PETE 1015 · Oil Refinery Operations

Led by Senior Process Plant Engineer Simulacrum

Oil refinery operations from crude distillation and vacuum through FCC, hydrocracking, reforming, hydrotreating, and alkylation, with refinery equipment, control systems, energy efficiency, process safety management, and operational safety practices.

1. Module 1

   Refinery Architecture: Crude Distillation and Vacuum

   Led by Senior Process Plant Engineer Simulacrum

   The question

   Every refinery begins with the same operation — heating crude oil and separating it by boiling point. This module develops the crude assay and crude slate optimisation, the three refinery configurations (hydroskimming, conversion, deep conversion) and what each adds, the CDU process from pre-heat train through desalter and furnace to the atmospheric column and its side-draw products, the VDU and its low-pressure fractionation of atmospheric residue into vacuum gas oils and vacuum residue, and the product yield calculation from the crude assay distillation curve.

   Outcome

   The student can describe the three refinery configurations, describe the CDU and VDU processes, and explain how the crude assay determines product yields. (Refinery architecture — CDU and VDU)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 1.1 Crude Oil as Refinery Feedstock: The Crude Assay and Crude Slate Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 1.2 Refinery Configurations: Hydroskimming, Conversion, and Deep Conversion Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 1.3 The Crude Distillation Unit: Pre-Heat Train Through Overhead Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   4. ○ 1.4 The Vacuum Distillation Unit: Low-Pressure Fractionation Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   5. ○ 1.5 Product Yields and the Refinery Material Balance Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Begin the course → Print certificate of completion
2. Module 2

   Conversion and Treating: FCC, Hydrocracking, Reforming

   Led by Senior Process Plant Engineer Simulacrum

   The question

   The conversion units are where the refinery adds value — breaking heavy molecules into lighter products the market demands. This module covers the FCC reactor-regenerator system and its thermally self-sufficient design, the hydrocracker's advantage for diesel (high-pressure hydrogenation producing superior product quality), catalytic reforming (the three reaction types and hydrogen co-production), hydrotreating for ULSD (deep desulphurisation of the most refractory sulphur compounds), isomerisation for light naphtha octane improvement, and alkylation for premium gasoline blending.

   Outcome

   The student can describe the FCC and hydrocracker, explain the reforming reactions and hydrogen co-production, explain HDS for ULSD, and describe the blending optimisation process. (Conversion and treating)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 2.1 The FCC: Reactor-Regenerator System and Products Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 2.2 Hydrocracking: High-Pressure Conversion for Diesel and Jet Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 2.3 Catalytic Reforming and Isomerisation Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   4. ○ 2.4 Hydrotreating and Desulphurisation Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   5. ○ 2.5 Alkylation, Product Blending, and Refinery Optimisation Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
3. Module 3

   Refinery Equipment, Control Systems, and Energy Efficiency

   Led by Senior Rotating Equipment Engineer Simulacrum

   The question

   Energy is the refinery's second-largest cost after crude. This module covers the pre-heat train and pinch analysis for heat integration, fired heater design and COT control, refinery pumps and compressors under API 610/617 standards, the DCS architecture and four critical refinery control strategies, advanced process control for constraint-pushing optimisation, and the Solomon Energy Intensity Index as the industry benchmark — with improvement methods including heat integration, waste heat recovery, and cogeneration.

   Outcome

   The student can describe the CDU pre-heat train and pinch analysis, describe fired heater operation, explain the Solomon EII, and describe three energy efficiency improvement methods. (Refinery equipment, control, and energy)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 3.1 Heat Exchangers and the Pre-Heat Train Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 3.2 Fired Heaters: Design, Operation, and Maintenance Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 3.3 Refinery Pumps, Compressors, and Rotating Equipment Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   4. ○ 3.4 Refinery Control Systems and Advanced Process Control Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   5. ○ 3.5 Energy Efficiency: EII, Pinch Analysis, and Cogeneration Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
4. Module 4

   Process Safety Management in Refineries

   Led by Senior HSE Engineer Simulacrum

   The question

   Refinery PSM is built on the lessons of Texas City, Buncefield, and other disasters — each contributed specific requirements to the framework. This module develops the 14 PSM elements in refinery context (with focus on risk-based inspection under API 580/581, and management of change as the most frequently cited deficiency), the bow-tie model for major accident hazards (prevention barriers and mitigation barriers mapped for each scenario), the four fire scenarios (pool, jet, flash, VCE) with detection and protection systems for each, and the incident commander system for refinery emergency response.

   Outcome

   The student can describe the PSM elements in refinery context, construct a bow-tie for a given hazard, describe the four fire scenarios and their protection, and identify the systemic PSM failures in the case study incidents. (Process safety in refineries)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 4.1 PSM Elements in the Refinery Context Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 4.2 The Bow-Tie Model for Major Accident Hazards Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 4.3 Fire Safety: Scenarios, Detection, and Protection Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   4. ○ 4.4 Emergency Response: The Incident Commander System Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   5. ○ 4.5 Lessons from Major Refinery Incidents Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
5. Module 5

   Operational Safety, Incident Investigation, and Best Practices

   Led by Senior HSE Engineer Simulacrum

   The question

   The PSM framework sets the system-level requirements — the operational safety practices are where the system meets the individual worker. This module covers PPE for refinery work (FRC, task-specific PPE, H₂S monitors), confined space entry procedure and atmospheric entry criteria, the permit-to-work system (five permit types, isolation management during turnarounds), the incident investigation hierarchy from near-miss through fatality with RCA methods, and sustainable refinery operations — Scope 1/2/3 emissions, hydrogen plant carbon capture, and biofuel co-processing.

   Outcome

   The student can describe the PPE requirements, explain the confined space entry procedure, describe the PTW system, explain the investigation hierarchy, and describe three sustainable operations practices. (Operational safety and best practices)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 5.1 Personal Protective Equipment and Hazardous Area Working Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 5.2 Confined Space Entry in Refinery Operations Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 5.3 The Permit-to-Work System and Isolation Management Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   4. ○ 5.4 Incident Investigation and Organisational Learning Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   5. ○ 5.5 Sustainable Refinery Operations and Environmental Management Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion