Course Description

This course is improving the delegate’s knowledge about various aspects of the oil & gas production operations process and troubleshooting. Furthermore, the participant will gain knowledge of the key risks in the operations, products and equipment has used in the gathering plants.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants should become able to:

1. List common issues in oil and gas process and equipment.
2. Define troubles using standard method like fishbone chart.
3. Identify root causes for process deviations, abnormal conditions and various troubles using a standard methodology.
4. Understand of various Control strategies, troubleshooting
5. Diagnose equipment operations problems.
6. Use best practices in troubleshooting.
7. Apply and gain an in-depth knowledge on process plant troubleshooting
8. Define troubleshooting as relevant to oil and gas facilities.
9. Explain difference between troubleshooting, optimization and debottlenecking.
10. Propose solution to identified process deviations, abnormal conditions and various troubles.
11. How to gather, validate, and utilize the data needed for troubleshooting.
12. Giving the difference between troubleshooting, optimization, and debottlenecking
13. Describe in detail, process optimization philosophies and methods.
14. Identify and describe techniques used for process optimization.
15. Analyze and review performance of process equipment and systems.

Course Outline

• Introduction

1. Trouble shooting and upsets introduction
2. Troubleshooting in oil and gas industry
3. Troubleshooting Definition, Potential Sources
4. Engineering Problem Solving
5. Normal & abnormal operating conditions of static and rotating equipment
6. Troubleshooting investigation methodology and types
7. Learning from experience
8. Risk Analysis – HAZOP – MSDS
9. Guidelines for Problem Solving Temperature, Pressure, Level
10. Measurements, Verification

• Process Facility Optimization

1. Design Methods
2. Making the Process Equipment Work
3. Controlling the Process
4. PSD and ESD procedures.

• Oil Water Separation
  1. Emulsion
  2. Emulsifying Agents
  3. Demulsifies
  4. Factors Affecting Emulsion Breakdown
  5. Crude Oil Treating (Emulsion Treating)
  6. Factors that Affect Treating
  7. Equipment Used in Oil/Water Separation and Crude Oil Desalting.
• Crude Oil Treating Methods

1. Chemical Treating
2. Heaters
3. Electrostatic
4. Electrostatic Treater Operation
5. De-salter operation

• Pipeline

1. Pressure drops in oil and gas Pipeline
2. Bernoulli’s Equation
3. Darcy’s Equation
4. Panhandle equation
5. Resistance Coefficient for pipe fittings
6. Pressure Loss Categories
7. Pipe Properties
8. Pipe Sizing Criteria
9. Two-Phase Flow
10. Pipeline Safety

• Pumps

1. Pump Definitions
2. Categories & Types
3. Standards and Codes
4. Pump Selection Guidelines
5. Pump Performance Curves
6. Design Pump Calculation Method
7. Centrifugal Pump Control
8. NPSH
9. Pump Cavitation
10. Pump Problems

• Centrifugal Compressors

1. Categories & Types
2. Compressors Selection Guidelines
3. Standards and Codes
4. Key Design Parameters
5. Calculation Method
6. Compressor Control Methods
7. Compressor Operation
8. Hydrate Formation
9. Surge protection control
10. Start-up and Shutdown
11. Compressor Problems

• Heat Exchangers & Heaters

1. Principles of Heat Transfer
2. Function of Heat Transfer Equipment
3. Types of Heat Exchangers
4. Heat Exchangers Operation
5. Troubleshooting
6. Heat Exchanger Problems
7. Cleaning of Heat Exchangers
8. Principles of Heat Transfer in Fired Heaters
9. Furnace Problems

• Troubleshooting Process Plant Control

1. Performance Monitoring
2. Control malfunction case studies
3. Alarm and trip design for safe plant operations
4. Level, pressure, flow, and temperature indication methods
5. Analyzer Process Control
6. Fired heater combustion air control
7. Sizing process control valves
8. Override and range process control
9. ESD philosophy and upsets

• Problem solving

1. Identify and correct plant problems
2. Initial considerations
3. Components of Plant Problem Solving
4. Limitations to Plant Problem Solving
5. Successful plant problem solving
6. Examples of plant problem solving
7. Application to plate processes
8. Verification of process instrumentation data
9. Putting it all together

• Safety in Process Operations

1. Chemical Hazards
2. Process Hazards
3. Fires and Explosions
4. Pressure Relief Systems
5. Confined Spaces & Gas Monitoring
6. Personal Protective Equipment’s