International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current Research ISSN: 2321-3124 Research Article Available at: http://ijmcr.com 1250|Int. J. of Multidisciplinary and Current research, Vol.5 (Nov/Dec 2017) Systems engineering of Natural gas distribution Shougi Suliman Abosuliman * Department of Port and Maritime Transportation Faculty of Maritime Studies, King Abdulaziz University P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia Received 01 Sept 2017, Accepted 02 Nov 2017, Available online 03 Nov 2017, Vol.5 (Nov/Dec 2017 issue) Abstract Systems engineering relates to planning for a project that incorporates a number of interlinking elements and processes, usually from different disciplines. The internal and external environments of such a project are vulnerable to frequent or even constant change and flux, so that the planning process must incorporate automated system flexibility within set parameters. Whilst systems engineering is usually project-based, there are processes such as the delivery of energy that take the concept through a series of installations over many years and cost many billions of dollars. An example is the century-old distribution of liquid petroleum gas throughout Europe, using a series of collectors, processors and distributors, and maintaining energy supplies to more than 830 million people. Natural gas-processing and distribution in Europe, using systems engineering, is an extensive multidisciplinary industry subject to constant change from physical suppliers and political and economic constraints. This case study concerns the systems evaluation for StatoilHydro, as a major stakeholder in Europe’s gas distribution system. The conclusion is that system engineering is warranted in a complex engineering environment which serves numerous stakeholders, from investors, governments to customers. Supporting findings relate to early planning, primary stakeholder (user) input, and allowing for flexibility in the system as change management. Keywords: Systems engineering, Internal and external environments etc. Introduction 1 In an environment of constant change, the ability to manage feedstock through modifying existing plant and to plan for efficient, reliable and cost-effective future plant has never been more important. Source: Blanchard 2012. Figure 1 Flexibility of variation in process life cycle *Corresponding author’s ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9235-9341 Due to the nature of systems engineering, the conceptual phase produces the controlling paradigm which governs the entire planning process. Figure 1 illustrates the importance of this first phase in a process life cycle. To maximise the economic delivery of feedstock such as LPG through modifying existing plant and undertaking greenfield projects, it is the opinion of this author that the conceptualisation phase is vital to the success of the project. By incorporating sufficient flexibility into the planning processes of systems engineering at the initial stage, variations and redesign can be minimised during installation and maintenance phases of the life cycle. System engineering approach evaluation Gas processing and distribution installations in Europe have proliferated over the past 15 years, Despite the economic downturn, multi-billion dollar projects in train in countries such as China, Saudi Arabia and India have strained global supply chains of professionals, skilled workers and plant and equipment suppliers, producing an imbalance between global supply and demand. Moreover, expansion requires higher numbers of employees, thus organisations become larger and more complex. When gas trains become integrated as a system with distributors, interactions between various organisations in this industry climbed remarkably. In 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Ease of change Ease of change conceptual design detail design construct ion use and phaseout