Abstract: An intelligent plant development library environment is presented. Contemplated environments comprise an EPC knowledge system capable of incorporating know-how of one or more construction firms in the form of assembly objects. Assembly objects represent construction components (e.g., bolts, cable trays, pipes, processing units, deliverables, etc.) that can be incorporated into a plant design. Assembly objects are stored in an assembly database and include available contexts considered relevant to the assembly objects. An inference engine is utilized to derive a specified context related to a plant design from one or more design tools. The inference engine applies rule sets to infer which assembly objects to instantiate as construction objects. The inference engine can further configure the design tools to incorporate the instantiated construction objects into a plant construction project model.

Abstract: An expert system for providing optimized recommendations regarding a construction project is configured to generate conflicting optimization recommendations. Multiple expert system engines are implemented, where each engine provides one or more recommendations optimized in accordance with the priorities of a functional discipline. A conflict engine will identify conflicts between optimized recommendations and will package the conflicts into conflict objects that are presented to a conflict user interface for resolution. The user could resolve the conflicts him/herself, or could configure a cross-functional conflict object to resolve such conflicts based upon specified resolution criteria.

Abstract: In methods for managing congestion points of a plant lifecycle, access can be provided to a project database, as well as a congestion engine coupled with the project database. The congestion engine can be used to analyze project designs, resources, and activities. At least one congestion object can be generated based at least in part upon the analysis of the congestion engine. A project interface can be configured to present the at least one congestion object.

Abstract: A capital project optimization tool is presented. Engineers can interact with the tool by submitting one or more capital project components to an optimization engine. A current component can be correlated with historical components to identify if similar historical components have been used in similar circumstances. If so the engine can determine if the similar historical components where over-engineered. Alternatives components can be found that would have a better satisfaction level for historical or current project requirements. The alternative components can also have a different level of estimated impact on one or more project metrics.

Abstract: An expert system for providing optimized recommendations regarding a construction project is configured to generate conflicting optimization recommendations. Multiple expert system engines are implemented, where each engine provides one or more recommendations optimized in accordance with the priorities of a functional discipline. A conflict engine will identify conflicts between optimized recommendations and will package the conflicts into conflict objects that are presented to a conflict user interface for resolution. The user could resolve the conflicts him/herself, or could configure a cross-functional conflict object to resolve such conflicts based upon specified resolution criteria.

Abstract: An intelligent plant development library environment is presented. Contemplated environments comprise an EPC knowledge system capable of incorporating know-how of one or more construction firms in the form of assembly objects. Assembly objects represent construction components (e.g., bolts, cable trays, pipes, processing units, deliverables, etc.) that can be incorporated into a plant design. Assembly objects are stored in an assembly database and include available contexts considered relevant to the assembly objects. An inference engine is utilized to derive a specified context related to a plant design from one or more design tools. The inference engine applies rule sets to infer which assembly objects to instantiate as construction objects. The inference engine can further configure the design tools to incorporate the instantiated construction objects into a plant construction project model.