Golf course Critic

Self Explanatory

Been on three projects and it looks like they could keep me busy for awhile. First project was in Waupun, Wisconsin. Installed three new truck loading racks at a Gasoline/Diesel terminal. Included new transformer, switchgear, utility tie in, pumps, motors , fire and gas, oily water and foam systems. Project pretty much came in as planned. Then went to Portland International Airport in Oregon and installed some temporary gasoline and diesel tanks with dispensers to fill up airport equipment. Also installed a Jet A loading arm that was supplied from the Jet A hydrant system. For this job I was the site manager.Presently I am in New Jersey installing some new relay panels in a substation. The panels are to up grade some very old relays that are controlling 26KV Breakers for domestic distribution in the West Orange area. It's a pretty interesting job and once again I am the site manager.

After the Angola job I took a couple months off and went looking for work closer to home. TRS (Fluor) hired me as a superintendent (electrical) working with Chevron in the San Joaquin BU on the WPWP. The project was interesting and working with the Fluor team was good, but my wife ended up needing shoulder surgery so I took a job really close to home with SpaceX. I was an electrician again on a Rocket site. It had been at least 20 years since I was on tools. While there I updated some of there electrical preventive maintenance tasks and worked as a electrician. Yep installing conduit, pulling wire, terminating wires. Installed a new transformer and tied it in to new switchgear. Even installed some exit lights. The Rocket launch was successful. I got a patch to prove it. So being involved with a rocket launch was truly a bucket list item.

Took a job where I could be a little closer to home but I get to travel a little and I like the group I am working with so far. Pretty good set up. Helping with estimates, constructability, QA/QC, mechanical completion, Commissioning, typical stuff. The best part is I get outside (of course I may not be happy come summer with that).Moved onto the Congo River Project which is a 140 km LNG line from Soyo to Off shore platforms. Interesting job as the line passes through the Democratic Republic of the Congo and it goes under a 5000 foot canyon. That Canyon made perhaps the worlds largest U-tube. Fun hydraulics. I helped with the pre-commissioning and commissioning plans and execution. Also got to play site control engineer at times and used my Control Logix experience. Also was involved with the VSAT, Microwave radios and Nav-Aids. Nav-Aids were fun as it was new to me. Love that Radar stuff.

A OR consultant (thats right they changed the accronym) coordinates the handover of a facility from construction to operations. In the old days this would be considered a start up engineer but in reality it is more than that. Want to make sure the operators know how to run the equipment (training), the maintenance staff has the ability and parts to maintain the facility, the construction group built the facility to company approved standards, and then we get to do the start up. Start up would include functional checkout, purging, pressure testing, leak checking then final operation of the facility checking performance.Then you take your findings through the whole process and feed back to all the groups both positive and improvable things to make the process smoother. Now you know

Brown Field construction converting remote sites to three phase flow for central gathering facility. Put the flares out at the remote sites.Work was done in the NIger Delta (swamp) at four facilities. Abiteye, Makaraba, Opuekeba and Utonana

Commissioning plans and execution for produced water and condensate gathering systems.

Commissioning and Construction of the Crude Expansion Project. Lots of Fun.

Created and executed the commissioning and handover plans for the Rebuild Iraq Oil program in Northern Iraq.

If you don't know what it's like to work at a 100 year old facility with 2000 motors, 200 plc's, 28 substations, 7 or 8 separate business facilities that need technical support or a plug moved because the heater under thier desk keeps popping a circuit breaker well you can't do the job.You must also like Boiler, Kilns, Blowers, Pumps, and packaging equipment.