Location: Houston, TX (West Houston / Energy Corridor area)
Assignment Duration: 1+ Year Contract
Pay Rate Range: $75.05 – $101.54 / hour (W2, commensurate with experience)
Field Travel: Occasional offshore execution support (1 month duration; flexibility required)
Overview:
We are seeking a senior Pigging / Integrity Engineer to provide subject matter expertise for pipeline integrity, flushing, and pigging operations supporting major offshore deepwater decommissioning and abandonment activities in the Gulf of Mexico.
This role serves as the technical lead driving pipeline readiness for safe decommissioning—leading the planning, engineering, flushing, cleaning, dewatering, depressurization, and isolation sequences. Working closely with SURF, subsea, flow assurance, marine construction, and regulatory disciplines, the engineer will ensure all operational sequences comply with industry best practices and U.S. offshore regulatory frameworks (BSEE/BSSE/MMA, USCG).
Key Responsibilities:
- Pipeline Integrity Assessment & Abandonment Readiness: Conduct pre-decommissioning integrity evaluations for offshore pipelines and risers. Review historical inspection data, ILI runs, wall thickness measurements, corrosion models, and anomaly registers to draft recommendations for safe isolation, depressurization, and removal.
- Pigging & Flushing Program Leadership: Architect comprehensive pigging programs covering mechanical cleaning, gauging, debris clearing, chemical treatment, and fluid/nitrogen displacement sequences. Specify pig types, disc/cup configurations, batching trains, chemical additives, and push-fluid hydraulics.
- Offshore Execution & Operational Support: Provide direct engineering support during offshore campaigns—monitoring tracking data, differential pressures, flow/rate control, and operational readiness. Lead troubleshooting and contingency response for offshore anomalies.
- Multi-Discipline & SIMOPS Coordination: Interface across SURF, flow assurance, marine operations, and regulatory teams to ensure pigging windows integrate seamlessly into broader offshore SIMOPS and vessel schedules. Address technical queries (TQs) and requests for information (RFIs).
- Engineering Deliverables & Compliance: Develop detailed pigging operating procedures, management of change (MOC) documentation, operational readiness packages, as-found/as-left dossiers, and regulatory close-out records aligned with standard U.S. offshore rules.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Petroleum, Pipeline, Subsea, or related Engineering discipline (advanced degree valued).
- Experience: 10+ years of dedicated offshore pipeline engineering experience with emphasis on pigging, flushing, and operational integrity.
- Technical Depth: Proven background in pipeline decommissioning/abandonment engineering, barrier/isolation philosophies, nitrogen displacement, and aggressive line-cleaning chemistry.
- Leadership Profile: Proactive technical lead and self-starter with proven problem-solving capabilities; able to direct planning and execute without awaiting granular task assignment.
- Flexibility: Willingness to deploy offshore for short-duration campaigns (< 1 month) as operational milestones dictate.
- Communication: Exceptional cross-discipline interface, procedure-writing, and client presentation skills.