Introduction

The Petroleum Refinery Operations Training Course is designed to equip learners with advanced knowledge and practical skills in modern refinery systems. As global energy demand continues to evolve, the need for highly skilled refinery operators has become critical in ensuring process optimization, operational efficiency, safety compliance, and sustainable fuel production. This course integrates real-world refinery workflows including crude oil distillation, catalytic cracking, hydroprocessing, and product blending, aligned with current Industry 4.0 digital refinery technologies and automation trends.

This training also emphasizes process safety management (PSM), environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and emissions control, ensuring learners are prepared for high-performance roles in downstream petroleum industries. Participants gain hands-on understanding of DCS/SCADA systems, predictive maintenance, refinery troubleshooting, and operational decision-making under dynamic plant conditions. The course is ideal for building competency in oil and gas downstream operations, refinery asset management, and smart refinery transformation strategies.

Programme Curriculum

Petroleum Refinery Operations Training Course

Introduction

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

Master crude oil refining processes and downstream operations
Understand refinery process flow diagrams (PFD) and P&ID interpretation
Apply advanced process control (APC) in refinery systems
Develop expertise in distillation, cracking, reforming, and treating units
Implement process safety management (PSM) and HAZOP analysis
Enhance skills in DCS, SCADA, and refinery automation systems
Optimize energy efficiency and heat integration in refineries
Strengthen troubleshooting and root cause analysis (RCA) techniques
Apply predictive and preventive maintenance strategies
Ensure environmental compliance and emissions reduction
Improve refinery production planning and scheduling
Understand hydrocarbon accounting and quality control systems
Build capability in digital refinery transformation and smart operations

Target Audience

Refinery process operators
Petroleum engineers
Chemical engineers
Maintenance technicians
Plant supervisors and shift managers
HSE (Health, Safety & Environment) officers
Energy consultants and analysts
Graduates entering downstream oil & gas industry

Course Modules

Module 1: Introduction to Petroleum Refining Systems

Overview of upstream vs downstream operations
Crude oil properties and classification
Refinery configuration
Product slate-LPG, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel
Case Study: Configuration comparison of simple vs complex refinery

Module 2: Crude Oil Distillation & Separation Processes

Atmospheric and vacuum distillation units
Fractionation principles and tower operations
Heat exchange networks
Cut point optimization
Case Study: Optimization of CDU throughput in a mid-size refinery

Module 3: Conversion Processes (Cracking & Reforming)

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)
Hydrocracking fundamentals
Catalytic reforming processes
Yield optimization strategies
Case Study: Improving gasoline yield through FCC catalyst adjustment

Module 4: Treating & Product Upgrading Units

Hydrodesulfurization (HDS)
Sweetening processes
Hydrogen management systems
Product quality improvement techniques
Case Study: Sulfur reduction compliance in diesel production

Module 5: Refinery Process Control Systems

DCS and SCADA architecture
Instrumentation and control loops
Advanced Process Control (APC) systems
Alarm management and control room operations
Case Study: Reducing plant upsets using APC optimization

Module 6: Refinery Safety, HSE & Risk Management

Process Safety Management (PSM) framework
HAZOP and risk assessment techniques
Fire and explosion prevention systems
Emergency response planning
Case Study: Root cause analysis of refinery incident prevention

Module 7: Maintenance, Reliability & Asset Integrity

Predictive maintenance tools
Equipment reliability strategies
Turnaround planning and shutdown management
Corrosion control and inspection systems
Case Study: Extending pump lifecycle through predictive maintenance

Module 8: Digital Refinery & Sustainability Optimization

Industry 4.0 in oil refineries
AI and data analytics in operations
Energy optimization systems
Carbon footprint reduction strategies
Case Study: Digital twin implementation for refinery efficiency improvement

Training Methodology

This course employs a participatory and hands-on approach to ensure practical learning, including:

Interactive lectures and presentations.
Group discussions and brainstorming sessions.
Hands-on exercises using real-world datasets.
Role-playing and scenario-based simulations.
Analysis of case studies to bridge theory and practice.
Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
Expert-led Q&A sessions.
Continuous feedback and personalized guidance.

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@fineskilltrainingcenter.org or call +254769199797

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

a. The participant must be conversant with English.

b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to Fineskill Training Center account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.

Skills & Software Covered

Crude processing Fractionation systems Catalytic cracking Product optimization

Programme Fee

Duration: 5 Days

Method: Online or Physical

Online Price: $1,000

Physical Price: $1,500

Certification: Accredited Certificate

View Available Dates 📄 Download Course Outline (PDF)

Available Sessions

Location

Month

Year

Sep 21 2026

21 Sep — 25 Sep 2026

💻 Online / Virtual session

Online $1,000