SimRefinery

Game review

SimRefinery is a forgotten business and manufacturing process simulator developed by Maxis Business Simulation on a private contract, in collaboration with the oil company Chevron. Following the success of the first SimCity, Maxis tried to draw as much attention as possible to the huge potential of such interactive simulators in training specialists in the relevant profile. In this case, we will get acquainted with the work of the oil refinery.

Because the task was to create a game for as little money as possible and in the shortest possible time, only the very basic processes of oil refining were implemented. The parameters of most processes can be adjusted and you can immediately see the change in related quantities and volumes. For example, a change in temperature at the distillation column trays will change the proportion of heavy and light fractions. The essence of the game is to find the optimal combination of technological modes to maximize profits. The main type of raw material for our refinery is, of course, oil, the type of which you can choose from a list or you can create your own. Natural gas is needed to obtain hydrogen. At the outlet of our production complex we can get liquefied gas, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, heating oil, asphalt and sulfur (!). You can create your own recipes in the facilities for mixing finished products. You can also see a brief report on the economic efficiency of the company. Occasional events, such as a sharp change in oil prices or a fire, enrich the factory routine. And that's all.