Patent Publication Number: US-2012029966-A1

Title: Monitoring and evaluating the production of a conversion facility

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A conversion facility can be any factory or industrial complex which converts a raw material commodity in the manufacture of a finished good commodity through conversion processing. Generally, the input of a conversion facility may be referred to as a raw material or a raw material commodity. And the output of a conversion facility may be referred to as either a finished good or a finished good commodity. A conversion facility may also produce one or more intermediates. An intermediate is any partially processed commodity that is not a finished good commodity. 
     The three general stages in any conversion facility are the raw materials stage, the work-in-process stage and the finished goods stage. The raw materials stage includes the intake and storage of raw materials at a conversion facility and the finished goods stage includes the intake and storage of finished goods after processing at a conversion facility. Between the raw materials stage and the finished goods stage is the work-in-process stage in which conversion processing occurs to raw materials and to any intermediates. It is also in the work-in-process stage that intermediates are stored. 
     A conversion facility includes at least one processing subunit for converting some raw material commodity into a finished good commodity. A processing subunit may include equipment for transporting materials and/or equipment for performing one or more process steps in the conversion that is performed at a conversion facility. A conversion facility as a whole, and at the level of the individual processing subunits at the conversion facility, can be run on either a continuous or batch type basis, or some combination of both. 
     If a conversion facility has only a single processing subunit, then that individual processing subunit within that conversion facility produces a finished good. If a conversion facility has more than one processing subunit, then an individual processing subunit within that conversion facility may produce either an intermediate or a finished good. 
     A conversion facility, as a general matter, includes several inventory areas for storing the intake of raw materials, as well as the production of intermediates and finished goods. If the finished good commodity is collected in an inventory, this is called a finished goods inventory. Similarly, raw materials collected prior to processing are held in what are called raw material inventories. Also, an inventory for an intermediate product, one that is unfinished and needs further processing, is called an intermediate inventory or a work-in-process inventory. 
     One example of a conversion facility is an oil refinery. Crude oil is a typical raw material commodity that is processed and refined into finished goods that are petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, heating oil, kerosene, and certain gas products. An oil refinery is a large industrial complex with extensive piping running throughout carrying streams of material between large distillation processing subunits. 
     Another example of a conversion facility is a chemical plant. In many ways, a chemical plant uses much of the same technology and equipment as an oil refinery. A chemical plant commonly has large vessels or sections that are the processing subunits. These are interconnected by pipes or other transport equipment that carry streams of material. Material streams can be a fluid that is either gaseous or liquid. Material streams may also be solids, or mixtures of fluids and solids, such as slurries. 
     The conversion processing in chemical plants, oil refineries or any other type of conversion facility is commonly made up of steps called subunit operations which occur in the individual processing subunits of a conversion facility. Collectively, all the subunit operations at a conversion facility are the operations of that conversion facility, while the output of finished goods or intermediates is known as the production of a conversion facility, or a processing subunit. 
     A typical commodity can be any type of bulk good. It may be a raw material when taken into a conversion facility as a feedstock which is converted there to a finished good commodity. As a feedstock, the commodity may progress through many processing subunits and be combined with feedstocks of other raw materials or intermediates before being fully converted into a finished good commodity. The output of one processing subunit that is used as a feedstock to another processing subunit is generally an intermediate, unless part of that output is sold without any further conversion processing. In that instance, the part of the output that is sold is a finished good. An example of this occurs in an oil refinery, when slop containing asphalt is removed from a distillation processing subunit. The asphalt/slop may be sold, as is, as a finished good, or it may be used or combined as an intermediate with other materials to make a different finished good. Also, a finished good commodity of one conversion facility may be a raw material commodity for another conversion facility. For example, the finished goods from an oil refinery may be used as a raw material feedstock in a chemical plant. 
     Oil refineries and chemical plants represent only a subset of all the different types of conversion facilities. Other types of conversion facilities are for manufacturing finished goods such as polymers, pharmaceuticals, foods, beverages, wood products and the like. In addition, conversion facilities for generating electric power and recycling waste are examples of still other types of conversion facilities. For instance, a fuel such as coal can be a raw material in a conversion facility for generating electric power, while electric power is the corresponding finished good commodity. 
     The ongoing production and operations at a conversion facility includes the movements of materials through different locations in the facility. The costs associated with these materials must be accounted for. In addition, the movement of the materials also needs to be tracked as the material transfers results in the movement of the materials through the different inventories and processing sub-units throughout the conversion facility. But it has not always been practical or possible to account for the costs that are associated, directly or indirectly, with any specific movement of material, from one physical location to the next, as in any of the material transfers which may be involved with a specific movement of material. 
     However, despite the need for accurate and timely information regarding any current month, or at mid-month, regarding operations, production and costs, conversion facilities operate such that this information is only available from the month end close of accounting to the next month end. As such, information regarding operations, production and costing at a conversion facility is not available during the current month or at mid-month. The management of a conversion facility must wait until the end of any current month before accurate information becomes available regarding that month&#39;s operations, production and costs at a conversion facility. For example, the electricity costs in any month generally are not known each day, but instead are usually only available at the end of the month. So the management of a conversion facility cannot respond well and make adjustments during any current month or at mid-month, even when significant external circumstances might necessitate adjustments to operations and production at the conversion facility. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure presents, in one embodiment, system configured to generate conversion facility production data utilizing quantitative variables and cost variables and utilizing one or more modules describing relationships between the variables. In the system, the modules further describe the relationships if the variables are modified to include the variables in a received syncing frame. The system includes a data storage device storing measured values for quantitative variables describing quantitative aspects of the conversion facility, wherein the quantitative variables are received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility, determined values for cost variables describing cost aspects of the conversion facility, wherein the cost variables are received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility, and a syncing frame, wherein the syncing frame embraces measured values for the quantitative variables and determined values for the cost variables stored less than thirty days prior to receiving the syncing time frame. The system includes a processor receiving a request for a first set of values, determined from the stored values for the quantitative variables, for at least one of the quantitative variables that are within the syncing frame, and a second set of values, determined from the stored values for the cost variables, for at least one of the cost variables that are within the syncing frame. The processor calculates a cost of processing a commodity processed at the conversion facility for the syncing frame using the first and second set of values. 
     Another embodiment is a method for monitoring and evaluating a conversion facility. The method includes storing measured values for quantitative variables describing quantitative aspects of the conversion facility, wherein the quantitative variables are received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility. The method also includes storing values for cost variables describing cost aspects of the conversion facility, wherein the cost variables are received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility. The method also includes receiving a syncing frame identifying a time period less than thirty days from prior to receiving the syncing time frame, and determining, from the stored measured values for the quantitative variables, a first set of values for at least one of the quantitative variables that are within the syncing frame. The method also includes determining, from the stored values for the cost variables, a second set of values for at least one of the cost variables that are within the synching frame, and calculating a cost of processing a commodity processed at the conversion facility for the syncing frame using the first and second set of values. 
     Another embodiment is a computer readable medium including instructions executable on at least one processor for storing measured values for quantitative variables describing quantitative aspects of the conversion facility, wherein the quantitative variables are received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility. The method also includes storing values for cost variables describing cost aspects of the conversion facility, wherein the cost variables are received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility. The method also includes receiving a syncing frame identifying a time period less than thirty days from prior to receiving the syncing time frame. The method also includes determining, from the stored measured values for the quantitative variables, a first set of values for at least one of the quantitative variables that are within the syncing frame. The method also includes determining, from the stored values for the cost variables, a second set of values for at least one of the cost variables that are within the synching frame, and calculating a cost of processing a commodity processed at the conversion facility for the syncing frame using the first and second set of values. 
     Another embodiment is a system configured to generate a conversion facility production data utilizing quantitative or cost variables and utilizing one or more modules describing relationships between the variables, wherein the modules further describe the relationships if the variables are modified to include the variables in a received syncing frame, the system including a data storage device storing information related to measured values for quantitative variables describing quantitative aspects or determined values for cost variables describing cost aspects of the conversion facility and received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility and, a syncing frame identifying a time period less than thirty days from prior to receiving the syncing time frame, receiving a request for a set of values, determined from the stored values for the quantitative or cost variables, for at least one of the quantitative or cost variables that are within the syncing frame and the processor calculates a value of an actuator signal using the set of values embraced by the syncing frame, for sending to an actuator for controlling the processing of a commodity processed at the conversion facility, or further including an actuator controller and/or an actuator. 
     Another embodiment is a method for monitoring and evaluating a conversion facility, the method including storing measured values for quantitative variables describing quantitative aspects of the conversion facility or determined values for cost variables describing cost aspects of the conversion facility and received from a plurality of sources associated with conversion processes performed at the conversion facility, receiving a syncing frame, wherein the syncing frame embraces measured values for the quantitative variables or determined values for the cost variables stored less than thirty days prior to receiving the syncing time frame, determining, from the stored values for the quantitative variables or, from the stored values for the cost variables, a set of values for at least one of the quantitative variables or cost variables that are within the syncing frame and calculating a value of an actuator signal, using the set of values embraced by the syncing frame, for sending to an actuator for controlling the processing of a commodity processed at the conversion facility. 
     Other embodiments are a method wherein the actuator is configured to control a nonreactive material transfer or a reactive material transfer through a processing subunit, and the quantitative variables include an input mass, an output mass, and an accumulation mass. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are described in detail in the following description with reference to the following figures. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a system, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a data flow diagram, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a process flowchart demonstrating wood commodity conversion at a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates a process flowchart demonstrating oil commodity conversion at a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates an organizational structure by virtual storage location demonstrating the virtual movement of physical materials and financial information in oil commodity conversion at a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an example of a mass balancing at processing subunit within a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a calculation of the cost of goods manufactured at a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a method for generating and storing data regarding the cost of goods manufactured at a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a method for generating and storing data regarding material transfers and mass balancing at a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a method for monitoring and evaluating a conversion facility, according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a computer system configured to provide a hardware platform for the system shown in  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the embodiments are described by referring mainly to examples thereof. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It is apparent however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, that the embodiments may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In some instances, well known methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the embodiments. Furthermore, different embodiments are described below. The embodiments may be used or performed together in different combinations. 
     1. System 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a conversion facility production (CFP) system  100 , according to an embodiment. The CFP system  100  includes a data storage  108 , a costing module  101 , an actuator control module  102 , a data management module  103 , and a reporting module  104 . The CFP system  100  receives direct data  105 , indirect data  106  and a syncing frame  107  which are processed in various ways as described below in more detail to produce CFP data  109 . The data storage  108  includes a data storage device that stores data organized in a manner that allows easy retrieval of the desired data. For example, the data storage  108  may include a relational database, or be part of an online analytical processing (OLAP) system for retrieving data, or include another type of platform providing similar functionality. 
     Data entering the CFP system  100  may be divided into two general categories, direct data  105  and indirect data  106 . This division is similar to the corresponding division between direct and indirect data found in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for cost accounting in manufacturing. In GAAP methodology, materials, labor, costs and overhead are generally divided into categories as either being direct or indirect, depending on how the information is related to a unit being manufactured. 
     Direct data  105  and indirect data  106  for the CFP system  100  may be collected from all sources on a continuous or periodic basis and processed at regular intervals by the CFP system  100 . The length of these intervals can be set to less than a month, such as once a week, once a day, hourly or even shorter periods of time. Accordingly, a significant capability of the CFP system  100 , according to one embodiment, is to generate CFP data  109  in the form of reports (messages, notifications, mass balance changes) and calculations (cost of processing, cost of goods manufactured) based on current month or mid-month data related to the monitoring and evaluation of the operations and production at a conversion facility. By providing current month reporting and feedback regarding operations and production, the activities and production at the conversion facility can be better aligned and integrated with operations of a corporation as a whole. 
     Current month reporting not only enables current month comparisons of actual activity with corporate goals, it also enables current month adjustments and changes to make at a conversion facility in response to the external changes. These external changes may be sharp fluctuations in the price of raw material or finished good commodities. Another is a sudden change to the overall production capacity within a corporation due to an unforeseen circumstance affecting another off-site conversion facility which is separate from the specific conversion facility being monitored and evaluated by the CFP system  100 . 
     In general, direct data  105  and indirect data  106  can both involve data relating to values associated with materials, labor, costs and overhead. But direct data  105  is distinguishable from indirect data  106  based on the particular source for direct data  105  being a source that is directly associated with a commodity being processed. An example is an oil refinery, where the measured cost or volume of a batch of raw material crude oil is a direct cost and measure that is associated with any finished goods produced from that batch of raw material crude oil. By contrast, the labor costs associated with performing general maintenance throughout the oil refinery, in general, cannot be directly associated with any specific finished goods that are produced during a time period at the oil refinery. The labor cost for general maintenance may be apportioned among all of finished goods that are produced during a time period at the oil refinery through an indirect apportionment process. So the labor costs associated with performing general maintenance may be a source of indirect data  106  for a finished good commodity. 
     The direct data  105  and indirect data  106  both include values relating to cost aspects or qualitative aspects associated with the conversion processing of a commodity at a conversion facility. The timing at which these aspects are measured or determined can be done at regular or irregular intervals which are independent of each other, or can be measured or determined in unison on the same time cycle. These measured or determined values are received as direct data  105  or indirect data  106  at the CFP system  100  and can be stored in the data storage  108  as sets of data associated with cost aspects and/or qualitative aspects associated with the conversion processing of a commodity at a conversion facility. 
     Qualitative aspects of a conversion facility can include any type of measurable quantity associated with operations or production at the conversion facility, that is not a measurable cost. Qualitative aspects include such things as inventories, mass balances, measures of temperature or energy. Examples include an initial intake of material or energy from a source external to the conversion facility; an intermediate intake of material or energy from an inventory associated with the conversion facility; a measurement of a change in an energy balance from an energy transfer at the conversion facility; and an inventory measurement of an inventory directly associated with the conversion facility. Cost aspects of a conversion facility can include any type of measurable cost associated with operations or production at the conversion facility. An example can be any expenditure directly or indirectly associated with the operations of the conversion facility, such as a cost of a batch of raw materials, or an overhead cost associated with maintenance on a specific processing subunit. 
     Quantitative variables associated with quantitative aspects are symbolic identifiers associated with the measured values for quantitative aspects and whose associated value may be changed. Such as inventory measure at a point in time. Quantitative variables can also be a calculation based on a set of stored values associated with quantitative aspects. Such as the change in an inventory measure over a period of time, such as a syncing frame. Cost variables associated with cost aspects are symbolic identifiers associated with the determined values for cost aspects and whose associated value may be changed. Such as the cost of raw materials in an inventory determined at a point in time. Cost variables can also be a calculation based on a set of stored values associated with cost aspects. Such as the cost associated with a change in an inventory measure of raw materials over a period of time, such as a syncing frame. 
     The syncing frame  107  is a period of time that can be used for establishing a basis for comparison among the sets of data associated with the different cost aspects and/or qualitative aspects associated with the conversion processing of a commodity at a conversion facility. The length of period of time within a syncing frame (i.e., the period of time embraced by the syncing frame) is not limited and can have a length that is more than a month, less than a month, less than a week, less than a day or less than an hour. 
     As noted above, the CFP system  100  includes a costing module  101 . One operation of the costing module  101  is to perform a cost of processing a commodity operation. In this operation, the costing module  101  receives (1) a syncing frame  107 , (2) a first set of values embraced by the syncing frame  107  for at least one quantitative variable describing a quantitative aspect of processing the commodity, and (3) a second set of values embraced by the syncing frame  107  describing a cost aspect of processing the commodity. The costing module  101  then calculates a cost of processing a commodity using the syncing frame  107  and the two sets of stored values to produce CFP data  109  relating to the calculated cost of processing a commodity. The costing module  101  can also perform much more advanced operations involving multiple sets of data in different syncing frames. For instance, a cost of goods manufactured calculation can involve multiple sets of values collected as both direct data  105  and indirect data  106  and stored in the data storage  108 . The cost of goods manufactured operation performed in the costing module  101  is described in greater detail below. 
     The CFP system  100  also has an actuator control module  102  for developing CFP data  109  that serves as a signal to an actuator in a conversion facility. The actuator control module  102  can be involved in several types of functions relating to the operations and production at a conversion facility. The actuator control module  102 , in general, includes stored values regarding conditions relating to specific aspects that are associated with an actuator at a conversion facility. The actuator control module  102  can also include stored time periods corresponding to potential syncing frames for any of the specific aspects associated with an actuator at a conversion facility. 
     One function of the actuator control module  102  is to continuously monitor the direct data  105  for sets of values relating to any specific aspect at a conversion facility, which can be a quantitative aspect or a cost aspect. If a value or values for the quantitative or cost variables is within the syncing frame  107  meets or exceeds a stored value or condition relating to the specific aspect at a conversion facility, the actuator control module can send a signal as CFP data  109  outside the CFP system  100  that will ultimately affect an actuator, described in more detail below, relating to the specific aspect at a conversion facility. Thus, the actuator control module  102  may control actuators in the conversion facility to manipulate processes performed in the conversion facility based on computation performed using the quantitative or cost variables. The actuators may be controlled directly or indirectly by the CFP system  100 . For example, the CFP system  100  may generate an instruction to be sent to an actuator or to a controller controlling the actuator. 
     The CFP system  100  also has a data management module  103  that can interface with the data storage  108  to store and retrieve data, or send data stored in data storage  108  to a data archive (not shown). The reporting module  104  generates reports, notifications, analyses, etc. as CFP data  109 . These two modules are described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a data flow including a conversion facility production (CFP) system  100 , according to an embodiment. Data sources for the CFP system  100  can include direct data  105  and indirect data  106 , also shown in  FIG. 1 . According to the embodiment shown, direct data  105  comes from a conversion facility  200  containing a sensor  201 , which can represent many sensors that gather direct data  105  relating to quantitative aspects or cost aspects of processing commodities at the conversion facility  200 . Indirect data  106 , according to the embodiment, comes to the CFP system  100  from an accounting department  205  that is associated with the conversion facility  200 . 
     Direct data  105  is collected from sources directly associated with the materials used and the processing of commodities at the conversion facility  200 . A sensor  201  may be used to measure a broad range of quantitative aspects, such a flow of material in a pipe, accumulation in a distillation chamber, fuel used as an indirect material to heat a distillation chamber, etc. 
     Although much of this data may be collected at the conversion facility  200  through sensor  201 , the CFP system may also accept direct data  105  not collected through a sensor  201 , and from sources (not shown) not located at the conversion facility  200 . Any source providing data relating to direct materials, direct labor or some other quantitative or cost measure directly associated with a raw material commodity that is converted, or an intermediate or a finished good commodity produced at the conversion facility  200  can be a source of direct data  105 . For purposes of comparison, overhead costs generally are not direct costs, but are usually indirect costs. 
     Direct data  105  includes cost data as well as quantitative measure data. This may include the purchase price (i.e., cost data) or the weight or volume (i.e., quantitative data) associated with a raw material commodity at initial intake at the conversion facility  200 . Another source of direct data  105  can be the data associated with a raw material commodity held in a beginning inventory that is converted at some later time at the conversion facility  200 . 
     Other direct data sources include inventories associated with work-in-process at the conversion facility  200  (i.e., intermediates of partially processed commodity materials) or fully processed materials which are finished good commodities produced at the conversion facility  200  (i.e., fully converted commodities). 
     Direct data  105  may also be related to transfers of materials and mass balances within individual processing subunits, and can be gathered through sensors  201  associated with the processing subunits within the conversion facility  200 . A more detailed explanation of sensors and actuators as these operate in an individual processing subunit is provided below. Mass balances and material transfers are quantitative measures of the flow of solids and fluids through processing subunits for conversion processing at the facility. Direct data  105  relating to these material transfers generally originates from sources within the conversion facility  200 . Data relating to material transfers and mass balances at individual processing subunits is useful for managing operations at the conversion facility  200 , particularly when operating decisions must be made in the short-term or in response to an abrupt change in some circumstance requiring a modification to planned operations at the conversion facility  200 . 
     Operations and production within the conversion facility  200  can also be managed through one or more actuators  202  within the conversion facility  200 . The actuators  202  may be mechanical actuators, such as material flow control devices or for such things as sealing or opening material storage units. Actuators may be used for various other purposes throughout a conversion facility. An actuator may be associated with a sensor and may be controlled based on values measured by the associated sensor. For example, an actuator may be a valve and an associated sensor may be a flow sensor. A more detailed explanation of sensors and actuators as these operate in an individual processing subunit is provided below. 
     The activity of an actuator  202  is initiated or modified through CFP data  109   a  generated by the actuator control module  102  within the CFP system  100 . The actuator control module  102 , as described above, generates a CFP data  109   a  that is sent from the CFP system  100  as a signal, which may be sent directly to an actuator  202  in conversion facility  200  as an actuator command (shown as CFP data  109   a ), or in the alternative it may be sent an actuator controller  203 . Based upon the CFP data  109   a  received, the actuator controller  203  generates an actuator command  204  that is sent to an actuator  202  inside the conversion facility  200 . An actuator command  204  is an instruction for the actuator  202  to implement a change to some quantitative aspect associated with processing a commodity in the conversion facility  200 . This pathway from the CFP system  100  to the actuator  202  in the conversion facility  200  is particularly useful in implementing automated pre-planned operating decisions for pre-determined conditions. These automated operating decisions can enhance the efficiency of operations and the profitability associated with the production at the conversion facility  200 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a typical source for indirect data  106  to the CFP system  100  is the accounting department  205 . The accounting department  205  assigns an apportionment of indirect costs, such as overhead, which is assigned to aspects associated with the processing of commodities at the conversion facility  200 . In return, the accounting department receives CFP data  109   b  from reporting module  104  in the CFP system  100 . The CFP data  109   b  is used at the accounting department  205  to improve the estimates as to how to apportion indirect costs among the finished good commodities produced at the conversion facility  200 . 
     After direct data  105  and indirect data  106  are collected at periodic intervals to form data sets, the data management module  103 , can be used to compare the different data sets within a chosen time frame (i.e., a syncing frame) or compare them with other data also measured in the same syncing frame developed through the CFP system  100 , or from other sources from within a corporate network, such user input data  207  from a user interface  206 , enterprise resource planning (ERP) data  209  from ERP system  208 , or business intelligence (BI) data  211  from a BI system  210 . 
     The user application  206  may include a dashboard allowing users to interact with the CFP system  100 . Users may view CFP data  109   c  sent, from both the reporting module  104  and the data management module  103 , in the form of reports or messages, view data and analytics results. Users may also provide user input  207  to the CFP system  100  via the user interface for the user application  206 . The user interface  206  may be provided through a web interface or through a some other graphical user interface. 
     The ERP system  208  can be any system for managing internal and external corporate resources including tangible assets, financial resources, materials, human resources. The ERP system  208  can utilize CFP data  109   e  for obtaining updated current month calculations of inventories held at the conversion facility  200 . The ERP system  208  may also send requests in the form of ERP data  209  for information or to ship a raw material from the conversion facility  200  when there is a shortage of that raw material in the company outside of the conversion facility  200  of that raw material commodity held at the conversion facility  200 . 
     The BI system  210  can be any general system used in analyzing business data, such as sales revenue by products and/or departments or associated costs and incomes through analysis of historical, current, and predictive views of business operations. Common functions of conventional BI systems are reporting, online analytical processing, analytics, data mining, business performance management, benchmarking, data mining and predictive analytics. The BI system  210  can utilize CFP data  109   f  for obtaining updated current month calculations of costs associated with production and operations at the conversion facility  200 . The BI system  210  may also send requests in the form of BI data  211  for information on current month costs or with instructions to implemented by management at the conversion facility  200  based on current month CFP data  109   f  sent to the BI system  210 . 
     2. Examples of Conversion Processing at Conversion Facilities 
       FIG. 3  shows a wood commodity conversion facility as an example of a commodity conversion facility. Referring to  FIG. 3 , raw materials  301 , work-in-process  302  and finished goods  303  are delineated as the three major phases of a typical commodity conversion. As noted above, these three phases correspond to the three major stages in cost accounting for a conversion facility. 
     In the wood commodity conversion facility shown in  FIG. 3 , cut logs from trees are the intake raw materials  301 . Data relating to cost and volume is collected at intake or from a beginning inventory at the facility. The raw material logs  301  are processed on a batch basis through the work-in-process stage  302  where the logs are cut at least once, but may be subject to several cutting steps as well as wood treating steps. 
     Direct data and indirect data are collected while the wood logs are undergoing conversion through the work-in-process stage  302 , and data regarding any temporary or intermediate storage of the partially processed wood may reflect the cost and volume of the inventories located in work-in-process  302 . After the last cutting or treatment step in work-in-process  302  has been completed, the data regarding the cost and volume of the cut lumber is collected representing the inventory in finished goods  303  for delivery or shipment. 
       FIG. 4A  shows an oil refinery as another example of a commodity conversion facility. It is similar to a wood conversion facility in that the oil refinery, as a whole, can be divided into three general stages: raw materials  401 , work-in-process  402 , and finished goods  403 . In order to maximize efficiency, an oil refinery is run on a continuous basis, and preferably is run constantly with down-time taken only for processing modifications or for scheduled maintenance. 
     The transport elements A 1  through A 6  and storage elements CT 1  through CT 3  all appear in the raw materials stage  401 . Intake of crude oil to the refinery can be from various sources such as shown by pipeline A 1  or truck delivery A 2 . The raw material crude oil is held in beginning inventories such as those shown CT 1 , CT 2  and CT 3 . Leaving the raw materials phase  401 , the crude oil from CT 1 , CT 2  and CT 3  is sent through feed lines B 1 , B 2  and B 3  to a primary initial distillation processing unit D 1 . The material transfers occurring at CT 1 , CT 2  and CT 3  are represented by MT 1 , MT 2  and MT 3 , respectively. 
     Distillation chamber D 1  is located within the work-in-process stage  402 , along with the distillation units D 2 , D 3  and D 4 , intermediate storage units IT 1 -IT 3 , transport elements B 1 -B 19 , and fuel formation processing subunits F 1  and F 2 . The distillation chamber D 1  is a processing subunit that might be a simple chamber for non-reactive separation process, or some additive might be added at D 1  to provoke a reactive process. 
     All the outgoing lines from processing subunit D 1  carry intermediates. Line B 5  carries unfinished fuel as an intermediate to fuel formation processing subunit F 1  and subsequently, via line B 9 , to finished good product tank P 1  as a finished goods inventory. B 6 , B 7  and B 8  are all lines outgoing from initial distillation processing subunit D 1  to secondary distillation processing subunits D 2 , D 3  and D 4 . Also outgoing line B 4  from D 1  carries asphalt or slop as a remainder from a distillation or reaction in D 1 . The remainder is held in an intermediate tank IT 1  as a work-in-process inventory. The asphalt or slop held in IT 1  is then transferred, via line B 14 , to IT 4  where it is combined with crude oil from raw material inventory CT 3 . IT 4  is an intermediate tank, which is also a work-in-process inventory. 
     Secondary distillation processing subunits D 2 , D 3  and D 4 , may each be either reactive processing subunits or non-reactive processing subunits. D 2 , D 3  and D 4  all have at least one outgoing line that leads to F 2 , a tank for holding and processing an intermediate unfinished fuel, or intermediate holding tanks IT 2  or IT 3 . These holding tanks are work-in-process inventories, but may also be considered non-reactive processing units. This distinction is for purposes of determining mass balancing in the work-in-process stage  402 . The material transfers occurring at D 1 , D 2 , D 3 , D 4 , F 1 , F 2 , IT 3 , IT 2 , IT 1  and IT 4  are represented by MT 4  through MT 13 , respectively. 
     The finished goods stage  403  is the location for transport elements C 1  through C 6  as well as finished good product tanks PT 1  through PT 3 . Finished good product tank PT 3  holds a blended product of asphalt, other intermediates and some part of the finished good fuel from finished goods inventory PT 2  because PT 3  receives feed lines from intermediate tanks IT 2 , IT 3 , and IT 4  as well as from finished good product tank PT 2 . In this circumstance, the material held in PT 2  and sent out through line C 3  is an intermediate product for the finished good blending product in PT 3 . At the same time, the material held in PT 2  but transported out through line C 2  is a finished good. The material transfers occurring at PT 1 , PT 2 , and PT 3  are represented by MT 14 , MT 15  and MT 16 , respectively. 
     The transfer of materials through an oil refinery can be represented in an alternative fashion, through an organizational structure by storage location  405 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4B , using virtual locations. The organizational structure includes a general virtual location for the company  410 , and general virtual locations for plants in the company identified in  FIG. 4B  as virtual locations for a refinery plant  420 , an intransit plant  440 , a other plant  450 , a trade plant  460  and a floating reserve  470 . The refinery plant  420  includes subsidiary virtual locations for the smallest location (SLOG- 1 )  421  for crude  431 , the smallest location (SLOG- 2 ) for intermediate  432 , the smallest location (SLOG- 3 ) for product  433 , a smallest location (SL) for pelletized sulfur  424 , an SLCC line fix location  425 , a smallest location (SL) for the change in a shared trap line  426 , a smallest location (SL) for the change in a loading line  427 , a smallest location (SL) for the change in a shared  428 , and a smallest location (SL) for the change in a crude line  429 . These are all virtual locations associated with the refinery plant  420 , which also has an associated virtual location for the financial data associated with materials. This is stored in a financial storage location (FLOC)  430 . 
     The intransit plant  440  has subsidiary locations that are valuated virtual locations including virtual locations for intransit (INTR) ship  441 , intransit (INTR) pipeline  442 , intransit (INTR) truck  443 , intransit (INTR) rail  444 , and intransit temporary location (TLOC)  445 . The other plant  450  has subsidiary locations that are valuated virtual locations including virtual locations  451  through  459  for brand oils, Oil I through Oil IX, respectively. The trade plant  460  has subsidiary locations that are valuated virtual locations including virtual locations  461  through  467  for brand oils, Oil I through Oil VII, respectively. The floating reserve  470  has subsidiary locations that are valuated virtual locations including virtual locations  471  through  478  for brand oils, Oil I through Oil VIII, respectively. 
     3. Examples of Data Processing Performed by CFP System  100   
     The CFP system  100  performs monitoring, evaluation and synchronization for data related to product costing and inventory valuations at the conversion facility  101 . These data inputs regarding product costing and inventory valuation enable the CFP system  100  to perform current month cost of goods manufactured calculations and reporting. In addition, the CFP system  100  can also perform monitoring, evaluation and synchronization for mass balances at the conversion facility  101 . 
     The mass balancing data input can improve reporting regarding the accuracy of the current month information, such as the cost of goods manufactured calculation by incorporating mass balance data into the work-in-process inventory valuations used in the cost of goods manufactured calculation. The mass balance data provided through the CFP system  100  can be used for other purposes by the ERP system  208  or the BI system  210  of the corporation. 
     According to other embodiments, the CFP system  100  can be used for costing operations to provide data updates to an ERP system  104  so that the ERP system can provide more accurate estimations of product costs. These costing operations can include, but are not limited to, synchronizing the production from a refinery and crediting a production cost from internal orders to inventory; calculating a weight average of an opening batch with a production batch, synchronizing material to material transfers to or from crude slop, feedstock, and finished product, reviewing the finished goods (FG) cost posted in the ERP system  104 , reviewing a physical inventory count, reviewing the correctness of a turn tank value, reviewing the correctness of a FG cost used for slop, performing settlements on materials in batches and adjusting a cost of goods sold (COGS) cost based on the settlements, merging a production batch with a selling batch, performing the setup unit costing for a selling batch, possibly in advance for 2 months, and merging a batch value for multiple batches into one batch to obtain a weighted-average. 
     The CFP system  100  may also be utilized for calculating and tracking changes in mass balances, also known as material balancing, at any processing subunit unit within a conversion facility. Mass balancing relies on the physical law principles relating to conservation of mass, which requires that what goes into a system must either come out of the system somewhere else, be consumed or generated by the system, or remain in the system and accumulate. The relationship between these principles can be restated as: a) the streams entering a system cause an increase of a substance (mass, energy, momentum, etc.) in the system; b) the streams leaving the system decrease the amount of the substance in the system; c) generating or consuming mechanisms (such as chemical reactions) can either increase or decrease the amount of a substance in the system; and d) any part of a substance not leaving or consumed remains in a system. 
     In a system that includes no reaction, these principles can be reduced to the following equation: 
       input mass=(output mass+accumulation). 
     In a system that includes a reaction, modifiers must be introduced to account for substances generated or consumed by the reaction. So the modified equation for mass balancing in a reactive system is: 
       (input mass+generation)=(output mass+accumulation+consumption). 
     These principles can be applied through an analysis of the distillation unit shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  shows distillation unit D 1  (also shown in  FIG. 4 ). D 1  has input feeds B 1 , B 2  and B 3  and output feeds B 4 , B 5 . B 6 , B 7  and B 8 . If no chemical reaction is occurring in D 1 , then no accumulation may occur in D 1  so long as the combined mass output through B 4 , B 5 . B 6 , B 7  and B 8  is greater than or equal to the combined mass input from B 1 , B 2  and B 3 . 
     As part of an ongoing process of monitoring and evaluating operations and production at a conversion facility, the CFP system  100  may repeatedly measure the volume of material passing into D 1  through B 1 , B 2  and B 3 , the volume of material passing out of D 1  through B 4 , B 5 , B 6 , B 7  and B 8 . This is accomplished by having at least one sensor attached to each line with at least one actuator for controlling the convective flow through each individual line. 
     In  FIG. 5 , line B 2  has exemplary sensor B 2   s  for measuring convective flow of material through B 2  and exemplary actuator B 2   a  which is an actuator controlling flow through B 2  into distillation unit D 1 . Distillation unit D 1  has exemplary sensor D 1   s  that can monitor such things as the volume or temperature in the distillation unit D 1 . Exemplary actuator D 1   a  can control such things as the convective flow of material into or out of the unit D 1 , or some other condition associated with D 1 . Finally, line B 6  has exemplary sensor B 6   s  for measuring convective flow of material through line B 6  and exemplary actuator B 6   a  which is an actuator controlling flow through B 6  into another line or another processing subunit. 
     Using the sensors such as B 2   s , D 1   s  and B 6   s , a CFP system may simultaneously measure the volume and nature of the material held or processed in distillation unit D 1 . The measured volumes can be associated with cost of the materials in D 1  and of those passing through each line. All these flows may be tracked from the point of intake at the conversion facility or from a beginning inventory at the conversion facility, and adding such things as indirect processing costs that is associated with the materials passing out of D 1  through B 4 , B 5 , B 6 , B 7  and B 8 . 
     All this information can be incorporated into the valuation done by a CFP system  100  for all the work-in-process inventories at the conversion facility shown in  FIG. 4 . This modified work-in-process valuation can be used in the cost of goods manufactured calculated by a CFP system at any given measuring point in time. This data can be synchronized with other data generated through CFP system. 
     Mass balancing data and calculations have many uses beyond the calculation for cost of goods manufactured. An ERP system may have routines for tracking production and operations at a conversion facility. For instance, typical data collected within an oil refinery for this purpose can include data for ERP synchronization routines for such things as: quantity conversion routines for crude; quantity conversion routines for finished products, intermediates, and feedstocks; quantity conversion routines for asphalt; quantity conversion routines for LPG; quantity conversion routines for PGP; quantity conversion routines for feedstock; quantity conversion routines for feedstock (H 2 , N 2 , NG); routines for crude composition and movement management (COMM); mass balance reports; hydrocarbon inventory reports for finance; and hydrocarbon purchasing detailed reports for finance. 
     The cost of goods manufactured, in even a very basic conversion facility, includes input data from multiple direct data  105  and indirect data  106  sources. The calculation may be used as a gauge of manufacturing costs and profitability at a conversion facility. The cost of goods manufactured calculation includes collecting data from sources related, directly or indirectly, to the operations and production of a conversion facility. These sources can provide data regarding such things as direct materials used, beginning raw materials inventory, cost of raw materials purchased, total raw materials available, ending raw materials inventory, total raw materials used. Other direct sources include direct labor and direct manufacturing overhead, beginning work-in-process inventory and ending work-in-process inventory. Sources for indirect data can include indirect materials, indirect labor, depreciation associated with factory buildings and equipment, insurance, and property taxes. 
       FIG. 6  demonstrates an example of a cost of goods manufactured calculation for an exemplary current month using input data within a syncing frame of one week. In the calculation as shown for the cost of goods manufactured  607 , direct materials  601  is first obtained by adding beginning raw materials inventory  601   a  to cost of raw materials purchased  601   b  to obtain total raw materials available  601   c . The ending raw materials inventory  601   d  is subtracted to obtain total raw materials used  601  within the syncing frame of, for instance, a single week. 
     Manufacturing overhead  603  is obtained by adding together indirect materials  603   a , indirect labor  603   b , depreciation for factory buildings  603   c , depreciation for factory equipment  603   d , insurance for factory  603   e  and property taxes for factory  603   f . The sum total is total manufacturing overhead  603 . 
     The cost of goods manufactured  607  is then obtained by adding the costs for total direct materials  601 , direct labor  602 , manufacturing overhead  603  to calculate total manufacturing costs  604 . Beginning work-in-process inventory  605  is then added and ending work in process inventory  606  is subtracted to obtain the cost of goods manufactured  607 . 
     In a company having an industrial conversion facility, such as an oil refinery, the difficulty in obtaining accurate and timely cost of goods manufactured information within a current month is particularly challenging given that the manufacturing process in an oil refinery can include elaborate chemical engineering steps including a multiplicity of intermediate mass and energy balancing steps at every phase of processing associated with each quantity of every individual finished good commodity. 
     Information relating to the cost of goods manufactured is used for assessing efficiency, capacity and performance of a conversion facility as a production unit. The cost of goods manufactured is also an integral part of assessing cost of goods sold, a figure used in the financial statements of a corporation, because the cost of goods sold calculation incorporates the cost of goods manufactured information along with other corporate information, such as operations and inventory not directly associated with the conversion facility. 
     4. Methods 
       FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  illustrate methods  700 ,  800  and  900  for storing data, according to an embodiment. The methods  700 ,  800  and  900  are described with respect to a CFP system, such as CFP system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  by way of example and not limitation. These methods may be performed in other systems. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , at step  701  data relating to inventory valuations or other direct costs associated with a conversion facility, as described above, is collected and stored. This includes data regarding beginning inventories for raw material commodities, work-in-process inventories and inventories for the finished good commodities. Optionally, this may also include mass balancing data as this may also relate to the valuation of the work-in-process inventories. Data may also be collected relating to only some or for all of the commodities associated with the operations and production at the conversion facility. 
     At step  702 , data relating to indirect costs, as described above which may be associated with the cost of goods manufactured at the conversion facility is received and stored. 
     At step  703 , a cost of goods manufactured at the conversion facility  101  is calculated and at step  704  the calculated value for the cost of goods manufactured is then stored. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , at step  801  data relating to mass balances within a conversion facility, as described above, is collected and stored. Data may be collected relating to only some or for all of the production units within the conversion facility. Data may be collected relating to only some or for all of the commodities associated with the operations and production at the conversion facility. 
     At step  802 , the changes in mass balances within the conversion facility are calculated and at step  803  the data relating to calculated values for the changes to mass balances at the conversion facility are then stored. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , at step  901  data is stored relating to values for quantitative variables on quantitative aspects of a conversion facility. At step  902 , data is stored relating to values for quantitative variables on quantitative aspects of a conversion facility. At step  903 , a syncing frame is received and the syncing frame may embrace input data stored less than thirty days prior to receiving the syncing frame. 
     At step  904 , a first set of values for a quantitative variable is determined and at step  905 , a second set of values for the cost variable is determined. Finally, at step  906 , a cost of processing a commodity is calculated using the first and second set of values. 
     5. Technical Effects 
     Technical effects associated with systems and methods associated with a CFP system, such as CFP system  100 , include the collection of direct data from sensors in a conversion facility, and controlling actuators in the conversion facility based on the sensor data and other collected data within a syncing frame. This may include data, for example, collected hourly, daily or weekly. Also, controlling mass balances based on the collected data is another technical effect. The control of the processes using the syncing frame and the collected data may provide for increased production, increased operating and production efficiency, and increased profits for an individual conversion facility and for a whole corporate entity. Also, decreases in waste for all types of resources utilized at an individual conversion facility and from the whole corporate entity including a conversion facility, including direct materials, direct labor, indirect materials and indirect labor may be achieved. 
     6. Computer System For Executing Software 
     One or more of the steps and functions described herein and one or more of the components of the systems described herein may be implemented as computer code stored on a computer readable storage device, such as memory or another type of storage device. The computer code is executed on a computer system (e.g., the computer system  1000  described below), for example, by a processor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other type of circuit. The code may exist as software program(s) comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats. 
       FIG. 10  shows a computer system  1000  that may be used as a hardware platform for the CFP system  100 . The computer system  1000  may be used as a platform for executing one or more of the steps, methods, and functions described herein that may be embodied as software stored on one or more computer readable storage devices, which are hardware storage devices. 
     The computer system  1000  includes a processor  1001  or processing circuitry that may implement or execute software instructions performing some or all of the methods, functions and other steps described herein. Commands and data from the processor  1001  are communicated over a communication bus  1003 . The computer system  1000  also includes a computer readable storage device  1002 , such as random access memory (RAM), where the software and data for processor  1001  may reside during runtime. The storage device  1002  may also include non-volatile data storage. The computer system  1000  may include a network interface  1004  for connecting to a network. It is apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other known electronic components may be added or substituted in the computer system  1000 . 
     Furthermore, the system and methods described herein are generally described with respect to monitoring and evaluating a conversion facility for cost and production data. However, the system and methods are applicable to monitoring and evaluating a conversion facility for other types of data. 
     While the embodiments have been described with reference to examples, those skilled in the art are able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the embodiments as described in the following claims, and their equivalents.