Crude Oil Terminal Simulator

Terminal simulator provides practice and training for the oil terminal and tanker personnel responsible for efficient tanker cargo operations and for damage limitation. The simulator conducts technological oil transfer operations and replicates tanker loading principles. The interaction of terminal operators and tanker cargo mates is also simulated.

The purpose of training is to qualify expert terminal operators: load masters and storage area personnel. The key goal of education is training and learning the supervisory cargo master skills.

The training is conducted in accordance with the requirements of MARPOL 73/78 and OCIMF “Marine Terminal Training and Competence Assessment Guidelines for Oil Terminal and Product Terminals”, OCIMF “Recommendations for oil tanker manifolds and associated equipment” and SIGTTO “Training of terminal and staff involved in loading and discharging gas carriers”.

For more efficient training, the multi-purpose oil/product 700,000 m3 terminal, capable of processing VLCC and LCC tankers, was chosen as the prototype.

The real tanker loading/unloading exercises at the terminal can be united in one technological cycle, or applied as separate items. This enables training in strictly appointed operations of separate systems or their individual elements. The simulator provides the downloading of the exercise, which describes the initial condition and approximate training scenario. Instructors can change the course of exercises and bring in different scenarios and limitations. The exercise will stop only in the event of significant equipment failure or ecocatastrophe input.

As a result, specialists are capable of memorizing all the operations that occur in the complex pipe net of terminal systems. They obtain skills in operating and terminal capacity distribution, and learn how to react adequately to technological and weather changes, taking the system's technical capabilities into consideration. The trainee is also required to evaluate the possible consequences of personnel operations, as well as changes in the technological operation chain.

Innovative solutions

Mathematical model

The universal math model is based on the topologic net unity principle of terminal and tanker systems, forming the united pipeline system. An approach like this distinguishes the Transas model from analogues that solve this task by means of two independent systems.

The application of graph algorithms provides automatic division of the calculated net at separately allowable solved blocks. The basic conservation of mass, energy and state equation laws (which permits consideration of all the power effects, including phase transfer when changing the environmental parameters) served as a basis for model equations.

Improved graphic interface

The graphic interface is created so that the objects of schemes are easily recognized and fixed to the place of their destination at the real Terminal layout. This reduces the time for trainees’ familiarization of the Terminal systems, and explains the basic system connection and unit work principles by means of 3D animated drawings.

The systems screens are designed in a special way: placed in line, they provide an overview of the full terminal system.

Video control

The use of external video supervision in the Terminal Simulator creates a new training concept for modern control systems with limited personnel. The student terminals mimic real system controls by using video cameras for observational purposes instead of a virtual reality environment.

Visualization simulates video observation using 32 cameras, located at the most vital points of the Terminal. This solution is the first to be used in a simulator of this class as at modern analogues and up-to-date tankers. This idea sets Transas simulators apart from other simulators with usual “3D walks”, as it provides the trainee workstation with greater professional orientation instead of abstract “walk and watch” capabilities. It is the video observation system that brought the real Terminal control station similarity to the simulator trainee workstation, because it accommodates deviate Terminal work parameters not observed by the control system. The most significant of these parameters are:

operation and work of some part of the equipment (e.g. loading arms, etc.);
pipeline and tank leaking, not observed by pressure changes in pipes and by tank levels;
mixture and level of liquid in oil protect volumes and oil ditches;
objects’ (vessels, tank wagons, tank trucks) movement processes along the Terminal’s defined areas and harbor.

Integration

Terminal simulator can be integrated with:

LCHS crude oil tankers for cargo operations in joint exercise. Exercise is carried out simultaneously by the terminal and tanker crew experts;
PISCES for working of precedence rule in oil spill conditions.
Navi-Trainer Professional 4000 simulator

Thus users have an integrated education tool for the elimination of oil spill consequences by advanced interaction with navigational and spill response simulators, covering the whole range of accident and post-accident tasks.