🎯 Course Description:
This 5-day technical course explores the production, specification, quality control, and end-use considerations of sulphur and petroleum coke — two critical by-products of the refining process. The course provides deep insights into testing methods, product classifications, and market applications in fertilizers, metallurgy, power generation, and industrial manufacturing.
Participants will learn how to interpret international specifications, handle product sampling and analysis, and assess the impacts of contaminants such as ash, metals, volatiles, and moisture on downstream applications. The course also covers solid handling systems, HSE requirements, and environmental compliance related to sulfur and coke logistics.
👥 Who Should Attend:
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Refinery lab analysts and QA/QC professionals
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Sulphur and coke product marketers and handlers
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Environmental compliance officers
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Industrial buyers (cement, steel, fertilizers)
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Engineers in refining, storage, or shipping operations
🗓️ Day 1: Overview of Sulphur and Petroleum Coke
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 09:00 | Welcome, Objectives, and Introduction to By-Products |
| 09:00 – 10:30 | Sulphur Production and Forms – Elemental sulphur, pastilles, molten, prills |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:45 – 12:15 | Petroleum Coke Overview – Green coke vs calcined, sponge, needle, shot |
| 12:15 – 01:15 | 🍽 Lunch Break |
| 01:15 – 02:45 | Industry Uses and Value Chains – Fertilizer, aluminum, steel, power, chemicals |
| 02:45 – 03:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 03:00 – 04:30 | Workshop: Classifying sulphur and petcoke by origin and application |
🗓️ Day 2: Sulphur Specifications and Testing Methods
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Sulphur Quality Standards – ASTM D3961, ISO 3704, commercial specs |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Purity and Contaminants – Ash, acidity, selenium, iron, arsenic |
| 12:15 – 01:15 | 🍽 Lunch Break |
| 01:15 – 02:45 | Moisture and Particle Size Control – Handling issues and testing methods |
| 02:45 – 03:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 03:00 – 04:30 | Case Study: Sulphur export specs and moisture handling failures |
🗓️ Day 3: Petroleum Coke Specifications – Green and Calcined
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Green Coke Specification Parameters – ASTM D4421, D3173, ISO 12982 |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Critical Tests – Fixed carbon, moisture, ash, volatile matter, HGI |
| 12:15 – 01:15 | 🍽 Lunch Break |
| 01:15 – 02:45 | Calcined Coke Quality – Sulfur, metals, resistivity, density |
| 02:45 – 03:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 03:00 – 04:30 | Workshop: Reading a full petroleum coke specification sheet |
🗓️ Day 4: Environmental Compliance and Handling Best Practices
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Dust and Emission Controls – Petcoke/sulphur storage and transportation HSE |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Regulatory Standards – US EPA, EU REACH, IMO, regional export controls |
| 12:15 – 01:15 | 🍽 Lunch Break |
| 01:15 – 02:45 | Logistics and Packaging Options – Bulk, big bags, molten, granules |
| 02:45 – 03:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 03:00 – 04:30 | Case Study: Petcoke dust event investigation and corrective action |
🗓️ Day 5: Specification Application, Commercial Quality, and Final Review
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Commercial Specifications vs Laboratory Specs – Tolerances, penalties, and pricing impact |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Sampling, Certification, and Documentation – COA, bill of lading, MSDS |
| 12:15 – 01:15 | 🍽 Lunch Break |
| 01:15 – 03:00 | Workshop: Create and interpret product specs for customer delivery |
| 03:00 – 03:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 03:15 – 04:30 | Final Q&A, Group Discussion, Feedback & Certificate Distribution |
📂 Course Materials Provided:
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Sulphur and Petcoke Specification Guidebook (ASTM, ISO, Commercial Specs)
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Test Method Reference Sheets (Moisture, Ash, Volatiles, Metals)
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Sulphur and Coke Handling SOPs
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Export Documentation Templates (COA, MSDS, Shipment Logs)
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Case Study Booklet – Real-life product quality issues and resolutions
