Aspen PIMS™

Study Guide for Certification

Aspen Knowledge™ Learn. Apply. Succeed.

 Prove Your Credibility
An Aspen Certified user demonstrate skills required to
run planning models, modifying model structure, and
troubleshooting.

Practice
AspenTech training is highly recommended though not required.
This guide contains 100% coverage of all objectives for the certification
Exam Scope for Aspen
exam. You can use it as both a study tool and an on-the job reference
PIMS
(read pages 2-6).
□ Introduction
□ Settings Get Certified
□ Help
In-person and remote testing are available. Please make sure that you
□ Model Building
select the correct Location/Time Zone.
□ Crude Modeling
□ Results Analysis After passing the exam you will receive an email to post your certificate
and digital badge on social media, which is a cross-industry recognition of
technical skills you may share on LinkedIn, as well as in your email
Grading signature. View the instructions on how to post your credentials on
LinkedIn profile.
Grade Weight
Multiple choice
40%
questions
Lab task 60%
Total 100%

AspenTech
Call | Email | Chat

1
 TECHNICAL
SCOPE COMPETENCY OBJECTIVE
CONTENT

Introduction What is PIMS Identify the applications of PIMS for operations planning and
capital investment analysis

Explain the objective of PIMS

Identify products in the petroleum supply chain

software family

Review of LP Concept Explain LP concepts of rows and columns

Formulate LP equations

PIMS interface Explain a typical PIMS work flow

Identify the main information found in PIMS Help

List the necessary steps to generate a solution report, case

comparison and validation report

Data Tables and Identify meaning of input data table content

Formats

Recognize table format conventions

Add, Merge, Suppress and Unsuppress Excel tables to the PIMS

table tree

Review Economic Recognize the components of objective function

Concepts

Explain marginal value

Calculate breakeven value of new crude oil/products

Summarize the impact of the assumed price on a break-even

value analysis

Explain the limitations of marginal values

2
 TECHNICAL
SCOPE COMPETENCY OBJECTIVE
CONTENT

Settings General Recognize if a model is weight-based or volume-based

Set the maximum number of passes allowed (DR) or maximum

iterations (AO)

Find the default units of measure for the model

Identify the default VTW settings and units of measure

Help Help Explain how to get detailed information about an error or warning

Find detailed explanation of any table on the model tree

Recognize where KnowledgeBase articles can be accessed

Identify various means of requesting support

Model building Naming Conventions Recognize formatting of matrix columns and rows

Define the meaning of E, L, and G rows

Supply & Demand Format T. BUY/SELL

Tables
Explain the difference between Tables BUY/SELL and Tables
UTILBUY/UTILSEL

Configure tiered-pricing for purchase and sales

Explain the functionality difference between the GROUPS column

in BUY/SELL and Table GROUPS

Product Blending Recognize the default product blending basis

Calculate blend product properties

Define weight-based properties

3
 TECHNICAL
SCOPE COMPETENCY OBJECTIVE
CONTENT

Model Building Product Blending Explain tables required to define a blend, its components and its
specifications

Troubleshooting Evaluate PIMS solution and identify problems

Define possible causes of the problem

Name and Use the most important Aspen PIMS troubleshooting

tools
Process Sub-models List and recognize different sub-model types

Define feedstock, yields, utilities and unit parameters in the sub-

model structure

Build discrete yield sub-model from scratch

Translate a plant constraint into a sub-model equation

Base Delta Sub-models Explain the application of base-delta sub-model type

Interpret the structure of base-delta sub-model – label parts

of sub-model

Illustrate the ways of freeing the delta vector and explain the
purpose of it

Identify the property values that result in “base” yields

Pooling and Recursion Create a recursed pool

Summarize pooling and recursion data tables

Compare DR and AO pooling solution and initialization

techniques

Explain what 999 (+ and -) means in PIMS structure

4
 TECHNICAL
SCOPE COMPETENCY OBJECTIVE
CONTENT

Model Building Miscellaneous Tables Identify the functionality of table ROWS

Identify the functionality of table GROUPS

Identify the functionality of the USER model branch

Parameter Rows for Identify the types of parameter rows

Reporting
Formulate each type of parameter row

Explain the benefit of using parameter rows

Crude Modeling Crude Distillation List tables required to define a crude unit
Configuration
Explain significance of pooling segregation in table CRDCUTS

Identify impact of ESTxxx entries in table CRDDISTL

Recognize cut types in table CRDCUTS

Explain how worksheets of assay information are mapped to

specific crude units

Explain how PIMS formulates the crude unit capacities

Assay Management Recognize the steps of the Setup Wizard

Execute a spot crude evaluation

List the capabilities of Assay Management

5
 TECHNICAL
SCOPE COMPETENCY OBJECTIVE
CONTENT

Results Analysis Case Stacking Create a case

Identify the use of case stacking keywords – EMPTY, MODIFIES

Explain how to modify table content in T. CASE

Reports Configure the desired reports for a run

Explain the formats that are available for reports and how to
change formats

Define the content of the full solution report vs the case

comparison report

6
About Aspen Technology
Aspen Technology (AspenTech) is a leading software supplier for optimizing asset performance. Our products
thrive in complex, industrial environments where it is critical to optimize the asset design, operation and
maintenance lifecycle. AspenTech uniquely combines decades of process modeling expertise with machine
learning. Our purpose-built software platform automates knowledge work and builds sustainable competitive
advantage by delivering high returns over the entire asset lifecycle. As a result, companies in capital-intensive
industries can maximize uptime and push the limits of performance, running their assets safer, greener, longer
and faster. Visit AspenTech.com to find out more.

© 2020 Aspen Technology, Inc. AspenTech®, Aspen®, aspenONE®, the Aspen leaf logo, the aspenONE logo
and OPTIMIZE are trademarks of Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. AT-05200