Methods and systems to detect transient operations from abnormal operations, and to detect abnormal operations in a coker heater, include collecting on-line process data. The collected on-line process data is generated from a plurality of process variables of the process, or coker heater. A first representation of the operation of the process, or coker heater, is generated based on a first set of the collected on-line process data generated from a first set of the process variables. The first representation is adapted to be executed to generate a first result. A second representation of the operation of the process, or coker heater, is generated based on the first result and based on a second set of the collected on-line process data generated from a second set of the process variables. The second representation is adapted to be executed to generate a prediction of data generated from the second set of the process variables. The prediction is analyzed to detect an abnormal operation or to detect whether one or more abnormal operations comprises a transient operation of the process.