A Systems Approach to Managing the Complexities of Process Industries

Fabienne-Fariba Salimi, Frederic Salimi, Fabienne Salimi

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780128042137
• eBook ISBN: 9780128042182
• Topic: Tecnología e ingeniería
• Subtopic: Ingeniería química y bioquímica

A Systems Approach to Managing the Complexities of Process Industries discusses the principles of system engineering, system thinking, complexity thinking and how these apply to the process industry, including benefits and implementation in process safety management systems. The book focuses on the ways system engineering skills, PLM, and IIoT can radically improve effectiveness of implementation of the process safety management system.Covering lifecycle, megaproject system engineering, and project management issues, this book reviews available tools and software and presents the practical web-based approach of Analysis & Dynamic Evaluation of Project Processes (ADEPP) for system engineering of the process manufacturing development and operation phases. Key solutions proposed include adding complexity management steps in the risk assessment framework of ISO 31000 and utilization of Installation Lifecycle Management. This study of this end-to-end process will help users improve operational excellence and navigate the complexities of managing a chemical or processing plant.- Presents a review of Operational Excellence and Process Safety Management Methods, along with solutions to complexity assessment and management- Provides a comparison of the process manufacturing industry with discrete manufacturing, identifying similarities and areas of customization for process manufacturing- Discusses key solutions for managing the complexities of process manufacturing development and operational phases

Chapter 1

Perspective

Abstract

This chapter discusses the issues related to effective implementation of the process safety management system (PSM) as a part of the operational excellence. Risk based approach of PSM calls for addressing the potential technical, human, and organizational failures simultaneously. Bow-tie method is used to demonstrate the complexity associated to the PSM elements. Then the practical methods to assess and manage the complexity are discussed. The approaches of the manufacturing and process industries to assess and manage the complexity are compared. Application of ISA-95, API 754, System Engineering Standard ISO/IEC 15288, and IIoT for operational excellence and management of the risk of major accidents in process industry are discussed. The chapter also discusses the distinction between process and procedure and the several technical processes that are involved (e.g., integration process, transition process, validation process, etc.).

Keywords

Process safety management system (PSM); operational excellence; complexity in process industry; system engineering; system thinking; bow-tie assessment; Installation Lifecycle Management (ILM); key performance indicators (KPI); ISA-95; ISO/IEC 15288; API 754; cynefin

1.1 Understanding a Question is Half an Answer!

“Management System” is a structured and documented set of interdependent practices, process, and procedures used by the managers and the workforce at every level in a company to plan, direct, and execute activities as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Figure 1.1 Process safety management in context. Figure reproduced from webpage https://www.energyinst.org/technical/PSM published by the Energy Institute.

Since, first days of quality management system in the late 60s, we have come a long way in improving quality, occupational health & safety, technical safety, and environmental management systems. For decades, these regulatory management systems were taken as the constraints to production and profitability of the businesses. This perception creates the conflicts and unsatisfactory results. In this regard the Energy Institute states:

…, most well-run organisations can tell you how many incidents they had yesterday; however, our real challenge is to be able to answer the question “How likely am I to have an incident-free day tomorrow”?

Energy Institute continues,

We have all seen the typical banner statements ‘zero harm’, ‘flawless operation’, ‘target zero’, ‘incident free’, ‘nobody gets hurt’; but the two key questions for executives and managers at all levels are:

1. How will we assure the integrity of the operation?

2. How will we know we are doing it?

All too often the first two words used to answer these questions are “I think....”; in reality, this means “I dont’ know”! Recent events have shown that such answers are no longer acceptable and that, from top to bottom, organisations need to be able to answer these two key questions with absolute confidence.

Not only, the quality and health, safety, environment (HSE) practitioners but also the operational teams feel that the “management systems” do not work as they are advertised. But why is it so? And what can we do about it? The other side of the coin is that we often talk and analyses the failures, but we do not look at success very frequently. Why despite the flaws in the management systems, are the operations performed safely and reliably?

Socrates said that “Understanding a question is half an answer”!

To answer these questions, we need to understand the word “System” in “process safety management system” with the mind of a system engineer.

This book aims to raise the awareness of the HSEQ practitioners, managers and operational personnel in process manufacturing to the required system engineering skills. We will clarify how the relatively new ISO/IEC 15228 and ISA-95 (IEC/ISO 62264) standards are embedded in the operational excellence guidances and how they can smooth the journey of the process facilities toward the digital transformation. Then the most practical methods will be introduced to assess and manage the complexities of their day-to-day tasks, configuration management, and the strategic decision makings.

1.2 Process Safety Management in Context of the Operational Excellence

Today the management systems philosophies are refined and go beyond inspection, focusing on the strategies that incorporate processes and people to the physical assets management to achieve the operational excellence.

Operational management system (OMS) is the consolidation of the company’s knowledge and requirements into a single framework to manage assets and activities safely and responsibly. It includes the company’s policies, standards, practices, procedures, and processes. This “corporate memory” is organized within the System’s Elements and Expectations, which are designed to ensure the control measures are complete and robust.

The OMS framework applies to the all the management systems including:

• Production Operations Management,

• Reliability and Asset Integrity Management,

• Quality Operations Management,

• Inventory Operations Management, and

• Regulatory Compliance Management

Management system is a structured and documented set of interdependent practices, process, and procedures used by the managers and the workforce at every level in a company to plan, direct, and execute activities.

Operating covers, the design, implementation, and control of activities that convert resources into products and services to fulfill a company’s business strategy. The word “operating” refers to the entire lifecycle of a company’s activities and products. In this context, “operating” applies to every upstream or downstream company activity, from engineering to decommissioning, throughout the entire value chain and lifecycle of the business and its products.

In 2011, International Oil & Gas Producers issued the IOGP 510 which is a new Operating Management System Framework to help companies define and achieve performance goals and stakeholder benefits while managing the broad and significant range of risks inherent in the oil and gas industry. This guideline and its supplement IOGP 511 can be applied to the other process industry sectors such as hydrocarbon processing, chemical, pharmaceutical industries too. Fig. 1.2 illustrates the four fundamentals and ten elements of the OMS framework.

Figure 1.2 The OMS framework—four fundamentals underpin 10 elements. From IOGP 510.

IOGP 510 suggests a generic framework which offers an integrated approach and the flexibility to address some or all the wide range of risks, impacts or threats related to o...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1. Perspective
• Chapter 2. Fundamentals of Systemic Approach
• Chapter 3. Fundamentals of the Complexity
• Chapter 4. System Engineering of the Complex Megaprojects
• Chapter 5. Modeling and Simulation: The Essential Tools to Manage the Complexities
• Associations
• Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Glossary
• Index