Gas Processing Plant Operator Course

Lesson 1 • Natural Gas Composition and Sources

Covers hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon constituents found in raw wellhead gas. Provides the chemical baseline needed for all downstream processing decisions.

Lesson 2 • Plant Layout and Process Flow

Introduces the physical arrangement of a typical gas processing facility and the sequence of unit operations. Operators learn to trace gas flow from inlet to sales outlet.

Lesson 3 • Operator Roles and Responsibilities

Defines the duties, authority limits, and communication expectations of a plant operator. Establishes the professional standards that frame all subsequent training.

Lesson 1 • Gas Laws and Equations of State

Explains ideal and real gas behavior and the equations used to calculate gas properties at plant conditions. Directly supports pressure and temperature control decisions.

Lesson 2 • Fluid Flow and Pressure Drop

Explains Bernoulli principles, friction losses, and two-phase flow behavior in plant piping. Operators apply this to troubleshoot flow restrictions and optimize pump and compressor operation.

Lesson 3 • Heat Transfer Fundamentals

Introduces conduction, convection, and radiation as they apply to heat exchangers and fired heaters. Connects thermal principles to equipment performance monitoring.

Lesson 1 • Distributed Control System Operation

Introduces the DCS interface, alarm management, and trend analysis used in modern gas plants. Operators practice navigating displays and responding to abnormal situations.

Lesson 2 • Safety Instrumented Systems

Covers the purpose, architecture, and testing of safety instrumented systems and emergency shutdown logic. Operators understand when SIS activation is expected and how to respond.

Lesson 3 • Control Loop Fundamentals

Explains feedback and feedforward control loops, PID tuning concepts, and cascade control. Operators learn to recognize loop behavior and identify when a loop is performing poorly.

Lesson 4 • Measurement Principles and Instruments

Covers pressure, temperature, flow, and level measurement technologies used in gas plants. Accurate reading of these instruments is the foundation of safe plant operation.

Lesson 1 • Produced Water Treatment and Disposal

Covers removal of hydrocarbons from produced water and disposal methods that meet environmental standards. Operators monitor effluent quality and manage treatment chemical dosing.

Lesson 2 • Condensate Stabilization

Explains the stabilization column process that removes light ends from condensate to meet vapor pressure specifications. Operators control reboiler duty and reflux to achieve product quality.

Lesson 3 • Two-Phase and Three-Phase Separators

Covers separator internals, operating principles, and performance parameters for gas-liquid and gas-oil-water separation. Operators adjust operating conditions to meet separation efficiency targets.

Lesson 1 • Glycol Dehydration Unit Operation

Covers TEG absorber and regenerator operation, glycol circulation rates, and lean glycol purity targets. Operators adjust parameters to achieve required water dew point depression.

Lesson 2 • Dew Point Verification and Troubleshooting

Covers methods for verifying water dew point compliance and diagnosing dehydration unit underperformance. Operators use analyzer data and field checks to confirm unit effectiveness.

Lesson 3 • Molecular Sieve Dehydration

Explains adsorption cycles, regeneration procedures, and bed life management for molecular sieve units. Operators monitor breakthrough indicators and manage switchover timing.

Lesson 1 • Amine Treating Unit Operation

Covers absorber and regenerator operation, amine circulation rates, and lean amine loading targets for common amine solvents. Operators control treating to meet outlet gas specifications.

Lesson 2 • Membrane and Physical Solvent Treating

Covers membrane separation and physical solvent processes as alternatives or complements to amine treating. Operators understand when these technologies apply and how to monitor their performance.

Lesson 3 • Sour Gas Hazards and Specifications

Establishes the toxicity of H2S, corrosion risks of CO2, and the pipeline and sales specifications operators must meet. Safety awareness is integrated with technical specification knowledge.

Lesson 4 • Amine System Degradation and Foaming

Explains heat-stable salt formation, amine degradation products, and foaming causes and remedies. Operators use monitoring data to maintain amine quality and prevent capacity loss.

Lesson 1 • NGL Recovery Process Overview

Compares lean oil absorption, refrigeration, and turboexpander processes for NGL extraction. Operators understand the trade-offs between recovery efficiency and energy consumption.

Lesson 2 • NGL Fractionation Train

Covers depropanizer, debutanizer, and butane splitter operation to produce propane, butane, and natural gasoline. Operators adjust operating pressures and temperatures to meet product purity targets.

Lesson 3 • Deethanizer and Demethanizer Operation

Explains the distillation columns used to separate methane and ethane from heavier NGL components. Operators control reflux, reboiler duty, and feed conditions to meet product specifications.

Lesson 1 • Fired Heaters and Waste Heat Recovery

Explains burner management, combustion air control, and stack monitoring for process heaters. Operators optimize fuel efficiency while maintaining safe firebox conditions.

Lesson 2 • Reciprocating Compressor Operation

Explains cylinder loading, valve condition, and rod load management for reciprocating compressors. Operators perform pre-start checks and monitor running parameters to prevent mechanical failure.

Lesson 3 • Centrifugal Compressor Operation

Covers compressor performance curves, surge control, and anti-surge valve management for centrifugal machines. Operators recognize surge precursors and take corrective action before damage occurs.

Lesson 4 • Pump Operation and Protection

Covers centrifugal and positive displacement pump operation, NPSH requirements, and seal system management. Operators prevent cavitation and seal failures through proper operating practice.