The aim of this course is to offer a detailed overview of the petroleum industrial process in all its peculiar aspects, both relating to the chemical technologies involved and to the laboratory aspects related to the quality of the products.

More specifically:

- to provide basic knowledge of the petroleum industrial process, integrated with petrochemical aspects and electric energy cogeneration;

- to deep the knowledge of raw materials: crude oil and biodiesel, semi-finished and finished products, with particular regard to quality control and aspects regard commercial, customs/ tax  for sale and distribution of fuels;

- to introduce the basics for the knowledge of the application methods of analytical chemistry for the industrial production process control system  related to chemical technologies analytical;

- to provide national / international regulatory tools for the preparation and implementation of a quality management system in order to achieve the formal national / international ACCREDITATION of a chemical laboratory compliant to the requirements of a specific reference standard (UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025);

- planning and implementing laboratory experiences targeted  for aqueous and hydrocarbon matrix samples both by manual and instrumental procedures, as well as introducing the basics know for the statistical evaluation of the data obtained, and

-  if possible, to offer the possibility of study visits directly in a refinery.

In particular, the course aims:

with regard to knowledge and understanding:

- to make known the production system of the oil downstream, in its articulated aspects concerning the process, process control, and the formulation of the final products in order to guarantee compliance with commercialization, custom / fiscal and environmental specifications through accredited quality control according to a national / international regulatory framework;

- to understand the technological complexity of the plant, the chemical and chemical / physical qualitative characteristics of fuels, the related analytical control methodologies and the prescriptive regulatory elements in view of following up the accreditation of a chemical laboratory;

with regard to the ability to apply knowledge and understanding:

- to develop and / or to improve the ability to recognize the main oil downstream processes integrated with petrochemical and cogenerative processes so as to understand the dynamics of control and economy of the production system, analytical verification of products and final quality assurance through both laboratory activities specifications and through the preparation of assessment of the analytical methods risks applied during the laboratory procedures, respectively;

with regard to autonomy of judgment (making judgments):

- to provide tools to assess the criticalities of the production processes, the plant implications, the products obtained both in terms of chemical and chemical / physical properties and in their marketing;

- to provide tools to assess the statistical procedures for the evaluation of the analytical data obtained during analytical measurements in the laboratory;

- finally, to provide the tools for the preparation of the basic documentation necessary for the implementation of a quality system for the accreditation purposes of a chemical laboratory;

with regard to communication skills:

- to develop and / or to improve both the written presentation of laboratory tests according to a format adopted in industrial practice, and the oral presentation of the knowledge acquired with a technical and analytical relevant language;

with regard to learning skills:

- to know how to apply the knowledge of production processes for their evaluation and analytical control;

- to know how to apply the knowledge to evaluate and design the properties analytical control of finished products for quality assurance purposes;

- to know how to apply analytical and statistical knowledge on tests performed in the laboratory and estimate the data variability;

- to know how to apply the knowledge to prepare the necessary documentation for the accreditation of a chemical laboratory (compliant with standard: UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025).

- know how to manage the spectral data processing software obtained during spectral measurements.

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD.

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs.

In this case, it is advisable to contact the CInAP (Centre for Active and Participated Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or SLD) professor of the Department where the Degree Course is included.

The course is structured through theoretical lessons in the learning room, experiences of chemical analysis in the laboratory and study visits in Crude Oil  depending on company availability

Learning room: mandatory with the exceptions established by the didactic regulations of the CDS in Industrial Chemistry

Laboratory: mandatory for at least 75% of the scheduled hours.

Lesson in learning room

1. Presentation of the Priolo-Augusta industrial area

Historical notes on the birth of the industrial pole of Priolo / Augusta. Private industry and public industry. Differentiation of the working class.

2. Refining of crude oil and integrated production system

Characteristics of the raw material. Selection criteria according to market scenarios. Integrated refining cycle: block diagrams, description of the plants, formulation of finished products, cogeneration of electricity.

3. Petrochemicals in support of refining

Plants for the production of chemical intermediates for the formulation of fuels: block diagrams, characteristics and description of plants.Petrochemical applications from intermediates produced by crude oil refining

4. Product specifications: National and International

Origin of a specific product: drafting and publication; characteristics and interpretation.

5. Quality control: semi-finished products, raw materials (crude oil, straight run residue, etc.) finished products, additives and denaturing agents.

Analytical methods for the analytical control of raw materials, of semi-finished and finished products. Description of the analytical methods, in order to meaning and operating methods. Characteristics of the additives used for the final formulation of fuels, example:  Cold Flow Improvers. Denaturants used for the differentiation of fuels according to the use.Blending techniques for the prediction of the most important properties of finished petroleum products intended for marketing.

6. Biofuels

Types. Raw material for the production of Biodiesel. Productive process. Features and use. Co-processing  for the production of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil). SAF ( Sustainable Aviation Fuel)

7. Accreditation of a chemical laboratory (integrated)

Interpretation of the UNI CEI EN ISO / IEC 17025: 2018 standard; example of drafting of supporting documentation: Quality Manual, Management Procedures, Technical Instructions. Analysis of the analytical / management context, risks and opportunities, with exercise.

8. Chemical technologies for process control

Application methods of analytical chemistry for the industrial production process control system  

9. Safety in chemical laboratories.

Prescriptions and precautions.

Elements of analysis of experimental data: statistical quality control

Measurement errors, accuracy and precision, and measurement uncertainty. Statistical evaluation of experimental results,

10.  Treatment of an analytical method 

preparation of assessment of the analytical methods risks, instrumentation preparation and experimentation. Verification of the data obtained with regard to the expressed repeatability. Drafting of a technical note.

11. Study visits in Crude Oil Refinery

Visit to the chemical laboratory for quality control of a crude oil refinery and overview of productive process. Final reports on the experiences written by the students.

Attention !!!

The planned visits will be scheduled if the COVID-19 health emergency allows it and always at the discretion and availability of the host company.

12. Laboratory experiences.

Analytical determinations concerning water and petroleum / petrochemical products. Final reports on the experiences written by the students. During the analytical activities, especially the instrumental ones, software knowledge of the management of the instrumentation used (IR and VIS-UV spectrophotometry) will be deepened.

13 . Basic treatment with applications of the instrumental chromatographic analytical technique

 In particular: introduction to chromatography explaining the principles and classification of the various techniques. Description of the chromatographic process in particular the characteristics and critical factors. Specifically, gas chromatography will be treated illustrating the instrumental scheme and the peculiar parts. Finally, explain the qualitative and quantitative applications, including the calibration methodologies, the process and the quantification properties.

1. Class notes in pdf format

2. Armando canuti, L’ultima acqua, Chiariotti Editore

3. Carlo Giavarani, Guida allo studio dei processi di raffinazione e petrolchimici, Edizioni scientifiche SIDEREA

4. E. Mentasti e G. Saini, Analisi chimica Cromatografica, Piccin

Oral exam with numerical exercises, verification of laboratory reports, and written report on the study visits carried out at the refinery.

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD.

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs.

In this case, it is advisable to contact the CInAP (Centre for Active and Participated Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or SLD) professor of the Department where the Degree Course is included.

Questions will be asked on all contents expressed by the course, on the laboratory experiences, and on the study visits to the refinery if carried out.