What is commercial maths?

According to Mr Nelson, commercial maths is “the application of the right mathematical disciplines matched with the right technology to model and solve complex problems in the real world”.

“This mainly involves a stream of mathematics called Operations Research which can apply statistical analysis, optimisation algorithms, simulation modelling and artificial intelligence applications – or a combination of these – to solve a problem,” he explains.

“At Biarri our commercial mathematicians work with data and the detailed rules, logic, constraints and variables of a problem to provide data-driven analysis and decision support, ensuring the right planning and scheduling decisions are made.”

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Mr Nelson says that selecting the right approach for the problem and then matching it with the right technology is the biggest challenge.

“At Biarri, we match the right maths with our web-based optimisation workbench to provide access to advanced decision making quickly and cheaply.”

“Mathematical modelling deals in detailed analysis and quantified solutions, not judgement or opinion.”

Using maths to save time and money

Commercial maths has a number of applications in the gas industry, and can assist with:

  • Optimally planning and designing projects;
  • Scheduling to maximise the utilisation of expensive or constrained assets; and,
  • Project recovery and management when unforeseen changes arise.

“The work is usually targeted to minimise health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) risks, minimise costs and ensure project development and operations are not delayed,” says Mr Nelson.

According to Mr Nelson, using commercial maths during the planning stage of a project can have huge cost implications.

“Doing the math to ensure an optimised plan and direction is developed and tested for robustness before diving into the details of engineering specifications and project implementation can save large amounts of money down the track,” he says.

“A risk for projects is to step into engineering-level detailed specifications and implementation without properly running the numbers to ensure the plan is heading in the right direction.”

Commercial maths in gas today

Mr Nelson says that a number of CSG projects currently being developed in Queensland have used commercial maths to identify the optimal airport upgrade and flight schedules required to transport the workforce over time.

Commercial maths has also been used in designing logistics networks for greenfield gas projects. In this case, commercial maths assisted in designing the optimal logistics structure to support the project’s development and its subsequent ongoing operations and maintenance.

“The benefits of quantitative analysis allow project teams to take opinion and subjectivity out of key decisions and provide a point of reference for discussion and decision making,” explains Mr Nelson.

“Detailed models allow project teams to quickly assess the impact of possible or impending changes to development timings or other project variables, staying one step ahead and being pro-active in keeping the project on time and on budget.”

“Mathematical modelling deals in detailed analysis and quantified solutions, not judgement or opinion.”