Planning an integrated petrochemical industry with an environmental objective

Production planning in the petrochemical industry requires a model that can account for the different interactions, needs, and features and provide at the same time suitable mathematical representation. In this work, a model with an environmental objective is presented. The system is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming model where new value-added products are produced from the basic feedstock chemicals. From the superstructure of the technology alternatives, the optimal set of processes is selected with the objective function of sustainability. The quest for pollution prevention and increased pressure and demand for environmental considerations makes sustainability an important objective function. In this study, sustainability is quantified by a health index of the chemicals and increasing profit represented by process-added value. The model is applied to the case study of planning the development of the Kuwait petrochemical industry. Results give an optimal structure for the development and prove that simple indicators can represent sustainability, giving good results in selecting environmentally friendly processes and at the same time being profitable.