Company:

INEOS Oligomers USA LLC

Organizational Context and Job Purpose

Organizational Context:

INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products. Comprising 36 individual businesses, we operate 194 facilities in 29 countries throughout the world.

With LAO manufacturing facilities in USA, Canada and Belgium, INEOS Oligomers is one of the largest merchant suppliers of Linear Alpha Olefins (LAO), which are used as co-monomers in polyethylene manufacture as well as in surfactants, lubricants and oil drilling fluids. Our technology has a clear competitive advantage over our competitors. Further developments of the technology are planned to be an integral part of this project.

Our markets are growing worldwide. Through selective investments in new assets and new technology, we intend to capture this growth to develop our business and grow with our customers. As part of this exciting growth strategy, we are investing in a new world scale production facility located in the Middle East. The plant capacity will be 420 KTA and is planned to come on-line in 2027.

Purpose of the job:

The Process Control and Automation Engineer will be part of the process team and report to the Process Design Manager. The Process Control and Automation Engineer will be the key liaison between the process and operation team and the FEED/EPC contractor as well as main automation contractor (MAC) team. This position will lead the development of process control strategy as well as the implementation of all control and automation elements related to the DCS System for the LAO and PAO facility. This position will require extensive (over 50%) international travel to facilitate in-person involvement throughout the engineering and start-up phases. This will be an expatriate position located in multiple international locations throughout project.

After start-up, the Process Automation Engineer will support day-to-day operation of the Distributed Control System (DCS) and Operator Training System (OTS) to optimize and enable safe operation of the assets.

The engineer will interface with a multidiscipline team to develop and support control applications and technologies in the facility.

Environment/Context:

Internal factors:

Safety Performance (SHE)
Project cost, schedule, and construction plans
Quality of engineering standards, designs, specifications, and other requirements
Design for required tools, equipment, materials, and procedures to develop highly reliable DCS system within budget constraints

External factors:

Selection of reliable process control systems and services
Relationship with DCS/PLC suppliers
Adherence to regulatory requirements related to DCS and PLC systems
Site partner interface and relationships

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Accountability 1: Provide Pre-FEED support

Support the Process Design Manager to develop a concise set of Control and Automation engineering standards which meet INEOS, National, Regional specific and international standards
Lead the development of LOPA procedures which meet INEOS and international standards
Involved in developing the Instrumented Protection system strategy part of Safeguarding Philosophy
Deep involvement of engineering and design stages, with in-person involvement at necessary locations, globally.
Support the definition, development and configuration of the process control strategy for project
Own the automation and controls engineering element for the project and provide input and feedback related to deviations and waivers of standards throughout the project

Accountability 2: Define Stage Support

Provide a leadership role in developing and improving process control applications and optimization technology for the new facility
Perform detailed review of all FEED contractors’ and vendor systems, processes and procedures including PEPs, quality plans, in relation to automation and controls functions
Monitor control and automation engineering design work performed by contractors, provide oversight and guidance to ensure work meets appropriate specs and standards
Review control narratives, logic design, alarm rationalization, and human-machine interface designs
Serve as project engineer for automation projects including developing scope and estimate for future projects
Provide process and automation input into vendor and supplier evaluation and selection
Lead the process safety evaluations as per industry standard, including SIL analysis and HAZOP process.
Participate in process control network troubleshooting and design
Ensure acquisition and sharing of process control best practices among other facilities of similar technology
Work closely with the MAC and FEED contractors to define network and protections to ensure that the overall integrity is achieved
Lead audits related to Control and Automation discipline of the FEED and EPC contractors

Accountability 3: Execute Stage Support

Ensure the facilities are designed, built, and commissioned in compliance with all relevant statutory and INEOS regulations.
Support the EPC contractor and vendors to develop fit-for-purpose ITBs for equipment, packages and bulk material supply, auditing vendor compliance as required.
Support the EPC contractor to develop fit-for purpose ITBs for fabrication and construction, auditing contractor compliance as required.
Monitor vendor performance on all control and automation engineering matters, ensuring shop technical queries are resolved in a proper and timely manner, visiting vendor shops as appropriate.
Support the QA Manager in resolving control and automation engineering non-conformances, concession requests, etc.
Liaise closely with the EPC Contractor personnel at the module fabrication yard(s) and construction site on all control and automation engineering matters, ensuring yard/field technical queries are resolved in a proper and timely manner.
Ensure that all controls and automation module fabrication and construction work, system completions and handover, and punch-listing, satisfies INEOS specifications and standards.
Support pre-commissioning and commissioning, etc. as required.
Manage the relevant interface(s) with INEOS stakeholders, ensuring the operations function is well-prepared for eventual project ownership, including the timely handover of the agreed control and automation engineering deliverables to support training, operations and maintenance procedure development, maintenance management system population, etc.
Participate in pre-start up safety reviews and lead appropriate PSSRs

Skills & Knowledge Required

Education/Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or closely related discipline is required, and
Ten (10) or more years of experience in an engineering role in oil and gas or petrochemical setting. Additional operations experience would be a significant advantage
Experience in LAO and/or PAO unit operation technology is a plus

Skills/Competencies

Technical Skills

Able to define and prioritize issues and then solve the problems through networking with other team members or external sources
Innovative, with an eye for identifying opportunities to reduce costs and challenge the status quo
Good understanding of business drivers and ability to align design philosophies
Broad estimating skills and practical understanding of costs (capital, operating, life cycle)
Major project experience with strong design engineering/procurement background and a broad understanding of multiple disciplines and their interfaces
Experience of supervising work in a contractor’s design office
Experience of supervising work in a module fabrication shop
Experience of field engineering and/or construction on a major construction site
Sound knowledge of key disciple areas including:
Knowledge of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 norms and their practical application to projects
Layer of Protection Analysis and QRA
Programming languages: Function Bloc Diagram, Sequential Function Chart, Structured Text
Alarm management
Human Machine Interface; o Knowledge of ISA 99 and IEC 62443 norms and their practical application to projects
The operation of a project with a Main Automation Contractor

Behavioral Skills

Excellent team player
Strong interpersonal, communication and influencing skills
Strong planning and organizing ability
Highly motivated, achievement oriented
Ability to interface effectively with people of all levels, both internal and third parties, and with wide ranging cultural background
The individual must be a self-learner, technically sound, result-oriented, decisive, and have good human relation skills.

ADA Physical requirements, visual acuity requirements and environmental conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and perform tasks requiring repetitive use of hands. The employee must occasionally walk, stand and travel by car, airplane or other means. Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Employee must have the ability to see written documents, computer screens and to adjust focus.

Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discriminations in sound.

Work Environment: This job is performed mainly in a temperature controlled office environment.

Our culture is one of honesty and integrity with an emphasis on safety, health and environmental performance.On our team, people are acknowledged for embracing new practices that help create real value for customers.

Process Controls and Automation Engineer