metrics are essential components of the software development process.

Program Management Offices (PMO) should gain insights into proposed metrics during the source selection phase, and developers must commit to consistently using these metrics, which include collecting, analyzing, and reporting data.

Metrics should be integrated into the developer’s processes to:

• Clearly depict variances between planned and actual performance.
• Provide early detection or prediction of issues requiring management attention.
• Support the evaluation of the impact of proposed changes on the program.

In the refining and petrochemical industries, which face low margins and continuous pressure from high crude oil prices, there exists an opportunity for downstream businesses to enhance system performance.

An advanced Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) study facilitates the optimization of production efficiency for high-value refinery products (e.g., gasoline, diesel, lube oils) by understanding the interactions of individual process unit reliability, plant production schedules, storage, and operational flexibility.

In the downstream sector, ACSC Technology has been implemented across various applications, from plant-wide performance analysis to distribution network studies, supply chain models, life cycle cost analysis, detailed reliability engineering, and failure investigations.

Benefits of ACSC Advanced RAM Study

To accurately forecast the performance of a complex asset, it is essential to assess the interactions of various factors that affect the system’s ability to fulfill its required functions in an integrated manner.

The primary challenge lies in capturing all the interactions among interrelated parameters.

The ACSC software toolkit has been specifically designed for modeling refining and petrochemical plants, where production efficiency results from complex interactions among reliability, blending and yield rules, flow routing (including recycling), intermediate storage options, and logistics operations.

ACSC has a proven track record in analyzing the designs of numerous refineries, petrochemical plants, and associated supply chain logistics.

One of the significant strengths of the ACSC software is its capability to manage multiple feedstock and product streams, alongside complex buffering and operational strategies.

This methodology can be applied to a wide array of assets, including:

• Refineries
• Petrochemical Plants
• Gas Production and Distribution Networks
• Utility Production and Distribution Networks
• Systems Involving Product Transport and Logistics (shipping, rail, trucks, pipelines)

Key Questions ACSC Software Can Help Answer

• Asset Design Optimization: (e.g., storage tank sizing, unit capacity, equipment sparing)
• Asset Operations Optimization: (e.g., maintenance philosophy, inventory management, product export, load-shedding rules)
• Identification of Bottlenecks and Key Performance Drivers: (i.e., the relationship between asset reliability and production)
• Setting Performance Targets: (e.g., where to focus reliability improvement efforts)
• Evaluation and Prioritization of Investment Opportunities: (based on Net Present Value calculations of costs and revenues)

Prime Energy Industrial Software Application Areas

SolidWorks® CAD Software offers a comprehensive 3D product development solution tailored to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving oil and gas industry.

With SolidWorks, engineers can leverage 3D design data efficiently throughout the development process, leading to productivity gains and cost reductions across the board. From conceptual design and component selection to design validation and production, SolidWorks provides integrated tools that oil and gas engineers need to:

• Accelerate time-to-market
• Control development costs
• Improve product quality and innovation
• Compete successfully

Supported Systems:

• OSI PI
• Emerson DCS
• GE DCS
• Honeywell DCS
• Siemens DCS
• Allen-Bradley DCS/PLC

Engineering Data Conversions:

• VMS to Alpha to XP to Windows
• SAP to PLM to Salesforce to SharePoint

We support most HMI and SCADA platforms for all oil and gas applications.