26-675.B - Plant Operations Engineer

Hilcorp Energy Company; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Hilcorp Energy Company is seeking an experienced Process Engineer to support gas processing plants across the Lower 48 states. The role involves analyzing operational problems, proposing value-enhancing projects, and coordinating with Asset teams for execution.

You will perform heat and material balances, hydraulic simulations, and sizing of relief devices while collaborating across operations and engineering disciplines to improve profitability, operability, and safety.

Qualifications

• Four or more years in oil and gas/process engineering.
• Direct plant operations engineering experience preferred.
• Familiarity with PHA/Process Safety Management concepts.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support to Plant Operations and Asset Teams forHilcorp's gas processing plants in the lower 48 states.
• Analyze operational problems, develop alternatives and recommend optimal solutions.
• Develop scopes, timelines and cost estimates for expensing and capital projects.
• Coordinate with contractors and vendors to ensure on-time, on-budget execution.
• Lead or participate in PHAs and address recommendations with projects.
• Create heat balances and perform hydraulic simulations for pipelines.

Skills

Engineering analysis

Process safety

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Effective communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Tools

HYSYS

ProMax

Job description

Job Objective:
Provide engineering support to Plant Operations and Asset Teams for Hilcorp's gas processing plants in the L48. Provides engineering analysis of operational problems and then identifies and proposes value-enhancing projects. Coordinates with the Integrity Management team on integrity inspections, assessments and risk mitigation projects/programs. Provides full range of engineering & technical support to the Asset teams for new project development and execution.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Regularly interacts with plant operations leadership and personnel to analyze operational problems, develop alternatives and recommend optimal solutions
• Seeks out and identifies opportunities to optimize systems, save costs, improve operations, and maximize operating performance & value
• Provides design engineering, scope development, timelines and cost estimates for expense and capital projects that enhance operability, profitability, and efficiency as well as growth capital projects
• Coordinates construction personnel to ensure execution on desired scope of work
• Manages plant upgrade and modification projects to completion.
• Manages outside resources (engineering, project management, vendors, etc.) as needed.
• Analyzes and optimizes natural gas processing plant recoveries
• Participates or leads PHAs for processing facilities and is responsible for identifying projects to address PHA recommendations and findings
• Provide plant engineering support for all L48 plants and processing facilities, be the subject matter expert / liaison for processing facilities that they own and operate
• Create heat & material balances for processes for both existing and new designs
• Perform hydraulic simulations of pressures and flow rates through pipelines transporting oil, NGLs or natural gas
• Size and specify relief devices for both gas and liquids with an understanding of the theory/calculations associated with relief valve sizing and overpressure scenarios
• Perform overall relief and flare system evaluations
• Trouble-shoot operational issues at gas processing plants, sulfur recovery unit, and compressor stations and develop recommendations.
• Works in coordination with the commercial team in new growth project development, providing iterations and various options for initial feasibility designs & cost estimates
• May assist with due diligence work on assets proposed to be acquired by Hilcorp, including participating in data rooms, conducting field reviews and observations
• Ensures the execution of assigned projects with quality workmanship, on-time, on-budget in accordance with the proposed scope of work

Other Job Responsibilities:

• Meet with various local, state and federal agencies regarding assigned projects as needed
• Present information at our field monthly update meetings on overall company performance and trends
• Assist in incident response efforts and investigations as required

Qualifications:

• Four (4) years minimum oil and gas /process engineering experience
• Two (2) years minimum of direct plant operations engineering experience
• Working knowledge and understanding of Process Safety Management and Process Hazard Analysis and able to perform engineering function for PHA's for process facilities
• Possess a solid understanding of plant equipment such as compressors, pumps, piping, vessels, gas treating and processing equipment, fractionation, flares, etc.
• Experienced and proficient with process modeling programs such as HYSYS and ProMax.
• Experienced and knowledgeable in industry codes and standards such as ASME, API, NFPA, etc.
• Adhere to Hilcorp's Core Values (Integrity, Urgency, Ownership, Alignment, and Innovation)
• Ability to approach job assignments with urgency and apply sound engineering judgement and diligence
• Ability to work with operations teams and develop effective working relationships across the organization
• Ability to maintain a positive, professional and solutions-oriented approach with employees, supervisors, other departments, officials, and the public
• Ability to communicate effectively and share ideas
• Ability to complete multiple, diverse tasks of differing priorities.
• Willing to travel 25% of the time and more if required for project or turnaround support.

Education Requirements:

• Required: Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from an accredited university (Preferably Mechanical or Chemical Engineering)

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations:

• Professional Engineer license desirable