The network planning department is one of the key teams involved in identifying capital and operational spend to ensure a safe, secure gas distribution or transmission supply network meeting the needs of customers now and in the future.The use of a reliable, robust network modelling tool is vital to understand what capacity is currently available in the network, to identify where capacity bottlenecks will occur in the future and to develop pipeline or other projects to overcome these restrictions in an efficient and cost effective way.With Lloyd Alman’s SynerGEE Gas or Stoner Pipeline Simulator software supporting the design and planning process a network planning team is able to build, validate and analyse models of the network and identify network development requirements. The various reinforcement options can be assessed at the conceptual/feasibility stage using the model and the capacity benefits identified enabling an effective network development plan to be produced.

Key design and planning decisions for process plants need to be based on sound quantitative analysis; this often requires detailed RAM modelling. The OPTAGON simulation package incorporates the extensive functionality to enable such decisions to be made. Our Production Optimisation team use Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM) modelling to identify the best design taking into account factors such as equipment capacity and reliability, spares holding, plant operation and the overall commercial targets for production.