1. Introduction
Energy conservation and energy-based GHG emissions reduction became one of the
most important topics worldwide for the past 10 years. It is mandatory for each process
facility to find cost effective solutions to save energy and achieve more savings within
their operating facilities. It is of the same importance for new projects, grass roots to be
designed and operated in an energy-conscious manner. Energy efficiency represents a
significant largely untapped opportunity for meeting the dual goals of financial return
and environmental responsibility for all operating facilities.
Saudi Aramco has established the Corporate Energy Management Program (EnMP) to
direct and manage a sustainable process for energy efficiency optimization. A vital
contribution towards the success of the company wide energy conservation policy
comes through documenting the companys best practices in methodology, tools and
applications in the field of energy conservation and sharing such knowledge among our
facilities. Hence, a notable effort has been exerted in Saudi Aramco to produce Best
Practices to help its plants achieve their energy conservation targets and disseminate
energy conservation knowledge.
This definitive energy assessment study (DEAS) Best Practices a contribution towards
this knowledge-sharing goal. Energy assessments may be primitive, definitive, and
detailed. A variety of approaches, methods and tools are available to conduct such
definitive energy assessments to improve the energy efficiency of industrial processes.
This (DEAS) Best Practice is developed to provide guidelines for conducting definitive
energy assessments through an easy to use methodology. It is designed to be at-a-
glance resources for Saudi Aramco engineers seeking information that will enable them
to prepare the required business cases for the highest potential energy saving identified
initiatives, achieve their energy management optimization program targets, improve
operating facility KPIs, and satisfy the company-wide energy efficiency targets.
1.1 Definition
Page 2 of 19
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
This Best Practice is intended for use by the energy engineers working in Saudi
Aramco plants, who are responsible for the energy efficient operation of their
industrial facility. Also, it can be used by all engineering services engineers
(P&CSD, FPD, and CSD). This particular document will enable them to
conduct definitive energy assessments systematically for pre-defined energy
optimization initiatives using the corporate energy guidelines.
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Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
The scope of definitive energy assessment study shall include but not limited to
evaluate the previously identified energy saving initiatives and provide engineering
solutions to the top ranked technically endorsed ones to enhance the energy efficiency
of the process/ plant/ facility/ site energy systems including but not limited to power,
heating and cooling systems which are mandatory to satisfy process needs in the best
possible cost-effective way.
The first step is to collect all available process data related to the identified
initiative. The data quality is the main key for accurate results; therefore, data
validation is very important in this step to assure potential energy savings
identified by the initial assessment study. Process data sources include but are
not limited to any of the following:
a. Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs)
b. Material & Heat Balance Sheets
c. Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
d. Equipment Process Data sheets
e. Pumps & Compressors Curves
f. Real Time Data Historian (PI System)
g. Plant Laboratory Analysis (for streams actual composition)
h. DCS actual readings & trends
i. Plant local instrument readings, if required
j. Available data from previous Initial Energy Assessment Studies
The base case model development comes next, where the validated process data
are used to build the base case model and fine tune it till it matches the actual
plant results.
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Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
exchangers are required to confirm the systems integrity and avoid pinch points
or exchanger temperature crosses.
At this stage and after the models are tuned and the CHP models are updated,
its easy to confirm the potential energy saving figures identified in the initial
energy assessment study by comparing the energy consumption between the
base case and the modified case after adding the new proposed initiatives taking
into account any further increase/decrease in utilities (HPS, MPS, LPS, fuel gas,
etc.) consumption.
As the initiatives show a confirmed high potential energy saving values, its
very important to confirm that the system hydraulics and integrity will not get
affected by the proposed modifications and hence smooth and steady operations
is guaranteed.
The modified loop line sized will be checked to confirm that the existing sizes
will withstand the proposed modifications and both velocity and pressure drops
are within acceptable engineering limits.
Integrity checks means checking the existing HEN rating, and ensuring the new
proposed modification potential savings will be achieved using the existing area
of heat transfer for the existing exchangers; otherwise, new heat transfer area
will be required and additional capital costs will be added that may impact the
initiative economics.
In case the proposed initiative introduces new equipment to the existing system,
process datasheets should be developed to be used later during the project
economic evaluation. Minimum required information to be included in the
process data sheets can be summarized as follows:
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Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
Economic evaluation, capital cost estimates, and operating costs are the key
factors in approving/rejecting any proposed initiative; therefore, more care is
required when estimating the new proposed modification CAPEX and OPEX.
a. Project CAPEX
The best approach for accurate and realistic projects CAPEX is the
company Project Management Office Department (PMOD). At early stages
and before issuing project BI number the best approach for CAPEX
estimation is the vendor budgetary quotation. If such quotations are not
available cost estimate correlations can be used to identify the new
equipment costs. Examples for cost estimate correlations for heat
exchangers:
Heat-Exchanger Cost, CE
CE= CB * FP * FD * FM....(eq.1)
where:
CE = Heat Exchanger Cost, USD
Page 6 of 19
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
Page 7 of 19
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
where:
FM = Material-of-construction cost factor
A simpler correlation for heat exchanger capital cost estimate is: Taal, M., et
al., Cost estimation and energy price forecasts for economic evaluation of
retrofit projects. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2003. 23(14): p. 1819-1835.
Heat Exchanger Cost USD = 30,800 + 1644 * A (m2)^0.81. (eq.2)
The basic capital cost estimated either from eq-1 or 2 should be multiplied
by a factor of 2-4 to cater for the installation cost.
b. Project OPEX
The project operating cost is the extra estimated utility consumption
required by the proposed modification to achieve the identified
potential savings. The utility consumed could be either continuous or
non-continuous. Fuel, electricity, steam, and cooling water are considered
the main continuous utility terms, while nitrogen, service water, utility air
are the non-continuous utilities. Our main focus while calculating the
initiatives OPEX will be on the continuous utilities. Accordingly, the
continuous utilities consumption must be accurately calculated during the
initiatives evaluation to account for their operating costs during the
economic evaluation phase.
Preliminary economic evaluation is very essential at this stage to make the right
decision either to proceed with the proposed modification or defer it to a later
stage. The main component for accurate economic evaluation is the latest energy
values forecasted for the coming 20 years issued by Kingdom Economic &
Energy Analysis Department (KEEAD) under Corporate Planning Admin Area.
These energy values in addition to the confirmed energy savings figures, and
estimated CAPEX and OPEX are the key elements required for the new
initiatives economic evaluation exercise. The proposed modifications net
present value (NPV) and simple payback calculation will be used to identify the
initiatives economic feasibility.
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Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
The agreed upon detailed business case calculation and key findings will be
enfolded in a technical engineering report with confirmed energy savings and
supported economic analysis and submitted to the concerned facilitys technical
division. The facility will review and submit the business case in a timely
manner and be ready to defend the case whenever required by the FPD during
project evaluation.
Page 9 of 19
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
Latest Energy
Prices
Develop Process
Datasheets
System
Data Process Models Hydraulic & YES Calculate Project
Collection (Design/Rating) Integrity CAPEX & OPEX
Check
Develop PFDs
YES
Re-Evaluation
NO
Confirm
Potential Economic
Energy Evaluation &
Savings Sensitivity
NO Runs Check
NO
YES
Project
Archive Submission
Page 10 of 19
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
The process life cycle consists of four essential tasks that can be conducted by a small
energy focus group to cover the following activities:
i. Review initial energy assessment potential energy saving initiatives.
ii. Grant management approval on high potential opportunities.
iii. Start DEAS process cycle.
iv. Project submission & follow-up.
This section details a step by step approach that will be followed to conduct future
DEAS for any facility. These tasks are summarized in the 10-Steps procedures below:
a. Review and consider all identified potential energy saving opportunities during the
initial energy assessment study for the facility.
b. Re-evaluate the identified initiatives and confirm technical viability.
c. Revalidate the economic feasibility of the identified initiatives after updating energy
values using the latest figures issued by Corporate Planning.
d. Rank the technically viable initiatives based on NPV and develop an initiatives
priority list.
e. Preliminary planning and engagement of the facility is mandatory to agree on top
ranked highest potential initiatives and grant facility management support.
f. Enable development of DEAS for the most favorable/top ranked agreed upon
energy saving initiatives as detailed in Section 3 above.
g. Submit the final report to the facility for the technical and economical engineered
feasible solution for the selected initiative.
h. Technical support will be provided to the FPD during the initiative evaluation,
whenever required.
i. Technically rejected initiatives should be archived in an energy projects tracking
database.
j. Economically unfeasible initiatives should be re-evaluated after future energy
values are updated.
The definitive energy assessment study determines the feasibility of each identified
opportunity, and provides decision-makers with the information they need to make a
final investment decision. Furthermore, comprehensive and detailed analysis builds
confidence in the findings among the project team and senior management.
The DEAS process life cycle can be represented as shown in Figure 2 below.
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Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
Latest Energy
Prices
Evaluate
Identified EI
Agree on High
Review Facilitys Potential YES Start DEAS
IEAS Projects with Process Cycle
the Facility Facility TSD to
prepare
business case
Develop
Priority List
NO
NO
YES
Project Submission
to FPD
Archive
Capital-BI NO
Communicate
Conceptual Design with FPD for
FEED Package Technical
YES Support
BI-19
Page 12 of 19
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SABP-A-062
Issue Date: 25 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Definitive Energy Assessment Study Guidelines
Revision Summary
25 October 2015 New Saudi Aramco Best Practice providing a methodology and introduce guidelines by which
the identified potential energy saving initiatives can be transferred from idea(s)/initiative(s) to
an engineered solution(s) with the required engineering documents and techno-economic
evaluation report ready for submission.
Page 13 of 19
Document Responsibility: Lubrication Systems and Lubricants Standards Committee SABP-B-024
Issue Date: 15 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Lubricant Condition Monitoring Process
Page 14 of 19
Document Responsibility: Lubrication Systems and Lubricants Standards Committee SABP-B-024
Issue Date: 15 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Lubricant Condition Monitoring Process
Page 15 of 19
Document Responsibility: Lubrication Systems and Lubricants Standards Committee SABP-B-024
Issue Date: 15 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Lubricant Condition Monitoring Process
Page 16 of 19
Document Responsibility: Lubrication Systems and Lubricants Standards Committee SABP-B-024
Issue Date: 15 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Lubricant Condition Monitoring Process
Page 17 of 19
INPUT DATA
Sales Gas Saved (MMBTU/h) 56.8 Select Energy Price NPV-2014 hrs per year 7884 hrs Summary Gen.
Power Sales (MW) 0.0 Select Alternative NEW
Next Planned Update: TBD
CAPEX (2015 US$ MM) 10.4 Summary Ref. Ref.Yr Cap. 2015
Investment Profile (%) NPV (US$ MM) 23.2 Ref.Yr Opx. 2019
2016 30.0% IRR (%) 19% LC Period 20
2017 40.0% PROFITABILITY INDEX 3.208 End of LCC, yr 2038
2018 30.0%
Sustaining Capital (%) 0.0%
HP-MP- HP-LP- HP-MP- HP-MP-LP HP-LP- HP-MP-LP-
OPEX (US$ MM/Year) 0.3 Summary Ref. BAU STG STG STG + MP- MS-STG Cond MS- Cond MS-
Pet Coke Transport Costs (US$/ Ton) 0.0 NPV (US$ MM) 23.2 0 53.8 50.8 31.0 39.8 21.4 (20.5)
Investor Tax Rate (%) 0.0% IRR (%) 19% 0 19% 18% 11% 14% 9% 2%
Nominal Saudi Aramco Tax Rate (%) 0.0% PROFITABILITY INDEX 3.2 0 3.4 3.1 1.8 2.3 1.5 0.7
Inflation (%) Pwr-Gen. STGs 0 4.0 11.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0
CAPEX 3.0% Capital Cost, MM$ 0 23.5 25.5 39.0 33.0 45.5 51.0
OPEX 3.0%
Discount Rate Third Party Invest. (%) 0.0%
Discount Rate Saudi Aramco (%) 4.9%
INITIAL BOOK VALUE 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
DEPRECIATION 0.0% 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
END BOOK VALUE 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
REVENUES- Fuel gas saved (MM $) 2.418 2.5973 2.7764294 2.91077 3.0451162 3.1346784 3.2690218 3.358584 3.4481462 3.53770848 3.62727072 3.67205184 3.76161408 3.85117632 3.89595744 3.94073856 4.0303008 4.07508192 4.313128926 4.409290489 0 0 0 0
REVENUES- Power Export (MM $) 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
TRANSPORT COSTS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
OPEX (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
EBITDA 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
DEPRECIATION 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
TAXABLE INCOME 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
TAX 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
INCOME AFTER TAX 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
NET CASH FLOW (3.2) (4.4) (3.4) 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Document Responsibility: Lubrication Systems and Lubricants Standards Committee
Page 18 of 19
Document Responsibility: Lubrication Systems and Lubricants Standards Committee SABP-B-024
Issue Date: 15 October 2015
Next Planned Update: TBD Lubricant Condition Monitoring Process
Page 19 of 19