Upstream and downstream context and facilities, safety industrial hygiene and environment, surface production and refining principles, physical and chemical properties of hydrocarbon and petroleum cuts, crude oils petroleum products, fluid properties, liquid vapor equilibria of hydrocarbon mixtures, Liquid vapor equilibria of non-ideal mixtures.
Study of traditional as well as contemporary rate controlled separation processes such as crystallization, chromatography, sorption, membranes, etc. Rate based models for distillation. Selective coupled rate processes will be discussed.
The technology of the various types of heat exchangers is described. The thermal and hydraulic engineering methods relevant to heat exchangers are covered. The selection of the appropriate TEMA heat exchanger from process specifications is studied. The design and construction characteristics of heat exchanger on the thermal and hydraulic aspects are tackled. The technology, performances and safety operation of furnaces, boilers and cogeneration systems are reviewed. The operating conditions of furnaces and boilers as well as the different relevant parameters in energy management of an industrial petroleum site are introduced. An overview of utilities production and distribution networks is given aiming at mastering operating conditions and economical criteria for steam, electricity production and use. The operating principles and technologies of the main sensors and control valves are reviewed in order to understand the process control strategy, the PID controllers and tuning. Advanced control systems are covered.
An overview of static equipment, metallurgy, corrosion and corrosion prevention in oil and gas industries is exposed. The pumps operating characteristics and technology are introduced in order to analyze technical options, to bring essential elements to pump selection and to establish diagnosis of incidents. Compressors, Turbine, gas turbines and turbo expanders operating characteristics are studied in order to adapt to process operating conditions, with emphasis on the technology and main operating problems.
Laplace transforms including the convolution theorem, error and gamma functions. The method of Frobenius for series solutions to differential equations. Fourier series, Fourier-Bessel series and boundary value problems, Sturm-Liouville theory. Partial differential equations: separation of variables and Laplace transforms and Fourier integrals methods. The heat equation. Laplace equation, and wave equation. Eigenvalue problems for matrices, diagonalization.
An overview of the current Exploration & Production Technology is exposed, including main terminology specific to the E&P activities, summary of required operations and disciplines for hydrocarbon exploration and production Oil & Gas offshore technologies are reviewed, including technology and selection criteria for the different structures used for offshore production activities, typical offshore development architecture, technology of pipelines, laying techniques, main operation and flow assurance problems, SHE constraints for offshore activities.
Oil and water field treatment processes are tackled: problems posed by undesirable components present in the well effluent and the required treatments, oil treatment processes and main operating conditions, design methods of main equipment used for oil processing, operating problems encountered and main available technical solutions, production and injection water quality requirements and the necessary treatments. An overview of the techniques involved in natural gas processing and transport is given: raw natural gas characteristics, quality specifications and required field treatments to conform to specifications, the different processes applicable to gas processing and associated operating conditions, the operating problems encountered in effluent processing and main available technical solutions, the transport and storage techniques of natural gas (LNG technology and gas pipes) and their specific constraints. The common Oil & Gas field treatment processes are analyzed through the different elementary process operations combined with the use of the HYSYS process simulation software.
Operating parameters of crude oil Atmospheric Distillation Unit, Vacuum Distillation Unit and base oil refining processes are reviewed. Desalter operations and corrosion monitoring are studied, as well as detection of potential problem root causes. Secondary processes (Catalytic Reforming, Isomerization, Hydrotreatments and Sulfur Recovery) are reviewed, including feed characteristics, products, operating parameters, catalyst operation, units operation, troubleshooting, and recent technology developments.Industrial chemical reactions and catalysts are thoroughly studied: preparation of catalysts, problems associated with their utilization, unit start-up and industrial performance control, investigation of typical incidents, unit shut down and catalyst regeneration. The general principles of chemical kinetics, mass and heat transfer involved in the design of various types of industrial reactors are developed.
An introduction to the different conversion processes available for heavy cuts upgrade is given. Their operating principles, technical characteristics (design and operating) and recent technology developments are studied. Linear programming is presented in order to provide an in-depth understanding of the techniques used to optimize refining operation and help decision making Planning techniques and evaluation of the validity of optimum solutions boundaries are analyzed. The main industrial processes used to produce olefins, aromatics, main polymers, synthesis gas, methanol and ammonia are presented, with a special focus on steam cracking process. Main industrial safety and operational problems are discussed. Being the main petrochemical industry production, the global technical and economic structure of commodity polymers is explained. Links between product slate and process selection vs. company marketing strategy are discussed. Main industrial commodity polymers processes available for licensing, and their main characteristics are presented.
Continuum theory of momentum, energy and mass transfer. Viscous behavior of fluids. Molecular transport mechanisms. General property balance. Laminar and Turbulent flow. Convective transport. Momentum, heat and mass applications of transport phenomena.
Objectives, roles and techniques of project management are presented. Proven practices applicable to most kind of projects are highlighted. Contracting strategy and project execution plan are studied. The use of past and current projects’ data is presented for better estimate of new projects and associated cost control. Special focus is made on project technical content, experience of previous projects results as key elements to improve cost control. Tools for process hazard assessment are described: HAZOP, What-if and/or Check-List techniques. Hazards and risks related to products and equipment are analyzed. Preventive measures to ensure safe operations are reviewed. Special attention is given to hazards in the decommissioning, commissioning and start-up phases. The most appropriatebehaviors in normal operation and in the event of incidents are discussed. Environmental issues in oil and gas surface facilities are tackled. Main ways of evaluating environmental damages are discussed. Main processes and operating conditions for treatment of aqueous or atmospheric effluents are studied. Key principles of an environmental management system are exposed.
The fundamental aspects of petroleum economics are covered: from energy supply/demand, E&P value chain and contracts to oil and gas international markets and prices. The fundamental trends of the refining and petrochemical industries are introduced. The corresponding economic aspects from refining margins and costs to markets and pricing are studied. Concepts behind the theory of capital budgeting are introduced to improve investment profitability studies. Current trends in maintenance policy (TPM, RCM…) are presented, including reliability analysis and improvement techniques, and conditions for successful turnaround management. The various types of constraints (technical, economic, environmental and regulatory) for refinery to gas station logistic are discussed.
Visualization of profiles, analysis of models of chemical processes, normalization of models, non-linear finite difference techniques, orthogonal collocation, non-linear algebraic equations, initial value and final value problems in chemical engineering, software packages for solving such problems.
At the end of the course, students are required to do a one semester industrial internship. The company offering the internship provides the subject for this professional thesis. The subject has to be validated by KFUPM and IFP School before the beginning of the internship period and must be chosen in order to make it possible to give a real evaluation of the trainee’s knowledge and skills developed during this period in the company. The industrial internship gives the participants the opportunity to apply their knowledge to a real case and to deepen their knowledge and know-how in a specific technical area. It also gives them the possibility to show their organizational skills through the way they handle the subject they have to work on and to develop specific skills in communication and reporting. This zero-credit course is meant for preparation and building background for the project.
The work done by the student during the internship is supervised by a member of the company with the follow-up by a supervisor from KFUPM and IFP School France. This internship work culminates in the writing of a technical report called “Professional Thesis”, and an oral technical presentation in front of a board of professors and experts from KFUPM and IFP School France.