For an engineer selecting a simulator for sour-gas treating, glycol dehydration, sulfur recovery, emissions work or connected production facilities, ProMax deserves attention for a specific reason: Bryan Research & Engineering has built unusually deep gas-processing and electrolyte models into the same environment used for the wider flowsheet. That specialization can reduce handoffs between a general process model and separate treating or environmental calculations—but only if the selected property package, column model and licensed scope match the plant problem.
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This is a research-based technical assessment of BR&E ProMax 7.0, based on current vendor documentation and product pages reviewed in November 2026; we did not install or benchmark the software. BR&E’s current site identifies ProMax 7.0 as available and continues to provide training, downloads and technical support. One older answer in the vendor FAQ still calls 6.0 the latest release even though the same page documents 7.0 compatibility, so buyers should confirm the exact 7.0 build and maintenance entitlement before deployment.
Where ProMax changes the gas-processing workflow
A useful ProMax model begins with a defensible feed composition, pressure and temperature basis, the expected aqueous and hydrocarbon phases, equipment geometry, operating specifications and the correct thermodynamic method. The engineer then closes the material and energy balances, checks phase behavior and solids risks, sizes or rates equipment, and tests operating cases. The outputs may include treated-gas specifications, solvent circulation and loading, absorber and regenerator profiles, reboiler duty, compression and refrigeration loads, liquid yields, line pressure drop, emissions and equipment constraints.
The differentiator is clearest in acid-gas service. BR&E documents an Electrolytic-ELR framework, amine and physical-solvent options, rate-based Mass + Heat Transfer column models, tray and packing hydraulics, and reaction kinetics for CO₂ and COS on its acid-gas-removal product page. Those are vendor-documented capabilities, not independent proof of accuracy for every solvent, contaminant or operating envelope. A project should still reconcile the selected model against solvent analyses, plant tests, licensed process data and recent operating history before using results for guarantees or debottlenecking decisions.
That same flowsheet can extend beyond the treating unit. BR&E presents ProMax for upstream production facilities, gathering and compression, dehydration and hydrates, NGL/LNG recovery, pipelines, flares, refining, sulfur systems, carbon capture and environmental reporting. This breadth is valuable when a change in separator pressure or solvent performance must propagate into compression duty, liquid recovery, flare load or emissions. It also raises a model-governance problem: a large integrated case can look complete while still carrying uncertain compositions, equipment curves, heat losses or control assumptions. Teams need a documented basis, named case owner and acceptance tests for every major subsystem.
ProMax 7.0 adds a stronger path from study model to plant data
ProMax 7.0 moves the product further toward continuously connected models. The vendor says Automated Data Exchange can link model variables with external data sources and plant information, while the dedicated Data Exchange page describes database read/write, scheduled model execution and control-room display. BR&E training material also identifies a new Pipeline Network Solver in version 7.0.
Those capabilities can support monitoring calculations such as amine loading, hydrate margin, column flooding, exchanger fouling or sulfur-plant dew point. They do not automatically create a trustworthy digital twin. Live use requires tag mapping, unit and timestamp checks, bad-data handling, convergence supervision, access control, model-version management and a defined response when calculated values disagree with instruments. The automation architecture, database connectors, execution frequency and licensed components should therefore be demonstrated with the buyer’s historian or test database before purchase.
Deployment is a Windows-and-Visio decision
The current ProMax FAQ lists supported Microsoft versions of Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server 2016/2019/2022. For ProMax 7.0, it specifies Office and Visio 2021 through 2024 or Visio Plan 2; Visio Plan 1 is not supported, and the ProMax architecture must match Visio. That dependency matters for desktop images, virtual applications and upgrade policy. The FAQ also states that Remote Desktop Services requires a network ProMax license.
BR&E documents Sentinel-based hardware and software keys plus network licensing, but public pages do not disclose prices, concurrent-user rules, module packaging, maintenance terms or geographic availability. Confirm those items with the vendor, together with whether Data Exchange, specialized models, environmental tools and any runtime deployment are included in the proposed license. Support is active: BR&E maintains a support portal with downloads, release read-me files, technical articles, tutorials and direct technical assistance.
How to compare ProMax with HYSYS, UniSim and Petro-SIM
| Selection criterion | BR&E ProMax 7.0 | Aspen HYSYS | Honeywell UniSim Design | KBC Petro-SIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best evaluation focus | Gas treating, sour systems, sulfur, upstream/midstream facilities, pipelines and emissions in one flowsheet | Broad upstream, midstream, LNG, refining, dynamics and integrated engineering workflows | Steady-state and dynamic design, operations studies and modern Python/.NET automation | Refinery-wide simulation, reactor models, planning-to-operations alignment and optimization |
| Model basis to challenge in a trial | Electrolytic and rate-based treating models, specialized gas-processing correlations and integrated environmental calculations | Property methods, integrated equipment/safety tools and refinery or LNG application scope | Steady-state/dynamic fidelity, API workflow and plant-data calibration | Refinery conversion-unit kinetics, planning integration and site-wide model maintenance |
| Deployment question | Windows plus compatible Microsoft Visio; network license for Remote Desktop Services | Confirm current platform, packages and license architecture with AspenTech | Confirm current platform, API entitlement and deployment topology with Honeywell | Confirm current platform, reactor packages and enterprise deployment with KBC |
The table is a shortlist guide, not a performance ranking. AspenTech positions Aspen HYSYS across oil and gas, LNG, refining, dynamics and connected engineering workflows. Honeywell documents UniSim Design for steady-state and dynamic simulation with Python and .NET interfaces. KBC emphasizes refinery-wide models and reactor applications in Petro-SIM. Petroleum Software also has deeper profiles of KBC Petro-SIM and SLB Symmetry for teams building a broader simulator shortlist.
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The decision: choose the model evidence, not the longest feature list
ProMax 7.0 is a credible shortlist candidate when gas treating, sour-water, sulfur, dehydration, emissions, production facilities or pipeline behavior dominate the engineering decision and the team wants those calculations connected in one process model. Its documented specialty models and active BR&E support give this assessment medium-to-high confidence for capability scope. Confidence is lower for commercial packaging and for the performance of any specific project because those questions require a quotation, the exact build and a controlled validation case.
Consider HYSYS, UniSim, Petro-SIM or another platform when the organization already has validated models, trained users and integrations there, or when refinery planning, dynamic simulation, enterprise automation or another vendor-specific workflow is the primary requirement. Before adopting ProMax, ask BR&E to reproduce one representative case: import the real feed basis, model the selected solvent and column internals, match agreed plant or test data, run an off-design scenario, export the required report, connect a sample data source and open the case in the proposed desktop or remote environment. Confirm the 7.0 build, licensed modules, Visio/Office combination, concurrent access, support terms and file-compatibility policy in the same acceptance record.
