Chris Boljkovac

Aug 2006 - May 2025

Senior Optimization Specialist (2017-2025), RTO Engineer (2006-2017)

Led the development and maintenance of online process models, data reconciliation, and optimization systems for a refinery, two heavy oil upgraders, and two petrochemical plants. Ensured that all systems were expanded and utilized in innovative ways to improve margin, safety, quality, and reliability. Worked closely with operations, economics, and technical teams to identify new opportunities that aligned with business goals.

• Delivered $10-15M per year in operating profit improvement by developing and maintaining a refinery-wide real-time optimization (RTO) system that generated 40+ targets across the crude, hydrocracker, aromatics, and gas recovery units.
• Achieved $1-2M per year improvement in operating profit by implementing two heavy oil upgrader A&V unit RTO systems, with tools to monitor constraint relaxation values and heat exchanger cleaning benefits.
• Increased refinery margin by $1-4M monthly by implementing an online, model-based relief load estimator for a crude column that enabled maximum feed diet flexibility while ensuring safe operation.
• Increased operating profit by $40K per day by developing a non-linear control method to produce high-quality C5-C6 diluent using existing advanced control (APC) and optimization (RTO) applications.
• Produced $20K per day in crude unit yield improvement by deploying a rigorous online furnace model to enhance firing limit prediction, enabling up to a 4°C increase in outlet temperature.
• Increased crude furnace inlet temperature by 2-5°C by incorporating hydraulics into an existing online process model, allowing optimal heat exchanger bypass flows to be calculated.
• Created a new back-blended bulk pricing method for unit RTO systems that offered more precise internal stream valuation compared to earlier cutpoint-based methods.
• Deployed data reconciliation systems for refinery, chemical plant, and upgrader units and promoted their use in process analysis, flow meter performance monitoring, and production accounting.
• Developed a comprehensive site optimization plan that highlighted the benefits of including new feed and
  product analyzers, integrating tank inventory and product blending systems, and adopting new optimization technologies.
• Conducted offline simulation studies to analyze current performance, forecast future performance, and assess  proposed process changes and de-bottlenecking strategies.
• Led corporate teams that established best practices for data reconciliation and optimization systems, equipment modeling, and fostering talent growth.
• Provided site technical expertise, managed projects, performed troubleshooting, trained users, and developed site configuration standards for a 390K+ point data historian (AVEVA PI).

Sep 2003 - Nov 2005

Senior Automation Engineer

Managed over 500 control loops, more than 200 operator displays, a data historian (AVEVA PI), and advanced controls for a pulp mill, steam system, and wastewater treatment plant. Monitored distributed control system (DCS) health, addressed system issues, and performed hardware and software upgrades. Developed DCS programming standards, long-term automation upgrade plans, and capital project proposals.

• Increased production rates by 3-5% and reduced product quality variations by enhancing the parameter update method in a model-based batch digester control system.
• Saved $30K per trip in lost production by enhancing the load rejection of a 230 tonne per hour utility boiler.

Sep 2000 - Nov 2002

Senior Research and Development Engineer

Led the integration of open-equation technologies into HYSYS, including solution algorithms, optimization features, and process unit models. Provided technical expertise for real-time optimization (RTO) system proposals, designs, and project teams.

• Saved $50K in cost overruns on a HYSYS.RTO project by creating a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) algorithm for steam and power equipment selection.
• Increased solution speed by 5 to 10 times for challenging simulations by enabling the embedding of open-equation models in HYSYS flowsheets.

Aug 1998 - Aug 2000

Technology Manager, Co-founder

Directed the development of simulation software for operator training (OTS), process control, process design, and cloud-based modeling applications. Evaluated new simulation technologies, mentored software developers, and developed new modeling features, database interfaces, and prototypes.

• Generated $100K in additional license sales with the release of new MASSBAL modeling features.
• Secured a $200K operator training (OTS) project by developing an interface between MASSBAL and Simulink to support control system modeling.

Aug 1993 - Jul 1998

Senior Analyst (1997-1998), Team Leader (1994-1997), Analyst (1993-1994)

Led the development of the OPTIMIZER platform for real-time optimization (RTO) projects. Created a real-time executive system, including steady-state detection, data screening, and data interfaces. Upgraded the MASSBAL simulator with refinery reactor models (fluid catalytic cracker, hydrocracker, and HF-alkylation), distillation and heat transfer models, and thermodynamic packages. Implemented data reconciliation, gross error detection, and optimization algorithms.

• Awarded over $1.0M in real-time optimization (RTO) projects following the initial release of the OPTIMIZER platform.
• Secured a $300K multi-year process design and control project by prototyping a dynamic fired-boiler MASSBAL model for a client.

Sep 1991 - Apr 1993

Research Asssistant, Graduate Courses

Digital Process Control, Time Series Analysis, Stochastic Adaptive Control, Process Control Design

Sep 1986 - Apr 1990

Bachelor of Applied Science, BAScH

Chemical Engineering

2023

Real-Time Optimization System Standardization

Standardized online sequences, model implementations, and data exports for three real-time optimization (RTO) systems to enhance monitoring and maintenance efficiency.

2012

Optimal Heat Exchanger Bypass Using Hydraulic Models

System to generate optimal heat exchanger bypass flow targets by adding network hydraulics to an existing preheat model. Resulted in significant increases in feed preheat temperatures and reduced energy costs.

2008

A&V Unit Real-Time Optimization System

Design and implementation of a real-time optimization (RTO) system for a 155K bbl per day upgrader A&V unit. Generated 36 advanced control (APC) targets with tools to monitor target utilization, constraint relaxation, and heat exchanger cleaning benefits.

2002

Energy Optimization System

Online optimization of a steam/power system using HYSYS.RTO. System included equipment selection/line-up optimization and what-if cases.

1997

Refinery Steam Real-Time Optimization System

Real-time optimization system for a refinery steam/power plant. Operating targets included changes to boiler status and drive selections.

1996

Hydrocracker Unit Real-Time Optimization System

Real-time optimization system for a new hydrocracker unit (HCU) at a 200K bbl per day refinery. Delivered as part of an advanced control and automation project.

1994

Energy Management System

Real-time optimization system for the steam/power plant at a large petrochemical complex.

1994

Multi-Site Energy System Analysis

Study of the economic benefits of coordinating the operation of a multi-site steam/power system.

2020

Crude Feed Composition Estimation

Novel data reconciliation technique for crude feed composition estimation (FCE) that utilized a piecewise linear function for pseudo-component adjustment, and component collections for pure component adjustment.

2014

Flow Meter Gross Error Workflow

A systematic approach for troubleshooting meters in gross error (operation, installation, design, compensation, and technology) and identifying short- and long-term actions.

2013

Refinery and Chemical Plant Data Reconciliation System

Implementation of a data reconciliation system consisting of 430+ flow measurements and 120+ mass balances across 21 refinery and chemical plant operating units. Reconciled flows adopted by business, technical, and environmental groups for reporting and analysis.

2011

Upgrader Data Reconciliation System

Implementation of a multi-plant bitumen upgrader data reconciliation and mass balance system consisting of 560+ flow measurements and 150+ mass balances across 16 operating units. Used to monitor flow meter health and daily mass balances.

2019

Crude Column Relief Load Estimation

Implementation of a model-based relief load estimator for a crude column. Online estimation of feed composition changes allowed maximum feed diet flexibility while ensuring continued safe operation. [Executive VP Award for Increasing Capacity]

2019

Corrosion Monitoring Tool

Online prediction of NH4Cl salt formation temperature and ionic dewpoint in preflash, atmospheric, and vacuum column overhead systems using process models.

2018

Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning Benefits

Online model to estimate heat exchanger fouling, flow distribution, and bypass flows for a heat exchanger network. Resulting fouling rates and economic sensitivities were used to produce cleaning benefits and schedule.

2016

Fired-Heater Safeguarding

Development of an adaptive online model for firing limit prediction. The system ensured safe on-going operation while maximizing crude column product yields.

2011

Performance and Flooding Prediction of Crude Unit Columns

Calculation of vapor and liquid loading parameters for crude unit distillation columns. Allowed continuous online monitoring of column section performance and the potential for jet flood, downcomer flood, and flash zone entrainment.

2015

Model-Based Control of Diluent Production

Development of a non-linear control method to produce high quality C5-C6 diluent with existing advanced control (APC) and optimization (RTO) applications.

2004

Kraft Pulp Digestors Batch Control

Enhancement of a large-scale batch digester advanced control program. Resulted in reduced cycle time and improved product quality.

2003

Utility Boiler Advanced Control

Performance analysis, modification, and tuning of the advanced control system for a 230 tonne per hour utility boiler to improve load disturbance rejection.

2023

Third-Party Steam Cost Tracking System

Online calculation of a multi-tiered take-or-pay steam purchase contract with a third-party supplier using PI-AF. Generated daily cost projections and analysis for use by plant operators.

2010

Pricing Method for Intermediate Process Streams

System to estimate intermediate stream prices for use in real-time optimization (RTO) systems. Method utilized linear programming (LP) volumetric yields, variable unit production costs, and fence-line product prices to calculate back-blended break-even values.

1999

Nickel Smelter Dynamic Model

Dynamic model of a 45 MW electric furnace to predict matte, slag, and off-gas compositions. Used to investigate alternative operating conditions and evaluate process design changes.

1998

Water Management System

Water reservoir process model and case study to determine the feasibility of developing a real-time inventory management system.

1995

Refinery Steam System Dynamic Model

Dynamic fired boiler process model with advanced steam drum controls. Used to evaluate process modifications and control designs to improve disturbance rejection.

2002

Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) Algorithm

Development of an object-oriented mixed integer optimization algorithm (MINLP) for HYSYS.RTO. The algorithm was used for selection optimization in a steam/power real-time optimization (RTO) project.

2001

Open-Equation Models in HYSYS

Added the ability to embed open-equation models in HYSYS process flowsheets. Greatly improved solution speed for highly interactive simulations.

1999

Dynamic Process Model Simulink Interface

Development of an interface between MASSBAL dynamic process models and Simulink for use in control design and operator training (OTS) projects.

1996

Open-Equation Refinery Kinetic Reactor Models

Creation of equation-based refinery reactor kinetic models from closed-form versions. hydrotreating/hydrocracking (HTR/HCR), fluid catalytic cracking (FCC), and HF-alkylation reactors were required for real-time optimization (RTO) projects.

1995

Online Process Modeling System

Development of the OPTIMIZER platform for use in online process monitoring and optimization systems. Components included online executive, real-time data interfaces, steady-state detection, and data screening.

1995

Equation-Based Simulator for Real-Time Optimization

Modification of the MASSBAL process simulator to support hydrocarbon process models, data reconciliation and gross error detection, and optimization. Developed distillation models, physical property packages, real-time process data interfaces, and solution algorithms.

2024

Data Visualization Client Migration

Migration of 6000+ displays from PI-ProcessBook to PI Vision for 140+ users. Developed standards, site-wide navigation pages, and access control model.

2023

Performance Equation Migration

Migration of 7700+ PI performance equations to PI-AF including ownership, templating, retirement, and validation. The project methodology developed was subsequently used for sites world-wide.

2023

Digital Twin Live Data

Method to incorporate PI process data on "live" design, process, and instrumentation diagrams. Developed the use case for process monitoring notifications using process data.

2022

Data Archive Configuration Tool

Trained 50+ site staff on the use of a PI tag configuration tool for point creation and maintenance. Developed 100+ templates for control system, laboratory, and advanced control data sources using best practices and site standards.

2022

PI Landscape Re-Architecture

Consolidated over a dozen systems of a 390K+ point archive into a highly reliable and simplified architecture, resulting in lower support costs and streamlined workflows. [General Manager's Award for Process Simplification]

2021

Online Production Rate

Online calculation of total upgrader production rate using PI-AF. System included measurement error-handling, unit status, feed/product routings, and an update method for end-users.

2018

Data Archive Performance Assessment

Evaluation of archive read performance for a proposed regional PI system. Used standard clients and developed custom applications. Poor performance results led to system architecture changes.

2019

Correction of Orifice Meter Flows for Improved GHG Reporting

Tool to correct historic vent gas flow measurements using updated design data. The flow measurements were required for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting.

2014

Reconciled Flow Measurements for GHG Reporting

Incorporation of flow meter health and reconciled measurements into the workflow for refinery greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting.