An integrated expert system/operations research approach for natural gas pipeline operations optimization

Most of the process control and monitoring problems cannot be solved by either operations research (OR) or expert systems (ES) techniques alone. We present an integrated approach in which expert systems and operations research techniques complement each other for optimizing natural gas pipeline operations. Typically, expert systems are used in problems where mathematical calculations cannot but the knowledge of an experienced human expert can provide a satisfactory solution. The ES approach has shown exceptional performance in process control and monitoring when the working knowledge of the system is non-linear and incomplete. The OR approach, on the other hand, can be used to handle problems in which well constructed mathematical models are available or can be developed.