DELAYED COKER UNIT (DCU)
“Enhancing Safety, Efficiency, and Yield in Delayed Coking Operations”
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 – 26 Nov 2025 | Dubai – UAE | USD 1995 per delegate |
| 03 – 04 Dec 2025 | Doha – Qatar | USD 1995 per delegate |
Course Introduction
The Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) plays a critical role in converting heavy residues from the bottom of the barrel into lighter, more valuable products such as gas oils and petroleum coke. As a high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-risk operation, DCU performance has a direct impact on refinery economics, energy efficiency, and plant safety.
This intensive 2-day course provides engineers, operators, and technical managers with the essential knowledge to understand, operate, troubleshoot, and optimize delayed coking processes. Emphasis is placed on safety management, feed handling, drum switching, and coke cutting operations, along with troubleshooting techniques and environmental considerations.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Understand the role of the DCU in the refinery upgrading process
• Describe DCU configuration, operating conditions, and process flow
• Manage coking cycles, drum switching, and coke removal procedures
• Identify and troubleshoot common operational and safety issues
• Optimize yields, energy use, and reliability while ensuring regulatory compliance
Key Benefits of Attending
• Build technical understanding of delayed coking processes and equipment
• Reduce safety risks and environmental incidents during coking operations
• Enhance yield and energy performance through cycle optimization
• Improve team coordination during drum switching and decoking procedures
• Gain practical troubleshooting insights from real-world case studies
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
• Process Engineers and Unit Operators in Refining
• Operations and Shift Supervisors
• Mechanical, Instrumentation, and Maintenance Engineers
• Production Planners and Process Technologists
• Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) Specialists
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
• Detailed understanding of delayed coking thermodynamics and reactions
• Operation of heaters, fractionator, and coke drums
• Monitoring and control of coking cycles and equipment health
• Troubleshooting of coke buildup, overpressure, and mechanical issues
• Improved decision-making during abnormal operations and upsets
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
• Improved safety and efficiency of DCU operations
• Reduced unplanned shutdowns and equipment failures
• Better yield of valuable products and coke quality
• Enhanced operational readiness and incident response capability
• Compliance with environmental and process safety regulations
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
• Strategy Briefings – DCU process design, coke formation, and operation best practices
• Case Studies – Plant incidents, troubleshooting, and optimization examples
• Workshops – Operating scenarios, coke drum planning, and safety assessments
• Peer Exchange – Cross-functional discussion of refinery integration challenges
• Tools – Drum switch logs, process monitoring checklists, startup/shutdown SOPs
Course Outline
DETAILED 2-DAY COURSE OUTLINE
Training Hours: 07:30 AM – 03:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Fundamentals of Delayed Coking and Operations
Module 1: Overview of DCU Process and Role in Refinery (07:30 – 09:30)
• Coking fundamentals, feedstock characteristics, and product yields
• DCU flow scheme and integration with downstream units
Module 2: Major Equipment and Operation Cycle (09:45 – 11:15)
• Coke drums, furnace, fractionator, gas recovery, and blowdown systems
Module 3: Coking Reactions and Coke Drum Operation (11:30 – 01:00)
• Thermal cracking mechanisms, drum filling, pressure control
Module 4: Workshop – Process Flow Review and Cycle Mapping (02:00 – 03:30)
• Mapping a coking cycle and identifying risk points
Day 2: Safety, Troubleshooting and Optimization
Module 5: Drum Switching, Decoking and Safety Procedures (07:30 – 09:30)
• Decoking steps, hydraulic cutting, steam purge, interlocks
Module 6: Common Issues and Troubleshooting Techniques (09:45 – 11:15)
• Overpressure, temperature excursions, coke buildup, and blockages
Module 7: Environmental and Energy Optimization (11:30 – 01:00)
• Flare minimization, emissions control, energy recovery strategies
Module 8: Workshop – Troubleshooting Scenario Simulation (02:00 – 03:30)
• Group response to an abnormal DCU event and corrective actions
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) Operations, validating their ability to operate, monitor, and troubleshoot DCUs safely and effectively within a refinery setting.