Expert Details
Projects & Technologies for the Power & Process Industries
ID: 722157
New Jersey, USA
He served for over 25 years in positions of increasing responsibility at US corporations with global reach including The M. W. Kellogg Company and ABB Lummus Global, Inc.
At Kellogg, he was Technology Development Manager. Prior, as Project Manager at Kellogg, he had responsibility for ethylene furnaces and complete plants. He managed all basic engineering functions including proprietary high-temperature furnace and chemical reactor designs. Additionally, he completed the installation of a customer-focused performance management system for an engineering and construction company with global operations.
His unique combination of corporate and independent experience has given his particular strength in foreign and domestic joint ventures and business cooperation contracts; technology development, licensing, and royalties; project management, new product planning and introduction; budget development and control; business and information systems; organization development; performance management and ISO 9000; safety management and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119; environmental management and EPA 40 CFR PART 68; litigation support and insurance consulting.
HIs process engineering and technical background is in ethylene, fertilizers, petroleum refining, petrochemical processing, industrial gases, chlor-alkali, and electric power generation. As president and principle of (Undisclosed), he works closely with strategic partners, and has authored twenty five patents.
He consults with attorneys on plant siting/permitting issues (Alberta Bitumen Processing), equipment failures (Industrial Gas Plants), fires and explosions (Refrigerant Manufacturing; Printer Toner Manufacturing), and owner-contractor disputes during execution of large capital projects (Cogeneration Power Plant at major Fertilizer Manufacturing Complex). He has performed a Federal Court-ordered comprehensive safety, technology/operations, and maintenance inspection at a chemical plant in India. Oil & gas facilities and chemical plants were damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He provided business interruption cost analyses and capital cost repair estimates to insurance companies in support of their claims settlement negotiations. Litigation arose from a major fire that occurred at a power plant during a maintenance outage. During litigation he provided expert engineering and management advisory services to attorneys relating to split/share of responsibilities for the fire between power plant owner and the maintenance contractor. A fire occurred at a world-scale ethylene plant. He provided business interruption cost estimates and technical advisory services to an insurance company in support of their claim settlement negotiations.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1967 | Degree: MS | Subject: Chemical Engineering | Institution: Villanova University |
| Year: 1965 | Degree: BS | Subject: Chemical Engineering | Institution: Villanova University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1993 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President | Department: |
Responsibilities:He founded his consulting company to provide projects & technologies for the power and process industries |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1990 to 1993 | Employer: ABB LUMMUS GLOBAL, INC. | Title: Vice President - Advanced Engineering | Department: |
Responsibilities:As executive Committee member he had global responsibility for ISO 9000/customer satisfaction and information technology. Eight offices/five continents/4000+ people. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1990 | Employer: ABB LUMMUS GLOBAL, INC. | Title: Vice President - Operations | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for project management, basic engineering and plant initial operations for the Lummus Technology Division. 300+ professional/technical staff. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1988 | Employer: Kellogg Brown & Root | Title: Manager - Technology Development | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for acquisition and development of licensable chemical process technology. Ammonia, ethylene, hazardous waste. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1984 to 1986 | Employer: Kellogg Brown & Root | Title: Manager - Basic Engineering | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for furnace design, equipment design, piping and instrumentation, and world-wide technical specifications. Eight managers; 400+ engineers and technical staff. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1982 to 1984 | Employer: Kellogg Brown & Root | Title: Manager - Furnace Engineering | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for basic and detailed engineering and design drafting of proprietary furnaces for ethylene and hydrogen manufacture. 75+ engineers and technical staff. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1976 to 1982 | Employer: Kellogg Brown & Root | Title: Project Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for proposals and projects for ethylene, ammonia, etc. Budget, schedule, cost responsibility; client project interface. Most projects >$100 million capital. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1974 to 1976 | Employer: Kellogg Brown & Root | Title: Process Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for process design of plants for ethylene and other organic chemicals. Many proposals and projects for large oil and chemical companies. |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 1999 to 1999 | Country / Region: Brazil | Summary: Lead technical team evaluating lump sum bids from 3 international engineering contractors for new ethylene plant. TIC ~$1 billion. |
| Years: 2001 to 2001 | Country / Region: India | Summary: Performed court-ordered safety inspection of chlor-alkalai plant to determine technology, manufacturing processes, operating conditions and equipment condition. |
| Years: 1972 to 1983 | Country / Region: Japan | Summary: Multiple extended trips to Japan during development of new ethylene pyrolysis technology. Lead technical development effort and commercialized into industry leading technology. |
| Years: 1987 to 1988 | Country / Region: Australia | Summary: Multiple trips to evaluate process demonstration unit for advanced ammonia synthesis catalyst. Lead team that evaluated/acquired the technology from major oil company. Still the most advanced synthesis catalyst worldwide. |
| Years: 2007 to 2008 | Country / Region: Canada | Summary: Alberta Tar Sands/Bitumen Upgrader. Provided expert advice to attorneys involved in permitting process regarding environmental impacts of proposed plant design and operation. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| He belongs to AIChE and Sigma-Xi and the Association of Consulting Chemists & Chemical Engineers of which he is a Director. |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| He is a licensed Professional (Chemical) Engineer. |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| He has served for eight years as a member of the Attorney Ethics Committee for the Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| He has authored approximately 25 patents. Recent patents disclose high efficiency/lower cost manufacturing processes for hydrogen, carbon black, ethylene, syngas and electric power. In a 2015 presentation he described his latest patent defining a new process and equipment system for carbon capture with power generation. He has presented and published several articles on ethylene, ammonia and ISO 9000 quality standards. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| He has specific experience with process industry litigation relating to intellectual property and capital projects. He has evaluated proprietary technology portfolios. He has assisted with preparation of both plaintiff’s and defendant’s documents. Experience includes plaintiff’s temporary restraints, preliminary injunctions and discovery including answers to interrogatories; and full trial preparation. He has analyzed plaintiff’s and defendant’s project management and plant performance issues. He has attended hearings, been deposed, assisted with deposition strategy and supported client attorneys in real time depositions. He has lead investigation teams and prepared expert reports and testimony. Provided engineering/ management counsel to attorneys representing a contractor who designed and built a cogeneration unit at a large ammonia-urea complex. Organized, directed 15 professionals to analyze sales, process, mechanical, operation and safety issues for the entire complex. Participated in mediation to settlement. [$25 million] Performed a federal court-ordered chlor-alkali plant inspection in India encompassing technology, process design, equipment condition, and operating conditions with respect to "state-of-the-art" and safety. [Expertaccident investigation: organized, led team of five engineers.] Provided engineering and management counsel to attorneys representing an equipment supplier that allegedly caused a chemical plant explosion. [$3 million]. Performed a similar engagement that has recently settled just before trial. [$35 million] Lead an engineering team investigating the facility owner’s operator and management actions for a large USA petrochemical plant that was allegedly under performing. This was in support of attorneys defending a major engineering / design contractor. [350 million] Was deposed as a fact / third party witness relating to processing technology deployed in a large USA petrochemical plant that allegedly caused plant underperformance. This was also in support of attorneys defending a major engineering / design contractor. [$625 million]. Performed technical support for insurance company settlement negotiations / litigation surrounding failure of a furnace in a hydrocarbon processing plant in Malaysia. [$1 million; potential damage for seven duplicate furnaces] Assessed damage after failure of a bio-laboratory backup power system at a major New York City University. Reduced insurance claim by 95%. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| He has developed Quality/Cycle Time/Supplier Management based approach to customer satisfaction. Implemented across 8 international offices of 4000+ engineering company. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| He lead the technical team evaluating lump sum bids from 3 international engineering contractors for new ethylene plant. TIC ~$1 billion. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Expert is currently implementing a joint venture to commercialize his patented technology for olefins, syngas, carbon black and electricity. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| His assignments have involved ISO 9000 and consulting for engineering / construction companies. He has consulted on organization transition issues and optimizing organization structure for process technology management. |
Fields of Expertise
accident investigation, accident reduction, ammonia, ammonia processing, carbon monoxide, chemical engineering, chemical manufacturing facility evaluation, chemical pilot plant development, chemical plant accident, chemical plant explosion, chemical process safety, ethylene, ethylene furnace, ethylene production, Hazard and Operability study, hydrocarbon, hydrogen, hydrogen manufacturing, olefin, petrochemical, petrochemical reactor, propylene, pyrolysis, steam cracking, steam reformer reforming heater, steam reforming, thermal cracking, thermal reforming, expert witness, industrial chemical, industrial process, safety inspection, deposition strategy, project risk management, accident dispute, claim (patent), heavy oil process, unconventional natural gas, firebox, boiler fuel, ammonia safety, steam processing, chemical plant operation, furnace design, ammonia fertilizer, dicyclopentadiene, chemical plant management, chemical plant maintenance, contract bid evaluation, chemical process safety engineering, ammonia refrigerant, chemical process economics, construction insurance claim, insurance claim, accident analysis, tubing material, chemical process safety management, chemical process safety analysis, fuel, energy-efficient furnace, chemical-process flow chart, petroleum hydrogenation, combustion, chemical reaction, accident reconstruction, chemical plant design, chemical processing, tail gas, construction, petroleum hydrotreating, petroleum processing, accident, natural gas, methane, contractor safety, combustion furnace, chemical safety, boiler furnace