Aspen Petroleum Scheduler: Building and Using Models

This course will help you prepare for the certification exam and the exam fee is waived with this course.
This course provides instruction on modeling solutions for both common and unique configurations and scheduling logic problems. This course is geared for model developers and model implementers.

Audience:

Course is designed for Aspen Petroleum Scheduler model builders, administrators, and schedulers supporting the system.

Training Details

  • Course Id:

    RBS121

  • Duration:

    5 day(s)

  • CEUs Awarded:

    3.5

  • Level:

    Introductory

Benefits

Set up your processes in Aspen Petroleum Scheduler and observe the following benefits:
  • Increased throughput
  • Improved block switching
  • Reduction of quality giveaway
  • Elimination of crisis decision making
  • Better control over inventories
  • Reduced demurrage
  • Ability to evaluate special opportunities

Approach

  • Instruction on basic topics
  • Instructor-guided demonstrations of features
  • Hands-on exercises
  • A comprehensive training manual

Pre-requisites

  • Microsoft Excel proficiency
  • General knowledge of Microsoft Access
  • Awareness of the interaction between refining technology operations and planning is strongly recommended

Agenda

Introduction to Aspen Petroleum Scheduler
  • Discuss refinery scheduling management issues
  • Discuss the benefits of using Aspen Petroleum Scheduler
  • Review the key refinery activities affected by the scheduling best practices
  • Identify the Planning, Scheduling and Blending integrated work process

System Overview
  • Identify and explain the Aspen Petroleum Scheduler (APS) system structure
  • Describe the Aspen Petroleum Scheduler user interface
  • Demonstrate how to open and login to the APS application

Data Structure and Interface
  • Identify and explain the application database and associated tables
  • Discuss how to import events into Aspen Petroleum Scheduler (APS)
  • Identify and explain the APS data import and audit capabilities
  • Import beginning Inventories and Qualities using Excel Integration Utility (EIU)
  • Import Crude and Product Events using EIU
  • Exercise #1 Importing Beginning Inventories and Qualities using Excel Integration Utility Tool (EIU)

Model Settings and Management
  • Identify and explain model configuration settings
  • Change model/user setting and review the resulting affects
  • Exercise #2: Model Settings and Management

Model Elements
  • Describe the concept of the model for refinery representation
  • Identify and explain the four types of elements (Stream, Tanks, Pipelines, Units) used by APS
  • Identify and explain how Units are used and defined to perform refinery calculations
  • Describe the order of unit calculations

Flowsheet Interface and Editor
  • Identify and explain the flowsheet interface and flowsheet editor capabilities
  • Discuss the simulated mode commands
  • Build a model to become familiar with the flowsheet interface and flowsheet editor tools
  • Exercise #3 The Big Island Refinery: Building the Flowsheet

Excel Units Workbook
  • Identify and explain the Units Workbook, special worksheets and worksheet layout
  • Describe the keywords in Units Workbook
  • Review the crude unit cut point calculations in the CDUX Excel worksheet
  • Build the FCC unit feed logic in the FCCX Excel worksheet
  • Exercise #4 The Big Island Refinery: Excel User Defined Unit

Aspen Orion Excel Emulator (OXE)
  • Identify and explain the Orion Excel Emulator (OXE)
  • Run the demo model with and without OXE

Calc Units
  • Identify and explain Calc Units
  • Replace the existing FCC feed logic unit, FCCX, with a Calc Unit
  • Exercise #5 Calc Units

Events Interface
  • Identify and explain the Event Interface
  • Discuss the Other Commands; View, Models, Events, Simulation, Integrator, Case, Toolbar Selections

Event Applications
  • Identify and explain Event types and how to use them
  • Schedule events given plant limitations and receipts & shipments plan
  • Exercise #6 The Big Island Refinery: Scheduling Events

Blend Scheduling
  • Discuss the options for blending optimization setup
  • Review/Complete beginning tank inventory and property data for gasoline
  • Schedule gasoline blend events and shipments
  • Exercise #7 The Big Island Refinery: Gasoline Blending

Case Management and Event States
  • Identify and explain the APS case management capabilities
  • Discuss the options for setting up cases to evaluate and review operating parameters and prices
  • Use a demonstration model to perform case comparison

User Calc
  • Identify and explain user-defined calculations - User Calc
  • Add a UserCalc to auto select a crude receipt tank when given a crude name
  • Add a UserCalc to auto select a product receipt tank and return a set of standard properties when given a product code
  • Exercise #8 User Calcs

Simulation and Publishing
  • Identify and explain the modeling approach used by the Aspen Petroleum Scheduler Simulator
  • Differentiate between the Crude Simulator and the Process Simulator
  • Discuss the simulation sequence and task executed for a simulation period
  • Identify and explain the APS publishing options
  • Create a publish set to publish selected data
  • Use the Aspen Report Writer application
  • Use the Refinery Report Wizard feature included in APS
  • Exercise #9 Report Wizard

Additional Scheduling Input/Output
  • Demonstrate how to use Material Pool feature
  • Create a Material pool
  • Discuss the options for adjust properties in the model to improve the accuracy of simulated results
  • APS output dialog boxes
  • Exercise #10 Create a Material Pool

Modeling and Logic Techniques
  • Identify and explain modeling and logic techniques; Properly Tracking ( Crude and Product Streams), Inventory representation and control
  • Discuss model complexity issues
  • Complete hands-on Exercises # 11-15 to:
  • Add unit source composition tracking to distillate streams
  • Add logic to control the feed sources to the Naphtha Hydrotreater (NHT) and Catalytic Reformer (CRU) based on given criteria
  • Add specified logic to a given model
  • Add a virtual tank to sum the total volume of regular gasoline from two tanks
  • Add a logic unit that controls the disposition of fuel oil flow between two tanks

Scheduling Workflow Process
  • Identify and explain the Rolls Forward work process:
    • Reconcile Events
    • Publish Inventory Data
    • Load Beginning Inventory Data
    • Audit Beginning Inventory Data
    • Update Beginning Inventory Data
    • Move the Model Date Forward

Aspen PIMS APS Integration
  • Identify and explain the integration between Aspen PIMS and Aspen Petroleum Scheduler
  • Review how PIMS submodel calculator units are set up in Aspen Petroleum Scheduler
  • Demonstrate how to generate the SMC File in Aspen PIMS and build the PIMS Submodel Unit in Aspen Petroleum Scheduler
  • Review how Excel Integration Utility functionality can be used to pass Assay data to Aspen petroleum Scheduler.
  • Review how to pass Assays data from PIMS to Aspen Petroleum Scheduler using APS Integration Services Configuration Tool

Model Maintenance and Support
  • Discuss the model maintenance and support for Aspen Petroleum Scheduler

Register for a Class

Date Class Type Location Price Language
Date(s): 11/3/2025 - 11/7/2025 Type: Public Virtual Location: Virtual-Americas Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
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Date(s): 04/20/2026 - 04/24/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: B8, Wison, No 699, Zhongke Road, Zhangjiang High-Tech Zone, Pudong
Shanghai , China 201210 		Price: (CNY) 7000.00 Language: Chinese Register
Date(s): 09/14/2026 - 09/18/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: Rm. 801, Hyundai Motor Tower, No. 38 Xiaoyun Road. Chao Yang District
Beijing , China 100027 		Price: (CNY) 7000.00 Language: Chinese Register
Date(s): 11/3/2025 - 11/7/2025 Type: Public Classroom Location: 1 Fusionopolis Place, #04-20/23 Galaxis (West Lobby),
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Date(s): 01/26/2026 - 01/30/2026 Type: Public Virtual Location: Virtual-Americas Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
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Date(s): 04/20/2026 - 04/24/2026 Type: Public Virtual Location: Virtual-Americas Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 05/18/2026 - 05/22/2026 Type: Public Virtual Location: Virtual-Americas Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 06/22/2026 - 06/26/2026 Type: Public Virtual Location: Virtual-Americas Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 01/26/2026 - 01/30/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: 2500 Citywest Blvd, Suite 1600
Houston , Texas USA 77042 		Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 02/23/2026 - 02/27/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: 2500 Citywest Blvd, Suite 1600
Houston , Texas USA 77042 		Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 03/23/2026 - 03/27/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: 2500 Citywest Blvd, Suite 1600
Houston , Texas USA 77042 		Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 04/20/2026 - 04/24/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: 2500 Citywest Blvd, Suite 1600
Houston , Texas USA 77042 		Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 05/18/2026 - 05/22/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: 2500 Citywest Blvd, Suite 1600
Houston , Texas USA 77042 		Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register
Date(s): 06/22/2026 - 06/26/2026 Type: Public Classroom Location: 2500 Citywest Blvd, Suite 1600
Houston , Texas USA 77042 		Price: (USD) 5000.00 Language: English Register

Aspen Technology, Inc. awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for training classes conducted by our organization. One CEU is granted for every 10 hours of class participation.