Course Details

Objective

Upon the successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:-

1. Understand the basic structure and functions of a refinery.
2. Explain the key processes in refining, including separation, conversion, and treatment.
3. Identify the roles and operational principles of major refinery units.
4. Apply basic engineering principles to support efficient refinery operations.
5. Recognize safety and environmental considerations in refining operations.

Content

Day 1: Introduction to Refining and Overview of Refinery Units

• • Introduction to the refining industry: purpose, processes, and products.
  • Overview of refinery configurations and key units.
  • Basic principles of crude oil refining: separation, conversion, and treatment.
  • Overview of crude distillation unit (CDU) and vacuum distillation unit (VDU).
  • Key operational considerations for primary distillation processes.
  • Case study: Crude oil composition and its impact on refining processes.

Day 2: Conversion Processes

• • Introduction to conversion processes: cracking, reforming, and hydroprocessing.
  • Fundamentals of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and hydrocracking.
  • Role of conversion units in producing high-value products.
  • Overview of catalytic reforming and its importance in gasoline production.
  • Introduction to coking and its applications in heavy oil processing.
  • Analyzing product yields from different conversion processes.

Day 3: Supporting Systems and Utilities

• • Importance of utility systems in refinery operations: steam, electricity, and water.
  • Overview of refinery heating and cooling systems.
  • Basics of hydrogen production and consumption in refineries.
  • Introduction to sulfur recovery and gas treatment systems.
  • Environmental considerations: emissions control and effluent treatment.
  • Designing a basic utilities plan for a refinery unit.

Day 4: Refinery Operations and Engineering Principles

• • Fundamental concepts of heat and mass transfer in refining.
  • Role of process control systems in refinery operations.
  • Equipment overview: pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, and reactors.
  • Operational challenges and troubleshooting in refinery units.
  • Introduction to refinery optimization and process improvement techniques.
  • Diagnosing and resolving common operational issues.

Day 5: Safety, Maintenance, and Future Trends in Refining

• • Safety protocols and risk management in refinery operations.
  • Maintenance strategies for refinery equipment: preventive and predictive approaches.
  • Emergency response planning and incident management.
  • Emerging trends in refining technology: digitalization, energy efficiency, and renewable feedstocks.
  • Developing an operational plan for a basic refinery unit.
  • Course review, Q&A, and certification distribution.

NOTE:

Pre-& Post Tests will be conducted.

Case Studies, Group Exercises, Group Discussions, Last Day reviews, and assessments will be carried out.

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Methodology

A highly interactive combination of lectures and discussion sessions will be managed to maximize the amount and quality of information and knowledge transfer. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. You will also be encouraged to raise your questions and to share in the development of the right answers using your analysis and experiences.  Tests of the multiple-choice type will be made available daily to examine the effectiveness of delivering the course.

Very useful Course Materials will be given.

• 30% Lectures
• 30% Workshops and work presentation
• 20% Group Work& Practical Exercises
• 20% Videos& General Discussions