Introduction to Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals for Non-Technical Personnel

Introduction:

The aim of this course is to offer enlightenment to its students about petroleum as a commodity, starting from its historical relevance, moving on to its exploration, production, refining, and the making of its byproducts. It presents the technology and production processes of the oil industry in a straightforward way so that non-specialized experts in petroleum refinement and petrochemicals can appreciate its contents. Participants will be oriented in chemical processes, plant processes, apparatus, and the economics of the industry.

Objectives:

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Be able to ascertain the sources of oil and gas.
• Be able to understand the essentials of refining and petrochemicals.
• Be very discerning of modern exploration, refining, and petrochemicals.
• Learn and categorize different components of the petrochemical building blocks.
• Analyze the basic principles of different types of refineries and complexity.

Training Methodology:

• PowerPoint lectures
• Analysis of real-life cases
• Group interaction
• Workshops
• Panel discussions
• Charts and graphs
• Practice

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Origin and Nature of Petroleum:

• Fossil fuel chemistry.
• Elements of science and technology in petroleum geology.
• Origin, generation, and accumulation of oil and gas.
• Methods of exploration and production.
• Movement of materials.

Unit 2: Overview of Refining:

• Hydrocarbons classification based on chemical structure.
• Oil and gas handling and conditioning operations.
• Refinery types and degrees of complexity.
• Hydroskimming Refining, Cracking, and Coking Refineries.
• Refining Margins and Their Profits.
• Netback and Complexity Factors.

Unit 3: Refinery Process Operations:

• Physical Separation – Distillation, Carburetion, and Vacuum.
• Production of petrol and methods of Chemical Conversion Resources.
• Hydrotreating Process, Catalytic Reformer, Alkylation, Isomerization.
• Residue Reduction I: Cat Crack, Hydrocracker, Visbreaker, Hydrocracking.
• Residue Reduction II: Coking, Asphalt, and Residual fuel.
• Blending.

Unit 4: Petrochemicals I – Production and Uses:

• Olefin-based compounds.
• Ethylenes.
• Polypropylene.
• Butadiene.
• Isobutylene.
• Aromatic compounds.
• Benzene.
• Toluene.
• Xylenes.

Unit 5: Petrochemicals II - Production and Uses:

• Compounds based on natural gas.
• Ammonium.
• Methanol.
• Gas-to-liquid technology.
• Case Study: Petrochemical production by Major Companies.