Gas Chromatography and Troubleshooting for the Oil and Gas Industry Training Course

Course Category : Oil & Gas Management

Built on operational discipline and quality standards, this programme equips laboratory teams to optimise GC methods, strengthen result reliability, and accelerate fault isolation through structured maintenance and troubleshooting protocols aligned with quality expectations.
5 Days | Level: Intermediate

Introduction

As laboratory data increasingly drives operational and commercial decisions across oil and gas value chains, analytical accuracy and reliability have become non-negotiable. Gas chromatography (GC) remains a critical technique for measuring hydrocarbon composition, light gases, and contaminants from production through refining and downstream operations.
This course delivers an applied pathway that connects separation theory with practical configuration of inlets, columns, detectors, and data systems—while developing a structured troubleshooting mindset for symptom-based diagnosis and root-cause isolation. It also integrates laboratory quality practices, including ISO/IEC 17025 fundamentals and LIMS workflows, to ensure traceable, defensible, and audit-ready results..

Targeted Audience

Chemical and petrochemical laboratory professionals
Oil and gas analytical engineers/technicians (upstream/downstream)
QA/QC specialists and laboratory quality officers
Environmental quality and related emissions-testing personnel
Technical compliance and quality inspectors
Middle management professionals in laboratory and quality functions

Targeted Skills

Configuring GC systems with recommended starting conditions for oil and gas applications
Selecting columns and stationary phases to improve selectivity and separation
Optimising inlets (split/splitless, PTV) and managing gas and injection systems
Interpreting chromatograms and strengthening integration/reporting integrity
Applying structured troubleshooting for rapid fault isolation and prevention

Expected Outcomes

Build an applied understanding of GC fundamentals and their impact on separation quality and measurement accuracy.
Configure core GC elements (gases, inlet, column, oven, detector) for stable and repeatable performance.
Develop traceable methodologies for calibration, quantitation, and performance verification aligned with quality requirements.
Diagnose common GC faults and implement corrective and preventive actions to reduce downtime.
Improve data handling and reporting, integrating workflows with LIMS and ISO/IEC 17025 fundamentals.

Training Topics Index

Separation principles, retention, and selectivity drivers
Factors affecting retention time and peak shape
Molecular interactions and stationary phase selection logic
Core GC terminology and chromatogram structure
Oil and gas use cases include natural gas, NGL, fuels, and contaminants

Carrier/fuel/air specifications and flow control fundamentals
Inlet selection split/splitless and PTV use-case mapping
Inlet temperature control and liner configuration
Autosampler set-up, error sources, and repeatability assurance
Injection-related faults ghost peaks, carryover, and response decay

Column selection packed vs capillary; dimensions and film thickness
Column-driven performance dispersion, tailing, and band broadening
Temperature programming vs isothermal operation
Column care trimming, bleed control, and contamination prevention
Separation faults linked to oven behaviour, leaks, and dead volumes

Detector selection aligned to application requirements (FID/TCD/ECD as applicable)
Performance indicators sensitivity, noise, drift, and detection limits
Detector maintenance, gas lines, and thermal control
Common faults unstable baseline, high noise, loss of sensitivity
Symptom-to-root-cause mapping and corrective action planning

Data acquisition and integration parameters that matter
Calibration and quantitation curves, recovery, internal/external standards
Performance verification system suitability and QC checks
LIMS-enabled workflows, traceability, and data governance
ISO/IEC 17025 fundamentals documentation, uncertainty, and audit readiness

Course Features

Updated and Interactive Content
Hypothetical Examples and Case Studies
Pre- and Post-assessments to Measure Impact
Verified Certificate with a QR Verification Code