Real-time digital twin system for LNG operation monitoring

In the liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations space, process simulations are widely applied during design phases and during operation for designing and troubleshooting process flows. However, the use of continuously running simulations for live operational monitoring remains limited. The adoption of live process simulations (commonly referred to as digital twins) offers significant potential to enhance operational visibility, enable early issue detection, improve safety, and drive real-time optimisation. This work presents the architecture and implementation of a live digital twin system for Woodside Energy by deploying Aspen HYSYS process simulation software on cloud-based platforms and integrating it with live plant data. To demonstrate practical benefits, two use cases are explored. One involves real-time performance monitoring of refrigerant compressors in an LNG plant. By continuously streaming live process data – such as inlet and outlet pressures, temperatures and power consumption – into the online HYSYS environment, the system calculates key thermodynamic properties including polytropic and isentropic efficiencies. Another use case highlights the use of the HYSYS model as a soft sensor to reconcile flow rate discrepancies caused by faulty orifice flow metres and to monitor thermodynamic performance. These real-time model outputs are visualised in dashboards, with automated alerts triggered when deviations from expected performance occur. Such capabilities support predictive maintenance and energy optimisation. The results demonstrate significant improvements in process transparency, responsiveness and decision-making. This digital twin framework provides a scalable foundation for expanding live process simulations across LNG operations, paving the way for continuous improvement and operational excellence.