Refinery scheduling of incoming crude oil using a genetic algorithm

A method of forming a schedule of crude oil shipments being received at a refinery facility comprising the steps of:

• a) determining a period of time, T, within which the crude oil shipment schedule is to be formed;
• b) identifying the goals of the crude oil shipment schedule;
• c) identifying the variable parameters associated with the crude oil shipments to the refinery facility;
• d) identifying the constraints associated with the crude oil shipments to the refinery facility;
• e) determining a fitness function in accordance with the goals of the schedule, the variable parameters and the constraints;
• f) randomly generating a first generation of chromosomes, each chromosome in the generation representing a possible solution;
• g) determining a fitness function value for each of the chromosomes using the fitness function;
• h) producing a succeeding generation of chromosomes using a genetic algorithm and determining a fitness function value for each of the chromosomes using the fitness function;
• i) repeating the acts of producing a succeeding generation of chromosomes using a genetic algorithms and determining a fitness function value for each of the chromosomes in the succeeding generation, and
• j) identifying the chromosome having the highest fitness function value within time T to form the schedule of crude oil shipments.