- Overview
Course Description:
One of the biggest concerns for owners and operators of syngas plants, is a loss of primary containment event, which brings with it the potential for personnel injury, significant equipment damage, and plant downtime. Ultimately, all equipment failures are preventable, so why do fixed equipment failures still occur? Basically, equipment failures occur because there are gaps in a plant’s equipment ‘failure prevention controls’. Controls are what manufacturing facilities put into place to ensure continued safe and reliable operation of plant.
Schedule Outline:
This course offers a unique opportunity to tailor your experience by attending only the sections that are most relevant to your training needs. Below, you’ll find the full outline for each day, along with the course schedule grouped into plant specific sections, to help you identify which sections are best suited for you and your team to attend.
Section 1 – 5: SynGas Plants, Preventing Fixed Equipment Failures FULL COURSE
Section 1 & 2 Only: Steam Methane Reformers & Hydrogen Plants Focus
Section 1, 2, 3 Only: Ammonia & Methanol Plants Focus
Section 4 & 5 Only: Metallurgy & Damage Mechanisms Focus
Section 5 Only: Welding Tech & SynGas Equipment Repair Focus
Section 1 – Monday
Introductions & Review Course Outline
A1 SMR’s – Process Function & Design
A2 SMR’s – Start-up, Shut-down, Controls & Heat Balancing
A3 SMR’s – Catalyst Management
M3 Elevated Temperature Damage Mechanisms
M3 Elevated Temperature Damage Mechanisms
M3 Elevated Temperature Damage Mechanisms
A4a SMR’s – Radiant Inlet System
Section 2 – Tuesday
A4b SMR’s – Catalyst Tubes
A4c SMR’s – Radiant Outlet System
A4d SMR’s – Transfer Lines / Cold Collectors
A4e SMR’s – Convection Section
A6 Process Waste Heat Boilers
A6 Process Waste Heat Boilers
A7 Shifted Gas Loop
Section 3 – Wednesday
A8 CO2 Removal Loop (hydrogen, ammonia, methanol)
A5 Secondary Reformer & refractory management
A9 Methanation Loop
A10 Ammonia Conversion Loop
A12 Refrigeration & Ammonia Storage Loop
Section 4 – Thursday
M1 Basic Metallurgy Principles – Steels & Alloy Steels
M2 Basic Metallurgy Principles – Austenitic Materials
M4 Corrosion Damage Mechanisms
M4 Corrosion Damage Mechanisms
Section 5 – Friday
M5 Mechanical Damage Mechanisms
M6 Welding Technology & Equipment Repair
M6 Welding Technology & Equipment Repair
Who Should Attend:
This highly interactive and hands-on training caters for inexperienced as well as experienced engineers and inspectors. This program is very beneficial to Fixed Equipment Reliability Engineers, Process Engineers, Materials Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Inspectors and Design / Construction Project Engineers (QA/QC) who work on or support Syn Gas Manufacturing Plants.
Instructor:
David Keen is a Metallurgist with over 46 years of global experience in Syngas manufacturing facilities. A Subject Matter Expert in fixed equipment integrity, he has developed training modules focused on preventing equipment failures through experiential learning and team problem-solving. David has held senior roles, including Global Chief Engineer and VP of Global Reliability & Risk. As a consultant, he has worked with Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol plants across 12 countries, implementing RBI programs, conducting audits, failure investigations, and overseeing repairs and design. With experience on 33 steam methane reformers, he is a recognized expert in SMR integrity management.
Venue & Logistics:
Hotel Booking Link: Booking Link Coming Soon!
*Please note this link expires two weeks before the start of the course. Please notify training@becht.com for any issues with the booking link.
Location: 15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
- Phone: +12814425100
- Hotel Website
- Parking available on-site - free for all training attendees
For more information on training logistics, see the linked Attendee Info Sheet.
| Course Name | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Metallurgy and Corrosion Damage Mechanisms [Day 4] - Public 2025 | Live Training | |
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This course offers a unique opportunity to tailor your experience by attending only the sections that are most relevant to your training needs. This course is one of three sections available. For the complete course bundle, please access it here: Syngas Plants - Preventing Fixed Equipment Failures Course Bundle Section Summary: This section is the first part of the two-part Metallurgy and Damage Mechanisms course. It introduces basic principles of steels, alloy steels, and austenitic materials, focusing on their properties and applications. Participants will also explore corrosion damage mechanisms and strategies to prevent material degradation, supporting improved reliability in industrial environments. Section Outline:
Who Should Attend: This highly interactive and hands-on training caters for inexperienced as well as experienced engineers and inspectors. This program is very beneficial to Fixed Equipment Reliability Engineers, Process Engineers, Materials Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Inspectors and Design / Construction Project Engineers (QA/QC) who work on or support Syn Gas Manufacturing Plants. Instructor:
Venue & Logistics: Hotel Booking Link: Book Hotel Here *Please note this link expires two weeks before the start of the course. Please notify training@becht.com for any issues with the booking link. Location: 15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
For more information on training logistics, see the linked Attendee Info Sheet. |
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| SMR and Hydrogen Plants: Extended Process Loop [Day 3] - Public 2025 | Live Training | |
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This course offers a unique opportunity to tailor your experience by attending only the sections that are most relevant to your training needs. This course is one of three sections available. For the complete course bundle, please access it here: Syngas Plants - Preventing Fixed Equipment Failures Course Bundle Section Summary: This add-on module links perfectly with the two-day Steam Methane Reformers & Hydrogen Plants and expands on core SMR and hydrogen plant operations to give a comprehensive overview of Ammonia and Methanol Plants. This section dives into advanced process loops essential for hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol production. Topics include CO₂ removal, methanation, ammonia conversion, and secondary reformer management. Participants will gain insight into refractory management, refrigeration, and ammonia storage systems, equipping them with comprehensive knowledge to optimize plant performance and reliability across these critical production loops. Section Outline:
Who Should Attend: This highly interactive and hands-on training caters for inexperienced as well as experienced engineers and inspectors. This program is very beneficial to Fixed Equipment Reliability Engineers, Process Engineers, Materials Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Inspectors and Design / Construction Project Engineers (QA/QC) who work on or support Syn Gas Manufacturing Plants. Instructor:
David Keen is a Metallurgist with over 46 years of global experience in Syngas manufacturing facilities. A Subject Matter Expert in fixed equipment integrity, he has developed training modules focused on preventing equipment failures through experiential learning and team problem-solving. David has held senior roles, including Global Chief Engineer and VP of Global Reliability & Risk. As a consultant, he has worked with Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol plants across 12 countries, implementing RBI programs, conducting audits, failure investigations, and overseeing repairs and design. With experience on 33 steam methane reformers, he is a recognized expert in SMR integrity management. Venue & Logistics: Hotel Booking Link: Book Hotel Here *Please note this link expires two weeks before the start of the course. Please notify training@becht.com for any issues with the booking link. Location: 15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
For more information on training logistics, see the linked Attendee Info Sheet. |
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| Steam Methane Reformers & Hydrogen Plants [Day 1 - 2] Public 2025 | Live Training | |
|
This course offers a unique opportunity to tailor your experience by attending only the sections that are most relevant to your training needs. This course is one of three sections available. For the complete course bundle, please access it here: Syngas Plants - Preventing Fixed Equipment Failures Course Bundle Section Summary: The Steam Methane Reformers and Hydrogen Plants course provides a comprehensive overview of SMR design, operation, and maintenance. Topics include the process function of SMRs, start-up and shutdown procedures, controls, heat balancing, and catalyst management. The course also addresses elevated temperature damage mechanisms, key SMR components (such as catalyst tubes, radiant inlet and outlet systems, transfer lines, cold collectors, and the convection section), process waste heat boilers, and the shifted gas loop. Outline: Section 1
Section 2
Who Should Attend: This highly interactive and hands-on training caters for inexperienced as well as experienced engineers and inspectors. This program is very beneficial to Fixed Equipment Reliability Engineers, Process Engineers, Materials Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Inspectors and Design / Construction Project Engineers (QA/QC) who work on or support Syn Gas Manufacturing Plants. Instructor:
Venue & Logistics: Hotel Booking Link: Book Hotel Here *Please note this link expires two weeks before the start of the course. Please notify training@becht.com for any issues with the booking link. Location: 15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
For more information on training logistics, see the linked Attendee Info Sheet. |
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| Welding Technology and SynGas Equipment Repair [Day 5] - Public 2025 | Live Training | |
|
This course offers a unique opportunity to tailor your experience by attending only the sections that are most relevant to your training needs. This course is one of three sections available. For the complete course bundle, please access it here: Syngas Plants - Preventing Fixed Equipment Failures Course Bundle Section Summary: This section is the second part of the two-part Metallurgy and Damage Mechanisms course. It covers common mechanical damage mechanisms and effective approaches to welding and repair. Participants will gain insights into preventing mechanical failures and implementing repair techniques to enhance equipment durability and maintain structural integrity in industrial applications. Section Outline:
Who Should Attend: This highly interactive and hands-on training caters for inexperienced as well as experienced engineers and inspectors. This program is very beneficial to Fixed Equipment Reliability Engineers, Process Engineers, Materials Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Inspectors and Design / Construction Project Engineers (QA/QC) who work on or support Syn Gas Manufacturing Plants. Instructor:
Venue & Logistics: Hotel Booking Link: Book Hotel Here *Please note this link expires two weeks before the start of the course. Please notify training@becht.com for any issues with the booking link. Location: 15700 John F Kennedy Blvd, Houston, TX 77032
For more information on training logistics, see the linked Attendee Info Sheet. |
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