COURSE OVERVIEW:

The purpose of this course focuses on the critical role of the control room panel operator as the primary coordinator during industrial crises and process upsets. In high-hazard environments, the panel operator is the first line of defense, responsible for interpreting complex alarm data and initiating rapid, decisive actions to prevent catastrophic failure. This program provides the psychological and technical training necessary to maintain situational awareness and execute emergency protocols under extreme pressure.

The scope of this training encompasses the mastery of the Distributed Control System (DCS) during abnormal operations and the coordination of field personnel during emergencies. Participants will explore the mechanics of "human factors" in the control room, including decision-making biases and the impact of alarm fatigue on response times. The curriculum is designed to move beyond routine operation, simulating high-consequence scenarios such as gas leaks, fires, and loss of containment to test and refine the operator's response patterns.

Coverage includes the administrative and communication protocols required to interface with emergency response teams and plant management. Attendees will learn how to prioritize safety instrumented functions, manage remote isolation valves, and lead the plant toward a safe state while minimizing environmental impact. By focusing on both technical systems and communication leadership, the course ensures that panel operators can act as the effective nerve center of a facility during its most critical moments.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Analyze complex alarm patterns to identify the root cause of an emergency.
• Maintain situational awareness during high-stress, multi-variable process upsets.
• Execute emergency shutdown (ESD) and blowdown procedures with precision.
• Lead communication between the control room and field emergency teams.
• Prioritize critical safety actions over production requirements during a crisis.
• Utilize advanced DCS diagnostic tools to monitor safety system health.
• Manage "alarm floods" and identify critical safety alarms during upsets.
• Implement rapid process isolations using remote-operated valves (ROV).
• Coordinate the safe evacuation of plant personnel from the control desk.
• Mitigate environmental releases through rapid control loop intervention.
• Conduct post-emergency debriefs and analyze historical data for root causes.
• Apply psychological techniques to manage stress and avoid decision paralysis.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

This course is intended for Control Room Panel Operators, Shift Supervisors, Senior Operations Personnel, and Emergency Response Coordinators in the oil, gas, and chemical industries.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximize the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.