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Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations

Master Crude Preparation, Atmospheric Fractionation, Process Control, and Refinery Yield Optimisation

Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations

Course Schedule

Classroom

Online

Training Introduction

Crude oil desalting and atmospheric distillation serve as the critical foundation for petroleum refinery operations. The overall efficiency, equipment longevity, and product yields of a refinery depend directly on how effectively crude oil is pre-treated and separated at the front end.

This comprehensive Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations Training Course delivers an in-depth understanding of crude properties, electrostatic desalting principles, and atmospheric fractionation mechanics. Delegates will gain actionable technical insights to control process variables, minimise energy losses, prevent equipment corrosion, and maintain high operational reliability across the crude unit.

Key Focus Areas of This Course

  • Mastering crude oil assays, classifications, and key physical properties relevant to refinery processing.
  • Optimising single-stage and two-stage electrostatic desalting operations to remove salts, water, and suspended solids effectively.
  • Managing critical desalting parameters including wash-water rates, operating temperatures, chemical demulsifiers, and interface control.
  • Controlling atmospheric distillation tower operations, flash zone conditions, side-draw cut points, and pump-around circuits.
  • Implementing robust process control and troubleshooting strategies for tower flooding, foaming, off-spec products, and exchanger fouling.
  • Mitigating overhead system corrosion, tube coking in fired heaters, and salt deposition to improve overall unit profitability and safety.

What are the goals?

This Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations Training Course provides delegates with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge required to optimize crude unit operations, improve separation efficiency, and troubleshoot complex operational issues. Participants will acquire key techniques to protect downstream processing units and maximize overall refinery performance.

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

  • Analyse crude oil assays and determine the operational impacts of different crude qualities and contaminants.
  • Optimise desalting performance by adjusting mixing valve pressure differentials, wash-water ratios, demulsifier dosing, and electrical grids.
  • Maintain stable crude-water interfaces to prevent oil undercarry, water carryover, and rag-layer formation.
  • Apply core fractionation principles to control product cut points, specifications, and yields for naphtha, kerosene, diesel, and gas oil.
  • Troubleshoot operating instabilities in distillation columns, fired heaters, crude preheat trains, and overhead condensing systems.
  • Implement effective corrosion control and anti-fouling strategies to enhance unit reliability, safety, and energy efficiency.

Who is this Training Course for?

This practical Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations Training Course is tailored for engineering and operations personnel who are responsible for maintaining, optimizing, and managing refinery crude processing units. It is ideal for professionals seeking to enhance their practical troubleshooting abilities and process knowledge in downstream oil and gas operations.

This training course is suitable for:

  • Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) operators, shift leaders, and operations supervisors.
  • Refinery process, production, and operations engineers.
  • Process control, automation, and instrumentation engineers.
  • Maintenance, inspection, reliability, and integrity management engineers.
  • Laboratory chemists and product quality control specialists.
  • Energy management teams, technical service engineers, and entry-level graduate refinery engineers.

How will this Training Course be Presented?

This Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations Training Course is delivered through an interactive blend of expert-led technical presentations, detailed process flow diagrams, and real-world industrial case studies. Delegates will engage in practical operational calculations, dynamic troubleshooting workshops, and group discussions centered on everyday refinery challenges.

Throughout the session, participants will evaluate realistic operating data, analyze common plant upsets, and collaboratively develop root-cause solutions. This structured approach ensures that the practical techniques and operational strategies learned can be applied immediately to daily unit operations.

The Course Content

Day 1: Crude Oil Characteristics and Refinery Processing Fundamentals

  • Composition, classification and origins of crude oil
  • Crude oil assays and key physical and chemical properties
  • API gravity, viscosity, sulphur, acidity and pour point
  • Light, medium, heavy, sweet and sour crude oils
  • Crude contaminants: salts, water, sediments and metals
  • Impact of crude quality on refinery selection and profitability
  • Crude blending, compatibility and stability considerations
  • Overview of refinery crude processing and product streams 

Day 2: Crude Oil Desalting Principles and Operations

  • Purpose and importance of crude oil desalting
  • Sources and types of salts in crude oil
  • Formation, stability and breaking of crude oil emulsions
  • Single-stage and two-stage electrostatic desalting systems
  • Desalter equipment, internals and electrical systems
  • Wash-water quality, quantity and injection practices
  • Effects of temperature, pressure, mixing and residence time
  • Measuring desalter efficiency and salt-removal performance 

Day 3: Desalter Optimisation and Troubleshooting

  • Optimising mixing-valve differential pressure
  • Controlling the crude-water interface and emulsion layer
  • Selection and application of demulsifier chemicals
  • Causes of high salt and basic sediment and water content
  • Troubleshooting unstable interfaces and poor water separation
  • Resolving desalter carryover, oil undercarry and rag-layer formation
  • Preventing corrosion, fouling and wastewater-system upsets
  • Practical desalter performance improvement workshop 

Day 4: Atmospheric Crude Distillation Operations

  • Fundamentals of vapour-liquid equilibrium and fractionation
  • Crude preheat train, heat exchangers and heat integration
  • Fired-heater design, operation and combustion control
  • Atmospheric distillation column equipment and internals
  • Flash zone, stripping sections, side draws and pump-around circuits
  • Overhead system, reflux control and heat removal
  • Production of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and atmospheric gas oil
  • Controlling product cut points, yields and specifications 

Day 5: Distillation Control, Troubleshooting and Optimisation

  • Key operating variables affecting tower performance
  • Temperature, pressure, reflux and steam control
  • Recognising flooding, weeping, entrainment and foaming
  • Troubleshooting off-specification distillate products
  • Crude preheat-train fouling and exchanger performance
  • Heater efficiency, tube coking and high-stack-temperature problems
  • Overhead corrosion, salt deposition and water-dew-point control
  • Optimising energy consumption, product recovery and unit throughput

Providers and Associations

Anderson

Anderson

Aztech Training

Aztech Training

COPEX

COPEX

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions about this training course.

Absolutely. Coventry Academy provides customised in-house training solutions for organisations seeking a tailored learning experience. The Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations training course can be adapted to reflect your organisation's objectives, industry requirements, operational challenges, and strategic priorities. Delivered exclusively for your team, customised training enables organisations to maximise relevance, encourage collaboration, and achieve targeted development outcomes. Our team will be pleased to discuss your requirements and develop a solution that aligns with your goals.

Absolutely! If you’re attending one of our courses at an international venue, we can help
with hotel reservations and entry visas. Just reach out to our Customer Service team:

  • Phone: +971 4 420 8304
  • Fax: +971 4 420 8304
  • Email: info@coventryacademy.com

No prior experience is required to attend the Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations training course. The course is designed to accommodate participants from diverse professional backgrounds and varying levels of experience. While some familiarity with the subject matter may help participants gain additional value from certain discussions and activities, the course content is structured to ensure that both newcomers and experienced professionals can fully engage with the learning experience and benefit from the training.

Our dedicated support team is available to assist you with any questions regarding the Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations training course, including course content, scheduling, registration, corporate bookings, and customised training solutions. We are committed to providing prompt and professional assistance throughout your learning journey.

📞 Phone: +971 58 840 7925

📧 Email: info@coventryacademy.com

🌐 Website: coventryacademy.com

Registering for a course is super easy! Here’s how you can do it:

  • Online: Pick your course, hit the "REGISTER" button, fill out the form, and
    submit it.
  • Email: Drop us a line with your details at info@coventryacademy.com.
  • Phone: Give us a call at +971 4 420 8304 to book your spot.
  • Fax: Fill in the booking form (you’ll find it in our brochures, flyers, or catalogue)
    and fax it to [+971 4 420 8304](tel:+97144208304).

The Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations training course is designed to be practical, engaging, and highly interactive. Participants benefit from a dynamic learning environment that combines expert-led presentations, facilitated discussions, case studies, practical exercises, and collaborative learning activities. The focus is on developing knowledge that can be applied immediately within the workplace, ensuring participants gain both valuable insights and practical skills that support improved professional performance.

Your course fees cover:

  • For classroom courses: printed materials, lunch, and refreshments.
  • For online courses: all materials sent to you by email.
  • A certificate of completion or attendance.

You’ll need to make payment before the course starts. Here are your options:

  • Bank draft
  • Cash
  • Credit card
  • Wire transfer

Heads up: If we don’t receive payment before the course begins, we may have to deny
admission.

We delivers training courses in carefully selected professional venues that provide a comfortable and productive learning environment. Classroom-based courses are typically hosted in premium international venues with modern facilities and dedicated training spaces designed to support effective learning. Participants also benefit from a professional setting that encourages networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing with peers from diverse industries and backgrounds.

The Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations training course is designed for professionals seeking to strengthen their knowledge, enhance their capabilities, and achieve greater impact within their organisations. It is suitable for managers, supervisors, team leaders, technical specialists, consultants, and professionals at all career stages who wish to expand their expertise and stay current with industry developments. Whether you are looking to advance your career, improve workplace performance, or prepare for new responsibilities, this course provides valuable knowledge and practical insights to support your professional growth.

Our courses are led by top-notch international instructors. They’re not just academically qualified—they’ve also got years of real-world experience. They bring practical insights and deep knowledge to every session, making your learning experience truly valuable!

Yes. Participants who successfully complete the Crude Oil Distillation & Desalting Operations training course will receive a Coventry Academy Certificate of Completion, recognising their commitment to professional development and continuous learning. This certificate serves as formal evidence of participation and achievement and can support career progression, professional credibility, and ongoing development objectives. Where applicable, details regarding professional development credits or accreditation will be provided within the course information.

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