Oil, Gas and PetrochemicalsCatalytic Reforming and Isomerisation
Reformate and isomerate supply much of the octane in a typical gasoline pool, and both depend on platinum catalysts that are quickly poisoned by sulphur, nitrogen, water or a chloride imbalance. The programme opens with naphtha composition and the reactions that matter: dehydrogenation of naphthenes, dehydrocyclisation of paraffins, isomerisation and unwanted hydrocracking. Semi regenerative and continuous regeneration reformers are then compared, covering reactor temperature drops, hydrogen to hydrocarbon ratio, pressure and space velocity. Naphtha pretreating as a guard bed, chloride and water balance, coke burns and catalyst regeneration follow. Light naphtha isomerisation is studied next with chlorided alumina, zeolitic and sulphated zirconia catalysts and once through or recycle schemes. Unit engineers leave able to run both units for octane, hydrogen yield and run length.
Course objectives
- Explain the reforming reactions and how each affects octane and hydrogen yield
- Compare semi regenerative and continuous regeneration reformer designs
- Set reactor inlet temperatures, pressure and hydrogen ratio for a target octane
- Control chloride and water balance to keep catalyst activity
- Identify feed poisons and the pretreatment needed to remove them
- Plan catalyst regeneration and coke burn procedures
- Select an isomerisation scheme and catalyst for a given light naphtha
- Diagnose activity loss from reactor temperature drop and yield data
Who should attend
- Reformer and isomerisation unit operators
- Process engineers on naphtha upgrading units
- Refinery planners managing the octane pool
- Catalyst and technology vendor engineers
- Shift supervisors in light ends units
Course outline
- 01Naphtha characterisation and octane
- 02Reforming reactions and catalyst
- 03Semi regenerative reformers
- 04Continuous catalyst regeneration
- 05Chloride, water and poison control
- 06Catalyst regeneration and coke burns
- 07Light naphtha isomerisation
- 08Performance monitoring and troubleshooting
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 16 October 2026 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | |
| 1 to 5 March 2027 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 8 to 12 March 2027 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate |
Catalytic Reforming and Isomerisation
From R8,500