General Manager Engineering & Technical Services
Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Co; (OQ8)
Total years of experience :23 years, 7 Months
Lead the Engineering & Technical Services Duqm Refinery (230K BPSD crude oil processing capacity), Ras Markaz crude oil import terminal, 80 km crude oil pipeline, Duqm terminal, allied pipelines network, utilities including water treatment like Demin, Polished water production, steam generation, nitrogen generation, drinking water, firewater, cooling water, waste water treatment (project worth of USD 8.6 Billion). The main responsibilities and accountabilities are as follows:
• Provide timely engineering solutions to existing assets where design issues are identified, by providing final approval to large-scale feasibility reports, engineering solution budgets, procurement and construction plans.
• Develop the projects by identifying and analyzing new business opportunities for energy efficiency, low emissions & renewable technologies, products and services to enhance performance, efficiency, and to generate significant new revenue streams.
• Manage HSE risks and making strategic recommendations to lead a dynamic portfolio of opportunities by building partnerships and securing collaborative agreements with various stakeholders in realizing opportunities.
• Lead Process & Energy Optimization activities while working closely with the Asset Areas and Process Engineering to ensure prioritization of initiatives and timeliness to maximise value creation from the asset portfolio by applying latest software, and digitalization technologies. Also contribute to research and development projects.
• Develop, prioritise and optimise asset lifecycle plans for operating assets that closely align with the overarching Asset Integrity & Asset Management plans.
• Lead a transformation programme to establish better and best practices to lift the operational integrity and availability of the existing manufacturing plants.
• Lead the Management of Change (MoC) process for the implementation of plant modifications and capital projects through Identification, Definition and Selection phases as well as Execution to address the HSE, Asset Integrity, Reliability and Performance issues.
• Support broader business planning activities including budgeting, long term financial modelling and Economic Regulator submissions.
• Lead the development of employees through coaching and mentoring by preparing/implementing training matrix.
I was responsible to manage the Engineering and Technical Services for Shah Gas Plant and Sulfur Granulation facilities (Project value of USD 10 Billion) operations and support to future projects while maintaining HSE and Integrity, I was leading Process Engineering, Asset Integrity, Inspections, Laboratory and Technical Support teams of various discipline engineers with 60+ direct hire employees. Shah Gas Project is the world largest ultra - sour gas field costing over USD10 Billion with 1000MMSCFD gas processing capacity containing 25% H2S &10% CO2 in feed gas to produce 504 MMSCFD sales gas, 4, 400TPD NGL, 33, 000BPD Hydrotreated condensate and 10, 000TPD Granulated Sulphur. The major responsibilities were:
• To lead the process optimization initiatives by studying and implementing latest software’s to enhance performance, profitability, and efficiency of system. Actively contribute to research and development projects.
• Lead the Projects Identification, Selection and Definition phases as well as Execution to support the delivery of superior safety, scope, cost, and quality outcomes
• Engage peers across various functions to ensure alignment and coordinate the delivery of the Operational Excellence Framework.
• To develop innovative ideas by application of modern technologies to enhance performance, better efficiency, and increased profitability.
• Manage budget, Technology tools, software, human resources of the department to achieve the objectives in an effective and cost-conscious manner. Leading the development of employees through coaching and mentoring.
• Facilitate the effective implementation of Asset Integrity Policy, Asset Integrity Reliability Management System Framework, Process Safety Management Standards, and related procedures.
• To develop annual and 5 years’ integrity plans based on Risk Based Inspection (RBI) studies.
• To lead the investigation team for site integrity incidents (particularly all forms of loss of containment and significant causes of equipment failure, categorize root causes, provide advice on solutions, and publicize lessons learnt.
• Identify gaps in staff competencies and pursue opportunities to develop them by coordinating with Human Capital Division to establish a competent workforce driving for improvement with special attention to UAE Nationals in achieving the company’s Emiratization target.
I have been involved in PDP preparation, review of PFDs, P&IDs, HAZOP studies, site construction and commissioning and startup activities. Focal point in Process Engineering for promoting and supporting company Continuous Improvement Process to identify improvement opportunities for Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) and Polypropylene Petrochemical Complex which also included Green Hydrogen plant. Major responsibilities were as follows:
•Review and approve the process parameters adjustments to maximize yield, meet production plans, plant reliability and profitability based on process performance monitoring and implementation of appropriate optimization tools.
•Develop long term process engineering and technology upgrade projects to improve safety and profitability.
•Conduct Feasibility studies, concept development, engineering and project management for new projects.
•Support the Business Development in technology selection for the new projects.
•Ensure that engineering activities undertaken on the project follow relevant legislation, codes, standards, and documentation.
•Preparation of Process Design Packages (PDP) for plant modifications and Capital Projects under MOC procedure. Conducting the Process Safety Reviews, HAZOP studies, participation in PSSRs.
•Identifying and manage overall engineering resource requirements for different phases of projects like PDP, EPC, and execution.
•Lead the Reliability studies along with the Operation, Maintenance, Asset Integrity and Engineering discipline team to enhance plant availability and reliability as well as the implementation of lesson learned and best practices.
•Participate in Shutdown / Turnaround activities planning, execution of major equipment inspection and repairs.
•Coordinator for Plant related risk engineering issues and insurance matters.
•Training and coaching of graduate engineers to prepare for integration into long term roles.
Key Accomplishments
•In view of various unplanned shutdowns due to boiler tripping, led the studies for the plant reliability and availability which concluded that third boiler need to be added in the steam generation system to enhance plant reliability. Later I was assigned as Process Lead for Third Boiler Project team where I led the Pre-FEED, FEED Package including Design Basis, development of PFD, P&IDs, HAZOP studies, cost estimates, execution strategy, economics/life cycle etc. Coordinated all pre-commissioning & commissioning activities and successfully connected the Boiler with the steam system.
•Led the installation of Green Hydrogen manufacturing unit including storage bullets where I led the Pre-FEED, FEED Package including Design Basis, Development of PFD, P&IDs, HAZOP studies, cost estimates, execution strategy, economics/life cycle analysis, justification in terms of HSE, production/availability/utilization, commercial payback, asset integrity and legislative requirements. Later on coordinated the detailed engineering, construction, pre-commissioning & commissioning activities, and startup to ensure the continuous supply of hydrogen to PDH and PP Plants. Developed comprehensive performance monitoring and quality assurance plan for it sustainable operation.
•Led the APC implementation project with Rockwell team in term of specifying, designing, developing, testing, documenting, installing, and commissioning advanced control applications using Profit Controller/Optimizer, DCS algorithms which helped to improve annual revenue generation by USD 5M.
•Participated in two turnarounds and coordinated with Operation and Maintenance for the execution of activities like neutralization of reactors, catalyst unloading, reloading, change out of REDs adsorbent, solvent cleaning & final inspection of fin fan coolers bundles, execution of various modifications, safe shutdown and start up activities etc.
•Worked closely with the consultant and finance team in securing the USD 25 Million Insurance claim for the Oleflex reactor catalyst containment loss incident occurred during
Led the Process optimization and performance enhancement related activities for Crude Distillation, Vacuum Distillation, Hydrocracking, Gas Concentration, Naphtha Hydrotreating, CCR Platforming, Amine Treating, Sulfur Recovery Units, Utilities, Wastewater treating units and Offsites at state of the art 100KBPSD PARCO Mid Country Refinery in Pakistan. Major responsibilities were:
•Perform in depth monitoring and optimize plant by simulations, observing plant operations, calculating losses, and maintaining catalyst activity.
•Provide technical services and assistance to troubleshoot problems associated with process and coordinating other sections such as HSE, Operations, Maintenance, and Inspection.
•Preparing technical specifications of operating chemicals and other materials and carrying out the technical evaluation of chemicals and catalyst. Optimization of chemical consumption, fuel & energy i.e. electric power, fuel gas, fuel & steam conservation at the process units.
•Lead special activities like catalyst unloading, catalyst loading, cooling water exchangers survey, chemical cleaning of equipment, test runs etc.
•Coordination / mentoring the internship program of Chemical Engineers. Provide training, guidance, and counseling to trainees with a clear objective of career development.
Key Accomplishments
•Participated in the commissioning, start up and performance guarantee test run of Refinery.
•Prepared the computer simulation models, excel based program to achieve optimum performance.
•Led the catalyst change out activities of Hydrocracking unit which included unloading, reactor neutralization, reactor inspections, catalyst loading and sulfiding.
•Participated in two major turnarounds of refinery where the involvement included the preparation of scope of work, special metallurgy equipment neutralization, catalyst unloading/loading, shutdown, and startup support to operations.
•Study for utilization of natural gas and Refinery Fuel Oil (RFO) at Heaters and Boilers resulted in saving of about USD 20millions/year.
•With effective monitoring and corrective actions, corrosion rate of cooling water system decreased from 5.0mpy to 0.1mpy.