Commodity Movement Tracking (CMT): Bridging Operations and Commercial Transactions

Abstract

It is crucial to accurately track the location of commodities transported on the Embridge Pipelines Inc. (EPI) liquids pipeline. Commercial scheduling is transformed to operational need and conversely, operation need to commerce. The Commodity Movement Tracking System (CMT) integrates the movement of product with business need, tracking inventories and linking products to commercial transactions across the pipeline. CMT tracks the batches within the pipeline and provides the ability to manage and reconcile system and tank inventories. Batches are tracked from initial receipt to final delivery, incorporating information from the SCADA system and the Pipeline Scheduling system. Daily schedules are published and recorded into the CMT system as events, based on volumetric information made available through the SCADA system. In the near future, receipt and delivery events will be electronically recorded into CMT from the field flow computers. Information is processed, producing results that reflect the positioning of each batch within the system, along with an estimated time of arrival at the next station. This process incorporates the challenges of side-streaming commodities, in and out of the lines, dynamic changing of the pipeline configurations, and changes in the pipeline diameter. The modeling process involves accurate re-positioning of the batches incorporating changes within the line configuration, static pipe diameter changes, and packing and draining of the line fill resulting from pressure changes. CMT is also responsible for inventory balancing within the EPI system. Comparing the various inputs and outputs from the system to the inventory on hand provides a quick accounting balance, not only on a system-wide basis, but also on a terminal-by-terminal and tank-by-tank basis. This paper discusses the modeling process, inputs and outputs of the integrated system and future direction of managing operational needs to enhance the soundness of commercial business transactions on EPI’s liquids pipeline system.