Hydrotreating and Desulfurization Technologies Training Course

Hydrotreating and Desulfurization Technologies Training Course

Introduction

Hydrotreating and Desulfurization Technologies Training Course is designed to equip oil and gas professionals with advanced technical knowledge and practical skills in refinery process optimization, petroleum product quality improvement, and environmental compliance. Hydrotreating is a critical refining process used to remove sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals, and other undesirable impurities from petroleum fractions through catalytic reactions involving hydrogen. This course explores the scientific principles, process configurations, operating parameters, catalyst technologies, and engineering practices that underpin modern hydrotreating units. Participants will examine reactor design, hydrogen partial pressure, reaction kinetics, feedstock characterization, temperature control, and process monitoring techniques to improve refinery performance, operational reliability, and product quality while reducing sulfur emissions and environmental impact.

Participants will learn how to troubleshoot common operating challenges, manage catalyst deactivation, optimize hydrogen consumption, prevent reactor fouling, and improve the performance of diesel, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, and other petroleum products. Through practical exercises, industry-based case studies, and process optimization scenarios, learners will develop the ability to evaluate hydrotreating performance, identify operational bottlenecks, and recommend cost-effective improvements. The course addresses the integration of hydrotreating with hydrocracking, catalytic reforming, sulfur recovery, and refinery-wide hydrogen systems. By combining process engineering fundamentals with emerging technologies and real-world applications, this program supports professionals seeking to strengthen their expertise in clean fuel technology, ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD), refinery optimization, emissions reduction, and sustainable petroleum processing.

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

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

1. Explain the fundamental principles of hydrotreating, catalytic hydrogenation, and petroleum refining.
2. Evaluate hydrodesulfurization (HDS) technologies for effective sulfur removal from petroleum streams.
3. Analyze feedstock properties and their influence on catalyst activity, reaction kinetics, and process efficiency.
4. Optimize reactor operating conditions, including temperature, pressure, liquid hourly space velocity, and hydrogen-to-oil ratio.
5. Assess advanced catalyst formulations for improved sulfur conversion, selectivity, and catalyst longevity.
6. Develop strategies for producing ultra-low-sulfur diesel and cleaner transportation fuels.
7. Identify causes of catalyst deactivation, poisoning, fouling, and premature reactor performance decline.
8. Optimize hydrogen consumption, recycle gas purity, and hydrogen partial pressure for improved process economics.
9. Apply process monitoring, instrumentation, and real-time performance analytics to hydrotreating operations.
10. Troubleshoot reactor temperature excursions, pressure drops, hydrogen limitations, and product quality deviations.
11. Compare conventional hydrotreating with advanced desulfurization and emerging sulfur-removal technologies.
12. Implement process safety, environmental compliance, and risk management practices in refinery operations.
13. Recommend energy-efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable refinery optimization strategies using operational data and case studies.

Target Audience

1. Petroleum and Chemical Engineers
2. Refinery Process Engineers.
3. Operations Engineers and Shift Supervisors managing refinery production.
4. Process Technologists and Refinery Technical Support Specialists.
5. Catalyst Specialists and Chemical Engineers
6. Maintenance and Reliability Engineers
7. Quality Assurance and Laboratory Professionals
8. Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Professionals 

Course Modules

Module 1: Fundamentals of Hydrotreating and Desulfurization

• Principles of catalytic hydrotreating and hydrogenation reactions.
• Chemical composition of crude oil and petroleum fractions.
• Types of sulfur compounds, including mercaptans, sulfides, thiophenes, and benzothiophenes.
• Overview of hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation.
• Relationship between feedstock quality, product specifications, and refinery performance.
• Case Study: Evaluating the sulfur composition of a diesel feedstock and selecting an appropriate hydrotreating strategy to achieve low-sulfur fuel specifications.

Module 2: Hydrotreating Process Design and Reactor Engineering

• Fixed-bed catalytic reactor configurations and operating principles.
• Reactor internals, catalyst beds, distributors, and quench systems.
• Operating pressure, temperature, residence time, and liquid hourly space velocity.
• Hydrogen partial pressure, gas-liquid mass transfer, and reaction kinetics.
• Process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, and unit integration.
• Case Study: Assessing reactor operating limitations in a diesel hydrotreating unit and recommending changes to improve sulfur removal without exceeding equipment constraints.

Module 3: Hydrodesulfurization Chemistry and Advanced Technologies

• Reaction mechanisms for removing sulfur from different petroleum compounds.
• Direct desulfurization and hydrogenation pathways.
• Removal of refractory sulfur compounds in diesel and gas oil.
• Conventional hydrodesulfurization versus emerging desulfurization approaches.
• Integration of advanced technologies with existing refinery infrastructure.
• Case Study: Comparing alternative operating strategies for reducing refractory sulfur compounds in a diesel stream while controlling hydrogen consumption and operating costs.

Module 4: Catalyst Selection, Performance, and Deactivation

• Common hydrotreating catalysts, including cobalt-molybdenum and nickel-molybdenum systems.
• Catalyst activation, sulfiding, loading, and commissioning considerations.
• Effects of feed contaminants, metals deposition, coking, and sintering.
• Catalyst activity, selectivity, aging, and expected service life.
• Catalyst grading, replacement planning, and regeneration considerations.
• Case Study: Investigating declining sulfur-removal efficiency in a refinery reactor and identifying whether catalyst deactivation, feed changes, or operating conditions are responsible.

Module 5: Hydrogen Management and Process Optimization

• Hydrogen production, purification, distribution, and recycle systems.
• Hydrogen-to-oil ratio and hydrogen partial pressure optimization.
• Recycle gas compressors, separators, purge systems, and gas recovery.
• Hydrogen consumption forecasting and material balance calculations.
• Opportunities to reduce hydrogen losses, energy consumption, and operating expenditure.
• Case Study: Optimizing a hydrotreating unit experiencing high hydrogen consumption by reviewing recycle gas purity, purge rates, and reactor operating conditions.

Module 6: Process Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Reliability

• Monitoring reactor inlet and outlet temperatures and temperature profiles.
• Diagnosing pressure-drop increases, fouling, and maldistribution.
• Identifying hot spots, quench limitations, and abnormal operating trends.
• Using process control systems, alarms, and performance indicators.
• Applying predictive maintenance, data analytics, and root-cause analysis.
• Case Study: Troubleshooting an unexpected rise in reactor pressure drop and determining the corrective actions needed to maintain safe and reliable operation.

Module 7: Product Quality, Environmental Compliance, and Process Safety

• Diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and naphtha quality requirements.
• Sulfur specifications, sampling procedures, and laboratory testing methods.
• Hydrogen sulfide toxicity, hydrogen flammability, and high-pressure process hazards.
• Emissions control, sulfur recovery integration, and wastewater considerations.
• Process hazard analysis, management of change, and emergency response planning.
• Case Study: Investigating an off-specification diesel batch and developing a corrective action plan addressing process conditions, laboratory verification, and product segregation.

Module 8: Emerging Desulfurization Technologies and Refinery Performance Improvement

• Oxidative desulfurization, extractive desulfurization, and adsorption-based methods.
• Emerging catalytic materials and advanced catalyst development.
• Digital twins, predictive analytics, and AI-assisted process optimization.
• Energy integration, heat recovery, and carbon-emissions reduction.
• Economic evaluation, technology selection, and continuous improvement planning.
• Case Study: Conducting a preliminary technical and economic assessment of an advanced desulfurization technology for a refinery seeking to improve fuel quality and reduce operating costs.

Training Methodology

• 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@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104 

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 DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.