Chemical Process and Refining Technology

Name: Chemical Process and Refining Technology Training Course
Rating: 4.7 (1076 reviews)

Understanding Refining Processes, Advanced Technologies, and Integrated Operations

Course Schedule

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Overview Objectives Who Should Attend? Methodology Outline Certificates

Why Choose Chemical Process and Refining Technology Training Course?

Chemical Process and Refining Technology Training Course offers a structured and practical exploration of the chemical engineering principles that drive modern refinery operations. As global energy markets evolve and refining margins tighten, professionals must understand how crude oil is transformed into valuable fuels such as diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. This training course explains the essential processes involved in distillation, cracking, reforming, and hydroprocessing, while emphasising the operational requirements that govern efficiency, product quality, and compliance.

In this Chemical Process and Refining Technology Training, participants examine the scientific reactions and technological pathways used to convert crude fractions into market-ready products. The course highlights how advanced processing technologies are integrated to maximise yield, meet environmental expectations, and support energy-efficient refinery operations. Special attention is given to process optimisation, catalyst utilisation, and the refining-petrochemical interface, enabling participants to appreciate the interconnected nature of refinery systems.

The Chemical Process and Refining Technology Course also addresses today’s environmental and safety challenges. Participants gain insight into how refineries work to reduce emissions, improve hydrogen management, lower carbon intensity, and implement sustainable operational practices. By combining theoretical understanding with practical insights, the course develops the essential competencies needed to contribute effectively to high-performance refining environments.

What are the Goals?

This chemical process and refining technology course is designed to give delegates a working command of refinery operations from core process fundamentals through to integration, by-product management, and environmental compliance.

By the end of this course, delegates will be able to:

Explain core refinery operations — Describe key refinery units, process flow diagrams, and the chemical reactions underpinning cracking, reforming, and coking.
Apply distillation and separation techniques — Work with atmospheric and vacuum distillation, fractionation, strippers, and emerging separation technologies.
Understand catalytic processes — Apply principles of catalysis, hydrotreating, hydrocracking, and catalytic reforming to refinery process improvement.
Manage refinery-petrochemical integration — Identify integration opportunities and address by-product handling across sulfur recovery, hydrogen production, and LPG separation.
Apply process safety management — Conduct risk assessment and hazard identification in line with refinery safety frameworks.
Address environmental compliance — Apply knowledge of key regulations and sustainable practices including carbon capture and waste minimisation.

Who is this Training Course for?

This chemical process and refining technology course is designed for professionals working within or alongside refinery and petrochemical operations who need a structured understanding of process technology, integration, and compliance.

This course is suitable for:

Refinery Process Engineers — Those responsible for the design, operation, and optimisation of core refinery process units.
Chemical Engineers — Professionals applying chemical reaction and separation principles within refining and petrochemical environments.
Petrochemical Engineers — Those working at the interface of refinery and petrochemical operations who need to understand integration challenges.
Process Safety Professionals — Personnel involved in hazard identification, risk assessment, and process safety management within refinery settings.
Environmental and Compliance Officers — Those responsible for ensuring refinery operations meet regulatory and sustainability requirements.
Operations and Technical Supervisors — Supervisors overseeing refinery units who need broader technical context across process technology and by-product management.

How will this Training Course be Presented?

This chemical process and refining technology course is delivered through structured technical instruction and applied content giving delegates both the conceptual grounding and the operational context to engage confidently with refinery process challenges.

Delivery methods include:

Instructor-Led Technical Sessions — Expert instruction covers refinery fundamentals, distillation, catalytic processes, and integration in a structured, progressive sequence.
Process Flow Analysis — Delegates work through refinery process flow diagrams to understand how key units connect and interact across the full operation.
Technology Deep-Dives — Focused sessions examine specific technologies including molecular distillation, membrane separation, hydrocracking, and catalytic reforming in operational detail.
By-Product and Integration Workshops — Structured content on Day 4 addresses the economic, logistical, and technical dimensions of refinery-petrochemical integration and by-product handling.
Environmental and Safety Application — Day 5 applies regulatory frameworks and process safety management tools to real refinery compliance and sustainability challenges.

The Course Content

Introduction to refinery operations: key units and process flow diagrams
Core chemical reactions: cracking, hydroprocessing, reforming, and coking
Fundamental refining technologies: thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, and distillation processes

Atmospheric and vacuum distillation: design and operation
Detailed exploration of separation processes: fractionation, strippers, and absorption
Introduction to new separation technologies: molecular distillation and membrane separation

Principles of catalysis and catalyst behavior in refining
Hydroprocessing fundamentals: hydrotreating and hydrocracking processes
Catalytic reforming and its effect on enhancing octane number and yield

Integration between refinery and petrochemical units for maximized productivity
Handling refinery by-products: sulfur recovery, hydrogen production, and LPG separation
Economic, logistical, and technological challenges in integrated operations

Key environmental regulations and their impact on refining operations
Process safety management: risk assessment, hazard identification, and incident prevention
Sustainable refining practices: carbon capture, emission reduction, and waste minimization strategies

Certificate

AZTech Certificate of Completion for delegates who attend and complete the training course

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about our training courses

A working background in chemical or process engineering, or direct experience in refinery or petrochemical operations, will help delegates engage fully with the content. The course begins with refinery fundamentals before progressing to advanced process technology, so it accommodates professionals at different stages of their technical development. No prior specialist knowledge of every topic covered is required.

Day 3 covers the principles of catalysis and catalyst behaviour in refining, followed by hydrotreating and hydrocracking fundamentals and an in-depth look at catalytic reforming and its effect on octane number and product yield. The content gives delegates both the theoretical grounding and the operational context to understand how catalytic processes affect refinery output.

Yes — Day 5 covers key environmental regulations and their operational impact, alongside sustainable refining practices including carbon capture, emission reduction, and waste minimisation strategies. If you work in or alongside an environmental or compliance function, this day provides a structured technical foundation for the regulatory obligations your refinery faces

Yes — hydrogen production is addressed on Day 4 as part of the by-product management content within refinery-petrochemical integration. The course covers how hydrogen is recovered, handled, and utilised as part of an integrated operation. This is particularly relevant given the growing role of hydrogen in both refinery economics and broader energy transition strategies.

The course covers both. Day 1 introduces distillation as part of the fundamental refining technology overview, while Day 2 goes into atmospheric and vacuum distillation design and operation in significant depth. Separation processes including fractionation, strippers, and absorption are also covered, alongside newer technologies such as molecular distillation and membrane separation.

Day 4 is dedicated to this topic — covering how refinery and petrochemical units are integrated to maximise productivity, how by-products including sulfur, hydrogen, and LPG are handled, and the economic, logistical, and technological challenges that integrated operations present. This is a complex operational area and the course treats it with the depth it requires.

Process safety management is covered on Day 5 as part of the broader environmental, health, and safety content. The session addresses risk assessment, hazard identification, and incident prevention within refinery operations. Delegates working in safety-critical roles will find this content directly applicable to the frameworks used in live refinery environments.

The course is directly relevant — Day 4 specifically addresses the integration between refinery and petrochemical units, and the process technology covered across Days 1 to 3 underpins both environments. Petrochemical professionals who attend often find that a stronger understanding of upstream refinery processes significantly improves their ability to engage with integration and feedstock decisions.