Siwes TEchnical Report

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TECHNICAL REPORT ON STUDENTS WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES)
TRAINING PROGRAMME
(FEBUARY 1ST – JULY 31TH)
AT
PORT HARCOURT REFINING COMPANY (PHRC)
A SUBSIDIARY OF NNPC,
ALESA ELEME, RIVERS STATE
BY
Enoma Michael
15CG03613
COMPUTER SCIENCE
BEING A REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE DEAN OF COLLEGE SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY IN PARTIAL FUFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMETS FOR
CSC 329
DEAN OF CST: PROF KOLAWOLE AJANAKU AUGUST 2018

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DEDICATION
I dedicate this Report to God Almighty who guided and protected me throughout this period
of my training and made this whole exercise a huge success and to my parents and siblings for
their financial and moral support, love and encouragement.
I would also like to dedicate it to Port Harcourt Refining Company and the entire Engineering
and Technical Service Department crew for bringing out the best in me and to my friends who
contributed in numerous ways to make my SIWES training fun and a successful one.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firstly, I wish to express my gratitude to Almighty God for the knowledge and sound health
throughout the period of my SIWES training.
My appreciation goes to the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for their foresight in putting this
program in place and Computer and Information Science Department, Covenant University,
for providing a platform which I was engaged in my training.
I am grateful to Port Harcourt Refining Company LTD for providing me with an opportunity
to be exposed to such world class IT service in the organization, for the professionalism, trust
and support offered to me during my stay.
I want to say a big thank you to my industry-based supervisor Mrs. Philomena, Mr. Okuro,
Mr. Goya and my boss Mr. Frank Obiora and every personnel of the Engineering and
Technical Service Department for welcoming me and helped contribute to my learning and
grooming me in the IT sector.
Also, to my parents, siblings, friends and co-interns for their love and support and for making
my stay at PHRC a blissful one. Thank you all, I am highly grateful.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page…………………………………………………………………………………….1
Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………2
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………3
Table of contents……………………………………………………………………………...4
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………….5
Chapter 1:
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….
Description of the establishment of attachment………………………………………………
Participation and work done…………………………………………………………………...
Chapter 2:
Experience gained……………………………………………………………………………...
Chapter 3:
Observations and contributions………………………………………………………………
Chapter 4:
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………….
Chapter 5:
Challenges faced by the SIWES industry-based firm………………………………………….

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ABSTRACT
This report presents the experience I acquired during my six months SIWES training at Port
Harcourt Refining Company, Alesa, Eleme, PH. The knowledge and skills acquired is the
practical experience of the theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom.
My training was basically on cisco networks and troubleshooting of networks. I also acquired
practical knowledge on how to repair systems and providing the operational units the
functionality they need.

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INTRODUCTION
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FUND (ITF)
The Industrial Training Fund was established in 1971 and has operated consistently and
painstakingly, within the context of its enabling laws, i.e. Decree 47 of 1971. The objective for
which the Fund was established has been pursued vigorously and efficaciously. In the three
decades of its existence, the ITF has not only raised training consciousness in the economy, but
it has also helped in generating a corps of skilled indigenous manpower which has been
manning and managing various sectors of the national economy.
Over the years, pursuant to its statutory responsibility, the ITF has expanded its structures,
developed training programmes, reviewed its strategies, operations and services in order to
meet the expanding, and changing demands for skilled manpower in the economy. Beginning
as a Parastatal “B” in 1971, headed by a Director, the ITF became a Parastatal “A” in 1981,
with a Director-General as the Chief Executive under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry. The
Fund has a 13-member Governing Council and operates with 6 Departments and 3 Units at the
Headquarters, 27 Area Offices, 2 Skills Training Centres and a Centre for Industrial Training
Excellence.
As part of its responsibilities, the ITF provides Direct Training, Vocational and Apprentice
Training, Research and Consultancy Service, Reimbursement of up to 60% Levy paid by
employers of labor registered with it, and administers the Students Industrial Work Experience
Scheme (SIWES). It also provides human resource development information and training
technology service to industry and commerce to enhance their manpower capacity and in-house
training delivery effort.
The main thrust of ITF programs and services is to stimulate human performance, improve
productivity, and induce value-added production in industry and commerce. Through its
SIWES, Vocational and Apprentice Training Programs, the Fund also builds capacity for

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graduates and youth self-employment, in the context of Small Scale Industrialization, in the
economy.
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ITF
The provision of Decree 47 of 8th October, 1971 empowers the ITF to promote and encourage
the acquisition of skills in industry and commerce with a view to generating a pool of Nigerian
economy.
ITF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
 The 13-member Governing Council
 The Directorate (i.e. office of the Director General and Chief Executive)
 Six Headquarters Departments each headed by a Director
 Three Units attached to the Director-General's office, each headed by
 Deputy Directors;
 Twenty-Nine Area Offices (nation-wide);
 Three Training Centers; 2 Skills Training Centre and A Centre for Excellence.
REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME
The ITF Reimbursement Scheme was established to motivate and encourage contributing
employers to train and re-train their employees. The Scheme provides that a maximum of 60%
of levy be paid to up-to-date levy contributors who satisfy laid down conditions for claiming
Reimbursement.
The aims and objectives of the Reimbursement Scheme are to ensure that:
 Training activities are spread to all levels of workers in organizations.
 Employers training programs are relevant and effective.
 Training programs are properly implemented and evaluated.
 Training activities, according to the needs of the employers and the economy as a
whole, are encouraged.

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STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES)
SIWES was established by ITF in 1973 to solve the problem of lack of adequate practical
skills preparatory for employment in industries by Nigerian graduates of tertiary institutions.
The Scheme exposes students to industry based skills necessary for a smooth transition from
the classroom to the world of work. It affords students of tertiary institutions the opportunity
of being familiarized and exposed to the needed experience in handling machinery and
equipment which are usually not available in the educational institutions.
Participation in SIWES has become a necessary pre-condition for the award of Diploma and
Degree certificates in specific disciplines in most institutions of higher learning in the country,
in accordance with the education policy of government.
o Operators - The ITF, the coordinating agencies (NUC, NCCE, NBTE), employers of
labor and the institutions.
o Funding - The Federal Government of Nigeria
o Beneficiaries - Undergraduate students of the following: Agriculture, Engineering,
Technology, Environmental, Science, Education, Medical Science and Pure and
Applied Sciences.
o Duration – Four months for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, and six months
for the Universities.
OBJECTIVES OF SIWES
Specifically, the objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) are
to:
 The SIWES program is aimed at bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge
acquired in classes and technical knowledge in industries by providing students the
opportunity to apply their educational knowledge in real work situations.
 Provide an avenue for students in institutions of higher learning to acquire industrial
skills and experience in their course of study.
 Prepare students for the industrial work situation they are to meet after graduation;

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 Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery
that may not be available in their institutions.
 Make the transition from school to the world of work easier, and enhance students’
contacts for later job placement;
 Enlist and strengthen employers, involvement in the entire educational process and
prepare students for employment in Industry and Commerce.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ATTACHMENT
NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)was established on April 1, 1977, under
the statutory instrument Decree No33 of same year by a merger of Nigerian National Oil
Corporation (NNOC), with its operational functions and the federal ministry of mines and
power with its regulatory responsibilities. This decree established NNPC,a public organization
that would, on behalf of the government interest in the Nigeria oil industry.
In addition to its exploration activities, the corporation was given powers and operational
interests in refining, petrochemicals and product transportation as well as marketing. Between
1978 and 1989, NNPC constructed refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt and took
over the 35,000-barell Shell refinery established in Port Harcourt in 1965.
SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES OF NNPC
In 1988, the NNPC was commercialized into 12 strategic business units (SBU), covering the
entire spectrum of oil industry operations: exploration and production, gas development,
refining, distribution, petrochemicals, engineering, and commercial investments.

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The subsidiary companies include:
 National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPMIS)
 Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC)
 The Nigeria Gas Company (NGC)
 The Product and Pipelines Marketing Company (PPMC)
 Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL)
 Nigeria LNG limited (NLNG)
 National Engineering and Technical Company limited (NETCO)
 Hydrocarbon Services Nigeria limited (HYSON)
 Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC)
 Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited (KPRC)
 Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC)
 Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited (EPCL)
In addition to these subsidiaries, the industry is also regulated by the Department of Petroleum
Resources (DPR), a department within the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. The DPR ensures
compliance with industry regulations; processes applications for licenses, leases and permits,
establishes and enforces environmental regulations. The DPR and NAPIMS play a very crucial
role in the day to day activities throughout the industry.
VISION
NNPC will be a world-class oil and gas company driven by shared commitment to excellence.
MISSION
NNPC is an integrated oil and gas company, engaged in adding value to the nations
Hydrocarbon resources for the benefits of Nigerians and other stakeholders.
CORE VALUES
 Patriotism
 Hard work
 Loyalty and Trust
 Respect for the individual
 Staff development and growth

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 Integrity, transparency and accountability
 Professional excellence
 Commitment to NNPC
NNPC TOP MANAGEMENT
The NNPC group comprises of the NNPC board, the group managing director’s office, six
directorates namely exploration and production, refineries and petrochemical, finance and
accounts and corporate services, commercial and investment, Engineering and technology.
Each of the directorate is headed by a Group Executive Director (GED). Its division is
headed by Group General Managers (GGM), while its ten subsidiaries are headed by
managing directors. NNPC has two partly owned subsidiaries and its associated companies.
Introduction to Port Harcourt Refining Company Alesa-Eleme.
Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) is one of the eleven subsidiary companies
owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The Port Harcourt Refining
Company Limited was born with the construction and commissioning of a 35,000bpsd hydro
skimming refinery in 1965 by a consortium of British Petroleum and Shell. It was then known
as BP/Shell Petroleum Refining Company Limited (NPRC) after acquisition of 50% shares of
the company by the Federal and regional governments of Nigeria. The joint venture partners
of BP/Shell and regional (now States) governments finally relinquished their shares to the
Federal Government, resulting in the voluntary liquidation of NPRC in January 1986 and take-
over of the management by NNPC. Prior to this, NNPC had, in 1985 commenced construction
of a new 150,000BPSD refinery, which achieved mechanical completion in 1988. In 1988, the
old and the new refineries were brought under the name, Port Harcourt Refining Company
(PHRC) Limited. The new refinery was commissioned in 1989.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited is in the business of optimally processing
hydrocarbons into petroleum products for the benefits of all stakeholders. The companies
vision is to be an innovative international hydrocarbon processing company of choice. This
facility is located on the same site at Alesa-Eleme, some kilometres due East of Port Harcourt,
the capital of Rivers State and occupies an area of about 2,000 hectares.
The PHRC refining complex is comprised of two refineries: The Old Port Harcourt Refinery
(OPHR) commissioned in 1965 with a processing capacity of 60,000 Barrels Per Stream Day

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(BPSD) and the New Port Harcourt Refinery (NPHR) commissioned in 1989 with an installed
capacity of 150,000 BPSD. The combined refining capacity of the complex is 210,000BPSD.
Place Of Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited In Nigeria’s Petroleum Refining
Industry
445,000
210,000
125,000
110,000
ALL NNPC PHRC WRPC KRPC
Quality Policy and Objectives of PHRC
The port Harcourt Refining Company Limited is in the business of optimally processing
hydrocarbons into petroleum products for the benefits of all stakeholders. The companies
vision is to be an innovative international hydrocarbon processing company of choice. To meet
up with these requirements and expectation. T
he quality objectives of PHRC are as follows:
a. To continually improve the efficiency of the Process and Power Plants to optimize their
capacity utilization.
NNPC
445,000BPSD
. PHRC 47%
. WRPC 29%
. KRPC 25%
NNPCCrude Oil
RefiningCapacity

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b. To deliver all products on specifications
c. To train at least one-third of the total staff population in relevant skills annually.
d. Strive to achieve nil accident annually.
e. To treat all plant effluents to statutory safe levels before discharge into the environment.
f. To be responsible corporate citizen by contributing to the social and economic
development of our contiguous communities.
Mission and Vision of PHRC
Mission: The Port Harcourt Refining Company is in business to provide efficient high quality
petroleum refining services at minimum cost to local and foreign customers and to develop and
exploit other related business opportunities.
Vision: The Port Harcourt Refining company will be a world class Refining Company driven
by shared commitment to customer satisfaction, employee empowerment, professionalism and
continuous improvement.
Petroleum Refining the Business of PHRC
Petroleum refining is a process by which crude oil is separated into several fraction using
distillation and other chemical processes. The crude oil produced from underground reservoirs,
is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of varying molecular weights and is of limited use to
industries on its raw state. However, when refined or separated into several components the
crude oil produces a wide variety of hydrocarbon materials essential to our daily and modern
day requirements.
The crude oil processed in PHRC is the Bonny Light, Sweet Crude Oil, which has a sulphur
content of less than 0.5 ppm. The crude is received from Shell Terminal in Bonny via a 24
pipeline of about 53km into the crude storage tank. The crude is settled and dewatered before
it is sent to the Crude Distillation Unit where the refining process starts up.
The basic process that cuts across all refineries is that of crude distillation. This is a physical
process that separates the crude into primary products, some of which may have to undergo
further processing in conversion units to upgrade their quality to target specifications. These
conversion units ensure maximization of the products yield and quality improvement. PHRC

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boasts of newer process technologies that are not only state of the art but also available in the
other NNPC refineries in Kaduna and Warri.
PHRC process plants are grouped into sections each called an “AREA”. There are 5 areas in
PHRC process plants with the New Port Harcourt Refining consisting of Area 1-4 and Old
Port-Harcourt Refinery consisting of only Area 5. Below is a summary of the refinery process
units, indicating unit’s numbers and capacities.
Area 1 This section of the process plant is made up of the Crude Distillation Unit where
fractional distillation of Crude oil at atmospheric pressure is used to attain products such as
Straight Running gasoline (SRG), Straight Running Naphtha(SRN), Straight Running Kero
(Kerosene), Light Diesel Oil (LDO), Heavy Diesel oil(HDO) the both diesel oils are blended
to obtain the Automotive Gas oil (AGO), and Atmospheric Residue (AR). Area 1 is also made
up of the Vacuum Distillation Unit Where further distillation of Atmospheric Residue at
reduced pressure gives products such as: Light Vacuum Gas Oil (LVGO), Heavy Vacuum Gas
Oil (HVGO) which are then blended together for feed stock for the Fluid Catalytic Cracking
Unit (FCCU).
Area 2: This comprises of the Naphtha Hydro treating Unit (NHU) where naphtha is hydro de-
sulphurized. The Catalytic Reforming Unit (CRU) responsible for upgrading naphtha into
reformate which has a higher octane value for PMS blend, The Kero Hydro treating unit (KHU)
where Kero is treated to make it suitable for aviation use, The Sour water treatment and Caustic
Treatment Units, The Continuous Catalytic Regeneration Unit (CCRU) which constantly
reactivates the deactivated catalyst.
Area 3: Consists of The Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit(FCCU) where the Vacuum Gas Oil
(VGO) from the vacuum distillation Unit and Heavy Diesel Oil are cracked to give more
valuable products such as: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Gasoline, and some components
of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) such as Light Cycle Oil (LCO), Main Column Bottom (MCB).
The Unit also consists of the Gas concentrating unit, Gas treatment Unit and the Mercarptans
Oxidation Unit.
Area 4: Consists of three Units which are short down due to some technical difficulties. They
consist of The Dimersol, Butamer Isomerization and The Alkylation units. The Units were
designed to produce higher octane Gasoline blend components.

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The Old Refinery (Area 5) consists of the Crude Distillation Unit, Plat form Unit, LPG unit
and as well as the Utilities.
AREAS PROCESS UNITS NO CAPACITY
AREA 1 Crude Distillation Unit
Vacuum Distillation Unit
10
15
150,000BPSD
53,560BPSD
AREA 2 Naphtha Hydro-treating Unit
Catalytic Reforming Unit
Kero Hydro-treating Unit
11
12
13
33,000BPSD
33,0000BPSD
14,500BPSD
AREA 3 Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit
Gas Concentration Unit
Gas Treating Unit
Merox Unit
16
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40,000BPSD
40,000BPSD
LPG 11,478BPSD Fuel Gas
16,458Nm3/h[
LPG 11,473BPSD
Gasoline 24,680BPSD
The Port Harcourt refinery is also sufficient in Power generation generated by the Power Plant
and Utilities section of the Refinery. The Unit consists of four (4) turbo-generators each with
a capacity of 14MW of electricity per hour having four (4) boilers which generates Steam of
120 tons each per hour. The section also generates cooling and service water, plant instrument
air and Nitrogen for cooling.
The refinery also has in it a team of maintenance personnel’s who take care of routine and
emergency repairs of the equipment’s.
She also has a Supply Chain Management System that oversees the procurement and storage
of needed spare parts and chemicals. PHRC also has an in house fire- fighting capacity.
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

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The Refinery is staffed with highly professional and skilled personnel with considerable
experience in Refining operations. Although employment into NNPC is conducted at the
operations headquarters, the peculiar needs of each of NNPC subsidiary companies are usually
taken into consideration in the deployment of personnel.
Below is the Refinery’s Organogram, depicting the administrative structure of the company.
The Managing Director is the Chief Executive Officer of the company. He is supported by two
Executive Directors, one in charge of operations and the other, responsible for the day to day
activities of the company’s key functions. The operations division is made up of Production,
Maintenance, Engineering and Technical Services, Production Planning and Quality Control,
Power Plant and Utilities and Health Safety and Environments Departments while the services
division is served by Finance and Accounts, Administration, Human Resources, Public Affairs
and Security Departments.
In addition, there is a Managing Director’s Division made up Materials Management, Planning
and Budget Monitoring, Internal Audit, Total Quality Management and the Company
Secretariat and Legal Advisory Services Departments.
All the departments are supported by Sectional and Unit heads. The total staff strength is about
1000.
OPERATIONS AND SERVICES DIRECTORATES, AND KEY DEPARTMENTS
There are two Directorates - the Operations and Services Directorates - with 16 main
Departments in the establishment. These are the Production, Maintenance, Production
Programming and Quality Control, Engineering and Technical Services. Power Plant and
Utilities Department; Health, Safety and Environment; Supply Chain Management; Finance
and Accounts; Planning and Budget Monitoring; Administration; Human Resources; Public
Affairs; Internal Audit; Security; Total Quality Management Department and Company
secretary /Legal Department
The Managing Director, who is the Chief Executive, co-ordinates the entire management and
activities of the company.

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MGR. Production MGR. MTCE
MGR. ETSD MGR. FS & EMGR. PPU MGR. PPQC
DM. Computer Services
SUPT. NetworkInfrastructures
SUPT. User SupportAndHardware
SUPT. ProcessComputers
+THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
Manager Supply Chain
Management
Manager Internal Audit
Manager Commercials
Manager Planning & Budget
Monitoring mmonitomonitoring
Manager Asset Management &
Rehab
Deputy Manager Total Quality
MGT.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORATE OF
S FINANCE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORATE OF
F OPERATIONS
EXECTUIVE DIRECTORATE OF
O SERVICES
MGR. Human Resources
MGR. Public Affairs
DM. Security
MGR. Finance & Investment
MGR. Accounts
MGR. Mgt. Account
SUPT. Application

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SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF PHRC ORGANOGRAM
PARTICIPATION AND WORK DONE
At PHRC, I was being deployed to Engineering and Technical Service Department which was
made up of four units: The User Support / Hardware unit, the Infrastructure / Network unit,
Application unit and Process Computer. There, we are scheduled to go through the four
different sections before the end of our SIWES period and acquire practical knowledge,
familiarize ourselves with the tools, activities and problems accompanied with each section.
PROCESS COMPUTER
During my stay, for the first two months, I was assigned to the Process Computer unit. As an
intern which I was, I was first briefed and taught about everything about the unit before I was
being trusted to carry out some work on my own.
The Process Computer unit is a unit in the computer Services section that is responsible for the
availability and maintainability of the DCS in PHRC. During my one Month SIWES period at
Process Computers, I was properly lectured on the importance of the DCS, the Versions and
components. We took trips to the various areas where the DCS is located which includes; Area
5, Oil Movement, Power Plant & Utility (PPU) and Process.
Availability – includes making request to the section responsible for making purchases or the
warehouse to purchase/release the DCS parts and installation.
Maintainability – includes installations of necessary resources, daily routine check,
replacement of damaged/faulty parts, cannibalization, calibrations, loading of software
(software acquisition), loop checking and signal injection, maintenance (including preventive
maintenance).

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DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEM (DCS)
The Distributed Control System (DCS) is a computerized control system for a process or plant,
in which autonomous controllers are distributed throughout the system but there is a central
operator supervisory control.
OPERATOR STATION (HMI) ……… FIELD STATION……… MARSHALLING RACK
HOW THE DCS WORK
As the name implies, Distributed Control System uses a Distributed System which provides
the system more redundancy that allows it to divide task of controlling among multiple
distributed systems unlike Programmable Logic Computer (PLC) which uses a central control
mechanism by using central controllers. This is to prevent total collapse of the DCS, in
situations where single parts of the system fails, the plant will continue its operations and
signals can still be sent and received, because it uses a bus network topology.
The DCS consists of; The Marshalling Rack, CTBC (centum terminal board cubicle), The
CFCD (centum field control duplex), CFMS (centum field monitoring station) and HMI
(human machine interface).

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DIAGRAMATIC STRUCTURE OF DCS COMPONENTS
DESCRIPTION OF WORK DONE
1. I assisted in carrying out daily System check to ascertain the status of the DCS in Area5,
Oil Movement, PPU and Process.
2. I was assigned and took charge of recording all DCS status, room temperature, and Total
Power and Boiler readings on daily basis.
3. I reported all work reviews to process logbook.
4. I transferred all reports from previous year in the process logbook to the system logbook.
5. I assisted in performing signal injections to check if a Tag is receiving signal in the field.
6. I assisted in loading of station (when there is a failure).
7. I assisted in carrying out system cannibalization.
8. I assisted in performing calibration.
9. I performed maintenance (preventive maintenance) on DCS.
MR Current
CTBC
Analog signal
CFCD
Digital signal
HMI
CFMS
Analog signal Digital signal (communication card)

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USER SUPPORT/HARDWARE UNIT
I was reassigned for the next month; I was assigned to the User Support unit which handles any
issue relating to computer hardware. As the name implies, this unit is responsible for handling
every hardware issues of all PC users
in PHRC. Their job specification ranges from replacement of damaged computer parts (from
the user-support store), backups, formats and installations, restocking of used up stationaries
(e.g. printer inks), setting up of projectors for meetings in various areas of PHRC to other
various forms of supports requested by user (online or offline).
While I was assigned to this unit for a month, I and other interns (posted to the unit as that
time) received lectures that enlightened and enabled us to work effectively and increased
productivity of the unit. This includes:
 Computer Hardware components and functions
 Computer Maintenance
 Electrostatic Discharge
 OS and drivers’ installations
 Importance of Slaving etc.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER
Anyone conversant with a desktop would know that there isn’t any single part called the
“Computer”. A computer is made up of many parts working together and it can be classified
into: hardware and software. The hardware refers to the physical parts of the computer that

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can be seen and touched; while the software on the other hand refers to instructions or
programs that tell the hardware what to do.
A computer can simply be referred to as a multipurpose electronic device that can receive,
manipulate data and store data.
COMPUTER HARDWARE
Computer hardware refers to the physical components of the computer that can be seen,
touched and handled. Computer hardware encompasses physical devices required to execute
and store the software. Without the hardware, computer would not exist and software will
have nothing to run.
COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER
Computers are made up of the following basic components:
SYSTEM UNIT
The system unit is usually referred to as a computer case. It is an enclosure that houses the
main interior components of a computer. The primary function of the system unit is to hold
together and protect all the other components of the computer which are sensitive from
outside elements.

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MOTHERBOARD
The motherboard is a circuit board that serves as a foundation for the internal components of
the computer. It allows the computer’s parts to receive power and facilitates communication
between the components.

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A Motherboard
Some components on the motherboard include:
o CMOS BATTERY: The CMOS battery is a memory chip that stores a computer’s
BIOS settings. Without this battery, each time the computer is turned off, the BIOS settings
will reset and you will need to set it up again.
o HEAT SINK: The heat sink is an electronic device that comprises of a fan which
cools components on the motherboard such as the processor. It carries away heat from the
CPU into the fins which provides a large surface area for heat to disperse through.
o COOLING FAN: There are some components which need to be kept within a
specified temperature range to prevent overheating which may lead to the malfunction and
damage of those components. Thus, the cooling is designed to remove hot air from the CPU
and keep the CPU cool at all times.
o PCI SLOT: PCI stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect. Its basic function is
to enable PCI devices to be connected to the CPU by being plugged into the PCI slot.

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o PROCESSOR: A processor is an electronic circuitry in the computer that
functions as the brain of the computer. It processes and responds to basic
instructions of a computer’s program.
HARD DISK DRIVE
A hard disk drive (HDD) is a data storage device that is used to store and retrieve digital
information. It is the main and largest storage device. A hard drive keeps hold of its data even
when the system is powered off; you can still have access to all the data when it’s powered
on. There are two main types of hard disk drive: IDE and SATA.
IDE stands for Integrated Drive Electronics or Parallel ATA; while SATA stands for Serial
Advanced Technology Attachment or Serial ATA. SATA is the newer standard while IDE is
the older standard. SATA drives are usually faster than IDE drives and the data transfer rate
of SATA drives are higher than IDE drives.

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RAM MEMORY
RAM stands for Random Access Memory and it is a primary storage device. RAM is a type
of computer memory that can be accessed at random. RAMs are used in storing data that is
actively used by the computer; they remember things only while the computer is powered on.
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE
Computer maintenance is the practice of keeping computers in a good state. It involves
various processes to keep the computer reliable and running properly. Both computer
hardware and software requires maintenance.
Hardware maintenance simply means maintaining or taking care of the physical components
of the computer, such as the keyboard, monitor, printer, system unit etc. it involves regular
cleaning of the physical components.
Software maintenance on the other hand means modifying a software or application programs
to improve its performance and ensures that computers’ programs work correctly. It involves
backups, upgrading software etc.

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TYPES OF COMPUTER MAINTENANCE
There are two types of computer hardware maintenance, namely: preventive and corrective
maintenance:
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Preventive maintenance is defined as a type of maintenance that is carried out on the
computer to improve its working performance and prevent failure. Most computers
malfunction because of dust and debris; thus, it is required we carry our preventive
maintenance regularly on every parts of the computer system to prevent it from
malfunctioning and also increase the life span of the computer. Preventive maintenance
involves cleaning of the parts of the computer system using a blower to blow out dust and
small pieces of dirt, scanning the system and hard drive for errors and viruses and disk
defragmentation. There are procedures and precautions we must follow while carrying out
preventive maintenance so as not to damage some components of the system.
CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE
Corrective maintenance is a type of maintenance carried out after a fault has been identified.
Corrective maintenance is a task carried out in order to fix and rectify a problem so that the
failed parts of a computer system can be furbished up to an operational condition. Corrective
maintenance is often performed by IT professionals or computer maintenance and repair
specialist. It is required that when users notice any unusual behavior with their computers,
should report immediately to a computer maintenance specialist as this could minimize the
effect of the problem.
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is the sudden flow of electricity between two electrically
charged bodies or objects caused by contact. Electrostatic discharge can occur when working

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with the computer and is one of the few things that could damage the computer or parts in the
computer. We humans have positive charges accumulated on our skins; it is important we
discharge these charges before touching parts of the computer.
To prevent electrostatic damage, observe the following precautions:
1. Avoid hand contact by transporting and storing products in static-safe containers.
2. Avoid touching circuitry.
3. Place parts on ground surface before removing them from them their containers.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK DONE
1. I performed slaving and backup of HDD with booting issues.
2. I carried out fresh installations OS and drivers on PC.
3. I performed system troubleshoot to determine their problems and activated their solution.
4. I assisted in setting up Projectors for various events in PHRC.
5. I assisted in carrying out Preventive maintenance (especially on Thursdays).
6. I assisted in carrying out survey to determine User Support Job Performance.
7. I assisted in performing system upgrades/downgrades as the situation requires.
8. I also assisted in attending to User issues (online and offline).

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NETWORKING
Networking can be defined as the interconnection of two or more computing devices together
through a connection.
COMPUTER NETWORKING COMPONENTS
The basic computer networking components include:
CLIENT
Clients are applications that run on computers and rely on servers for data. The client is
usually operated by the user.
SERVER
A server is a computer that provides services and data to other computers through a network.
There are basically two types of servers; a small file server in an office in which people back
up files to and share files. The other type of server refers to computer that have to be on at all
times and if for any reason they stop functioning, everything just goes down.
SWITCH

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A network switch is a networking device that keeps computer users and other devices
connected to a network. Switches come in various sizes; they could come in 4 ports, 8 ports,
16 ports, 32 ports and even 64 ports. All switches have an uplink port which connects the
local network to a wide area network; while the other ports are for computers to be
connected. There are three layers of switches which include:
CORE SWITCH: The core switch layer is referred to as the backbone switch. It is a high-
capacity switch and serves as an interconnect edge switch in a wide area network.
ACCESS SWITCH: The access switch layer is responsible for connecting devices to a
network.
DISTRIBUTION SWITCH: The distribution switch layer is responsible for routing.
Switches are usually mounted in racks in telecom cabinets to prevent shock, dissipate heat
and manage cables.
ROUTER
A router is a networking device that shares data between two networks. Router acts as a
dispatcher and is located at gateways. A gateway is a place where two or more networks
connect.
NETWORK CARDS
Network cards come in two types: NIC and Wireless NIC.
NIC is an acronym for Network Interface Card. NIC is a computer hardware component that
enables computers to be connected to a network using an Ethernet cable.
Wireless Network Card is a card which connects to a wireless computer network rather than a
wired network.
CABLE AND CONNECTORS
A network cable is a networking component used to connect networking devices together.
The connector is the part of a cable that plugs into a port to connect devices together. Most
connectors are either male connector; containing pins or female containing holes in which the
male connector can be inserted. There are a number of networking cables:

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ETHERNET CABLE
Ethernet cable is one of the most popular types of network cable used. Ethernet cables are
commonly used in local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN). The Ethernet
cable connects computer devices to a network like switches and routers.
The Ethernet cables are connected in two ways: the straight cable connection and crossover
cable connection. The straight cable is the one that is connected from the computer to a
switch or router. It is the most commonly used type of Ethernet connection. Crossover cable
connection on the other hand is one that is connected from switches to switches or from
routers to routers.
HOW TO CRIMP ETHERNET CABLES
Crimping an Ethernet cable simply means connecting the cable to a connecting by cutting,
compressing and deforming ends of the wires of the cable. Ethernet cables are crimped using
the crimping tool. The ways straight and crossover cables are crimped differs in the
arrangement of the wires inside the cables. The colors of the wires inside the cable are: white

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of orange and orange, white of blue and blue, white of green and green and white of brown
and brown.
The following are the steps in crimping a straight cable:
1. Gather the materials needed; Ethernet cable, RJ45 connector and crimping tool.
2. Use the cutter in the crimping tool to cut the plastic shield of the cable by spinning the
cable round.
3. Separate and untwist the twisted wires in the cable and cut off the core of the cable.
4. Arrange the wires in the cable in the following order: white of orange followed by
orange, white of green followed by blue, white of blue followed by green and white of
brown followed by brown.
5. After arranging the wires, straighten them making sure the wires aren’t mixed.
6. If the wires in the cable are lengthy, cut the wires equally to a suitable length.
7. Insert the wires into the RJ45 connector making sure they are still aligned and don’t
mix up. Also make sure they fit into the appropriate channel.
8. Use the crimping tool to crimp the RJ45 connector onto the cable by compressing it.
9. Your cable is ready for use.
The following are the steps in crimping a crossover cable:
1. Gather the materials required to crimp; Ethernet cable, RJ45 connector and crimping
tool.
2. Use the cutter in the crimping tool to cut the plastic shield of the cable by spinning the
cable round.
3. Separate and untwist the twisted wires in the cable and cut off the core in the cable.

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4. Arrange the wires in the cable in the following order: white of green followed by
green, white of orange followed by blue, white of blue followed by orange and white
of brown followed by brown.
5. After arranging the wires, straighten them making sure the wires aren’t mixed.
6. If the wires in the cable are lengthy, cut the wires equally to a suitable length.
7. Insert the wires into the RJ45 connector making sure they are still aligned and don’t
mix up. Also make sure they fit into the appropriate channel.
8. Use the crimping tool to crimp the RJ45 connector onto the cable by compressing it.
9. Your cable is ready for use.
COAXIAL CABLE
Coaxial cable is sometimes referred to as coax cable. Coaxial cable is a type of copper cable
that has an inner conductor surrounded by an insulating layer, which is surrounded by a
conducting shield. Coaxial cable is used as a transmission line for radio frequency signals. It
connects radio transmitters and receivers with their antennas and computer network.
TERMINATING A COAXIAL CABLE
To terminate a coaxial cable means connecting the cable to a connector which enables it
possible for the cable to be connected to other devices. Below are the steps in terminating a
coaxial cable:
1. The first step to be taken is to gather all the tools needed to terminate the cable. The
tools include: coaxial cable, connector, crimping tool, cable cutter, connector tool,
coax stripper tool etc.
2. Use the cutter of the crimping tool to make a straight cut on the cable.
3. Strip the end of the coaxial cable using the coax stripper tool. Fasten the stripper
down on the cable, spin the cable round to cut the outer part of the cable and pull off
the outer shield of the cable.
4. Pull off the second segment of the cable which reveals a foil covering the cable.
5. Peel off the foil covering the cable and fold back the loosed wires against the cable.

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6. If the conductor wire is lengthy, cut it to a suitable length.
7. Put the connector on the end of the cable and push the connector firmly onto the
cable.
8. Use the crimping tool to compress the connector firmly.
9. After compressing, inspect the connections thoroughly for errors or mistakes.
FIBRE OPTIC CABLES
Fiber optic cable, also known as optical fiber cable is a network cable that contains plastic or
glass fibers which transmit data through light waves. Fiber cable is the backbone of the
world’s communication system. Practically, most applications that communicate with data
are connected to the fiber cable. The optic fibers are contained in a plastic tube which
protects the fiber from damage. Fiber optic cables can carry communication signals faster and
can transmit data farther than coaxial cables.
Fiber optic cables are designed for both indoor and outdoor applications. The indoor fiber
optic cable has less temperature and less mechanical stress compared to the outdoor fiber
optic cable. Outdoor fiber cables are more rugged and tougher; they are capable of
withstanding any kind of weather condition.
There are different types of fiber optic connectors for different purposes. Fiber optic
connectors are terminated at the end of the cable. It helps align the fibers in the cable for light
waves to pass through.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FIBER OPTIC CABLES AND COAXIAL CABLE
FIBER OPTIC CABLE COAXIAL CABLE

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1. Fiber cables are glass strands which
carries light waves.
Coaxial cable is a copper which carries
electrical signals.
2. Fiber optic cable transfers more
information and data faster.
Coaxial cable transfer data at slower rates.
3. Fiber cables are thin cables. Coaxial cables are physically robust.
4. Fiber cables are expensive to
purchase.
Coaxial cables are inexpensive.
5. Fiber cables offers more secure
connections.
Coaxial cable offers less secure
connections.
6. Fiber cables can carry
communications farther.
Coaxial cables carry information within
short distances.
MICROWAVE ANTENNA
Microwave antennas are important in radio communication systems. Microwave antenna is a
communication transmission device that is used to transmit signals between two locations.
Microwave antennas are usually used for point to point communication. Microwave antennas
convert electric signals to electromagnetic waves.
Antennas are important in radio communication system designs. Radio wave is the
combination of magnetic field and electrical field. Runs power to the antenna.

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CHAPTER 2
EXPERIENCE GAINED
During my stay at Port Harcourt Refining Company, I gained experience on the following
areas:
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF SYSTEMS
During the course of using a computer a user might encounter some problems, problems
encountered ranges from:
I. General decrease in speed of processing and carrying out operations, this could be due to
virus attack, presence of corrupt files, malfunction of computer parts E.g. hard drive
II. Iteration or looping of system while booting: This could be as a result of not shutting down
your system normally or shutting down while the computer is trying to install an update
from the central server.
III. Hanging Systems: This could be due to the presence of some security tools which prevents
the system from carrying out normal operations.
When problems like these are encountered systems are retrieved to tower storm for repairs.
Various methods are adopted to ensure a good working condition of such systems.
REPAIRING A SYSTEM:
This is done either by inserting the Vista or Xp Operating System CD in the CD ROM drive
and running a repair following the instructions, while running it tries to identify and resolve
problems found, if it is not able to resolve the problems found it displays the result on the
screen so that any other method can be adopted. This doesn’t tamper with your documents
so there is no need to back up files before doing this.
RESTORING TO FACTORY SETTINGS:
This is done when the Operating System is totally bad or corrupt. Press F11 or F8 at initial
booting and follows the Instructions. This tampers with your files so you need to back up
the contents of your hard disk.

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ANTIVIRUS SCAN
This is done when the system is malfunctioning. The hard drive is scanned with a suitable
Antivirus E.g. Symantec End Point Protection to detect and eliminate corrupt files due to
virus attack.
RUNNING SYSTEM RESTORE:
This restores the Operating system to an earlier date, a date when the computer functioned
properly. It helps to fix problems that might make the system slow. To restore a system to
an earlier date:
 Click the Start button
 Click all programs
 Click Accessories
 Click System tools
 Click System Restore, Set the date you want the system to be restored to.
SYSTEM ENSLAVING /BACKING UP FILES
This is done to retrieve the files in a faulty hard drive. The files in the faulty hard drive have to
be backed up in a functioning hard drive through System Enslaving. To retrieve the files:
 Remove the faulty hard drive from System A.
 Use a SATA cable to connect the faulty hard drive to the white slot on the mother board
of System B making it the slave, the original hard disk in System B is called the master
drive because it is connected to the Blue slot on the mother board by default.
 Connect one of the power cables from the CD ROM drive to the faulty hard disk.
 Power on the System.
 Click on Start
 Click Computer
 Double Click on the slave drive Local Disk (E :) or (F :)
 Double click Users
 Double Click Documents and Settings
 Copy all the files on the user’s Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Downloads.

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 Double Click the on the Local Disk (C :)
 Create a new folder and paste the user’s documents, this successfully backs up the
contents of the faulty hard disk.
PRINTER INSTALLATION
 Install the cartridges in the printer and add paper to the tray.
 Insert installation CD and run the printer set up application (usually “set up.exe”),
which will
 install the printer derives.
 Connect your printers to the PC using the USB cable and turn it on.
 Look in your printer’s folders on your computer (on windows xp, go to “start” then a
printers and faxes.
 Print test page.in windows, right – click on the printer and go to “properties” then click
the “print test page” button. On Mac, click on the “options and supplies” button, then
the “utility” tab and click” print test page”. if all goes well, your test page will print and
your printer will now be set
OTHER SKILLS ACQUIRED
 Interpersonal skills in relating with colleagues and staffs.
 Analytical skills for problem identification, analysis and providing solution.
 Managerial skills.
 Communication skills.

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CHAPTER 3
OBSERVATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
OBSERVATIONS
There were some very nice observations commendable. I made during my stay at the Refineries
Computer Services and even the whole refinery complex. Such observations were.
1. Safety was every one’s watch word and song in the refinery, the members of staff
always say that safety is “safety is key” so they are very safety conscious due to the fact
the refinery environment is a very hazardous environment so we were made to work
safely. As part of the safety rules by the HSE department no one was allowed to use
mobile phone or camera around the refinery plant areas. This was a bit hard to cope
with initially but we just had to adjust since it was the rule.
2. I also observed a high level of division of labour among the staff members. Every of
the staff on duty knew what to do per time, no one was been told what to do or
compelled to perform his or her duty. It really showed a high level of discipline and
commitment to their duty, and made a lot of us the IT students to imbibe the same
attitude.
3. Due to the fact that the refinery environment was not really human friendly most of the
staff members operated on shift duty with four days out of the week for rest. This made
the staff more energetic and renewed whenever they return to dispense their duties.
4. I observed that safety was paramount in the company. There was need for all staffs
who work in the plants to have the proper and complete safety equipment for work
and also obey all safety rules and regulations.
5. I also observed that mobile phones were banned inside the refinery plants because
they could cause a spark of an intensity that could ignite a vapor air mix.

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6. I observed that all staffs of each unit in my department always had meetings which
was mandatory every morning to report the previous day’s job and also discuss the
present day’s activities with their superintendents.
7. I observed how communication via the telecom played a vital role in making jobs
easier and faster.
8. I observed that all staffs of each unit in my department always had meetings which
was mandatory every morning to report the previous day’s job and also discuss the
present day’s activities with their superintendents
9. I also observed the enthusiasm the staff showed in teaching and impacting knowledge
in the interns.
10. I observed that punctuality was taken seriously and improper dressing was prohibited.
11. I observed that neatness was a key attribute as the environment and surroundings was
kept clean at all times.
12. I also observed the enthusiasm the staff showed in teaching and impacting knowledge
in the interns.
13. I observed that safety was paramount in the company. There was need for all staffs
who work in the plants to have the proper and complete safety equipment for work
and also obey all safety rules and regulations.
CONTRIBUTIONS
1. I was always available and ever ready to assist in any job to be done.
2. I learnt how to troubleshoot networks and fix network issues which I was able to do
on my own when the need arose.
3. I assisted in the installation of some software and drivers in various computer
systems.
4. I was always present at every unit and departmental meetings.
5. I always followed my unit supervisor out for jobs at other departments.

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6. I also carried out preventive maintenance with other interns on systems and networks
devices monthly as it was required.
7. I learnt how to crimp network cables which enabled me to crimp several functional
network cables without supervision to staffs who requested.
8. I did a power point presentation which I presented to all members of my department.
RECOMMENDATION
1. I suggested to the company staff and would also want to suggest on this plat form that
more staff should be employed for the work. The issue of short staffing should not be
heard of in our nation where a whole lot of competent and qualified individual are
found in the labour market scouting for job opportunity and here is work begging for
workers, but no proper employment opportunity by the NNPC.The government should
employ workers to help remedy this few workers.
2. The spirit of team work should be the watch word and song among the staff. The staff
members should strive harder for a better team work because, for the work to be done
smoothly and carried out effectively and efficiently the team spirit and optimistic mind
set should engrave the heart of the staff.
3. Out dated equipment’s should be replaced and put away and modern facilities should
be used to replace them so as to bring our analysis method up to date.

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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I can say that my 6 months Industrial Attachment at Port Harcourt Refining
Company was a huge success and a great time of acquisition of knowledge and skills. It was a
fulfilling and an expository experience as it helped improve my knowledge generally on what
life is like outside school and learning environment.
It has helped me know what it is like to work in a very large organization, how things are
done in an organization, the likely things to expect after school when working, also what it is
like to do your job right and to do it at the right time in order to avoid any form of query.
My training has helped me improve in my course of study; and through my training I was
able to appreciate my course of study even more, because I had the opportunity to blend the
theoretical knowledge acquired from school with the practical hands-on application of
knowledge gained here to perform tasks to produce a successful result.
It also helped me improve on my communication and presentation skills; and developed a
good relationship with my colleagues at work. The SIWES program also helped me to choose
a reasonable career path for myself.