COURSE OVERVIEW:

The purpose of this course is centered on the engineering and operational strategies used to protect personnel and assets through the rapid isolation and depressurization of hazardous systems. In the oil and gas industry, the Emergency Shutdown (ESD) and Blowdown systems are the ultimate safeguards against catastrophic events like explosions or equipment rupture. This program provides a deep technical dive into the design and functionality of these critical safety layers.

The scope of this training encompasses the lifecycle of an emergency response sequence, from the initial detection of a hazard to the safe disposal of inventories via the flare system. Participants will explore the mechanics of high-speed isolation valves, the thermodynamics of rapid gas expansion, and the logic of Emergency Depressurization (EDP). The curriculum details the mathematical modeling of blowdown rates to ensure that vessels remain within their safe stress limits during a crisis.

Coverage includes the practical maintenance and testing of shutdown hardware to ensure reliability on demand. Attendees will examine the integration of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), the selection of blowdown valves, and the design of flare headers. By focusing on both the mechanical and logic-based aspects of safeguarding, the course ensures that participants can design and operate systems that effectively mitigate the energy release from high-pressure hydrocarbon processes.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

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

• Analyze the functional requirements of ESD and Blowdown systems.
• Differentiate between Process Shutdown (PSD) and Emergency Shutdown (ESD).
• Calculate required blowdown rates to prevent vessel overpressure.
• Evaluate the impact of Joule-Thomson cooling during depressurization.
• Select appropriate materials for blowdown valves to resist brittle fracture.
• Design the logic for Emergency Depressurization (EDP) sequences.
• Implement "Partial Stroke Testing" (PST) for ESD valve verification.
• Analyze the capacity requirements for flare systems during blowdown.
• Interpret "Cause and Effect" matrices for safety instrumented functions.
• Troubleshoot failures in ESD valve actuators and solenoids.
• Optimize the timing of isolation versus blowdown for maximum safety.
• Ensure compliance with IEC 61511 and API standards for safety systems.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

This course is intended for Process Engineers, Safety Engineers, Instrument Technicians, Commissioning Specialists, and Operations Managers in the upstream and downstream sectors.

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.