Refinery Hydrogen Management Training Course

Refinery Hydrogen Management Training Course

Introduction

Refinery Hydrogen Management Training Course is designed to equip oil and gas professionals with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to optimize hydrogen production, distribution, utilization, storage, and recovery in modern refinery operations. Hydrogen is a critical resource in petroleum refining, supporting essential processes such as hydrodesulfurization, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, and the production of cleaner transportation fuels. As refineries face increasing pressure to meet stringent fuel quality specifications, reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and enhance operational reliability, effective refinery hydrogen management has become a strategic priority. This course explores hydrogen balance optimization, hydrogen network integration, process efficiency, hydrogen purity management, pressure control, leak detection, and advanced process monitoring. Participants will learn how to evaluate hydrogen demand and supply, identify operational bottlenecks, minimize hydrogen losses, and improve the performance of refinery hydrogen systems using modern engineering principles, process simulation, data analytics, and performance monitoring techniques.

Participants will examine practical approaches to improving hydrogen recovery, reducing fuel gas losses, managing hydrogen-rich streams, and integrating emerging technologies such as membrane separation, pressure swing adsorption (PSA), advanced process control, and real-time analytics. The program addresses hydrogen safety risks, including flammability, high-pressure operation, material compatibility, leakage, and equipment integrity, while highlighting industry best practices for operational risk assessment and regulatory compliance. Through interactive workshops, engineering exercises, and refinery-based case studies, participants will develop actionable strategies for balancing hydrogen supply and demand, improving unit performance, and reducing operating expenditure. By the end of the course, delegates will be better prepared to implement data-driven hydrogen management strategies, improve refinery profitability, strengthen process reliability, and support sustainable refining operations in an increasingly competitive and decarbonizing energy industry.

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

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

1. Explain the fundamentals of refinery hydrogen systems and their role in modern petroleum processing.
2. Analyze hydrogen production, consumption, recovery, and distribution across refinery process units.
3. Develop accurate hydrogen mass balance and network optimization models.
4. Optimize hydrogen utilization in hydroprocessing, hydrocracking, and hydrotreating operations.
5. Evaluate hydrogen purity, partial pressure, and contaminant effects on process performance.
6. Apply advanced techniques for hydrogen recovery using PSA, membrane separation, and related technologies.
7. Identify opportunities for hydrogen loss reduction and operational cost optimization.
8. Use process simulation and digital tools to improve hydrogen network performance.
9. Apply real-time monitoring and advanced process control (APC) to hydrogen systems.
10. Assess hydrogen leakage, fire, explosion, and high-pressure operating risks.
11. Implement hydrogen materials compatibility, corrosion prevention, and equipment integrity practices.
12. Evaluate opportunities for integrating low-carbon hydrogen and renewable hydrogen into refinery operations.
13. Develop measurable hydrogen management strategies aligned with energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and operational excellence.

Target Audience

1. Refinery process engineers and chemical engineers.
2. Refinery operations managers and production supervisors.
3. Hydrogen system engineers and hydrogen network specialists.
4. Hydroprocessing, hydrotreating, and hydrocracking engineers.
5. Process control, instrumentation, and automation specialists.
6. Maintenance, reliability, and inspection engineers.
7. Energy efficiency, sustainability, and carbon management professionals.
8. HSE managers, technical consultants, and refinery project engineers.

Course Modules

Module 1: Fundamentals of Refinery Hydrogen Management

• Role of hydrogen in modern refinery operations.
• Hydrogen properties, behavior, and industrial applications.
• Hydrogen demand across hydroprocessing and conversion units.
• Hydrogen supply sources, including reformers and hydrogen plants.
• Key performance indicators for hydrogen management.
• Case Study: Assessing hydrogen demand across a refinery operating multiple hydrotreaters and a hydrocracker to identify supply constraints and improve utilization.

Module 2: Hydrogen Production and Supply Systems

• Hydrogen production through steam methane reforming.
• Hydrogen generation from refinery catalytic reforming streams.
• Hydrogen purification, compression, and delivery systems.
• Hydrogen supply reliability and capacity management.
• Evaluation of conventional and low-carbon hydrogen sources.
• Case Study: Evaluating a refinery experiencing hydrogen supply shortages and comparing process improvements with additional hydrogen generation capacity.

Module 3: Hydrogen Network Analysis and Optimization

• Mapping refinery hydrogen sources, consumers, and distribution headers.
• Developing hydrogen mass balances and flow diagrams.
• Evaluating hydrogen purity, pressure, and flow requirements.
• Identifying hydrogen bottlenecks and network inefficiencies.
• Applying hydrogen pinch analysis and optimization methods.
• Case Study: Redesigning a refinery hydrogen distribution network to redirect hydrogen-rich streams toward units with higher purity requirements and reduce fresh hydrogen demand.

Module 4: Hydrogen Consumption in Hydroprocessing Units

• Hydrogen requirements in hydrotreating and hydrocracking.
• Effects of hydrogen partial pressure on reaction performance.
• Hydrogen-to-oil ratio optimization.
• Management of hydrogen recycle gas and purge streams.
• Balancing product quality, catalyst performance, and hydrogen consumption.
• Case Study: Investigating excessive hydrogen consumption in a diesel hydrotreater and identifying opportunities to improve recycle gas performance without compromising sulfur specifications.

Module 5: Hydrogen Recovery and Purification Technologies

• Fundamentals of pressure swing adsorption (PSA).
• Membrane separation and hydrogen recovery applications.
• Recycle gas purification and contaminant removal.
• Hydrogen-rich off-gas recovery and reuse.
• Evaluating recovery efficiency, operating costs, and technology selection.
• Case Study: Comparing PSA and membrane-based recovery options for a refinery off-gas stream, considering hydrogen purity, recovery rate, energy use, and investment cost.

Module 6: Digitalization and Advanced Hydrogen Process Control

• Real-time hydrogen flow, pressure, and composition monitoring.
• Integration of distributed control systems and plant historians.
• Advanced process control for hydrogen production and distribution.
• Predictive analytics for hydrogen demand forecasting.
• Digital twins and process simulation for hydrogen network optimization.
• Case Study: Using historical operating data and process simulation to identify recurring hydrogen pressure fluctuations and develop a more stable control strategy.

Module 7: Hydrogen Safety, Integrity, and Risk Management

• Hydrogen flammability, ignition, and explosion hazards.
• Leak detection, ventilation, and gas monitoring systems.
• High-pressure hydrogen equipment and piping integrity.
• Materials compatibility, hydrogen embrittlement, and fatigue risks.
• Hazard identification, HAZOP, emergency response, and operating procedures.
• Case Study: Conducting a HAZOP-style review of a high-pressure hydrogen distribution system to identify potential leak scenarios, safeguards, and corrective actions.

Module 8: Energy Transition and Strategic Hydrogen Management

• Low-carbon hydrogen and renewable hydrogen integration.
• Hydrogen-related carbon emissions and energy efficiency.
• Techno-economic evaluation of hydrogen management projects.
• Hydrogen performance benchmarking and continuous improvement.
• Developing a refinery hydrogen optimization roadmap.
• Case Study: Preparing a hydrogen management improvement plan for a refinery seeking to reduce natural gas consumption, improve hydrogen recovery, and lower the carbon intensity of refinery products.

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.