PIPELINE PROJECTS
64-mile pipeline
Witten Engineering constructed a 64-mile pipeline project, serving as a leader of a 10-person engineering team to design and permit a 64-mile fused PVC water pipeline, pump stations, measurement, and SCADA systems for this $22M project. Transitioned to the Construction Manager position and managed a team of 250 workers. Including (3) Superintendents, (6) field supervisors, heavy equipment operators, fitters, valve teams, materials men, and surveyors. They operated the construction effort in three sections, each end working to the middle. Utilized boring machines to drill under swamps, rivers, creeks, railroad tracks, highways, and Interstates. Completed the project in 12 months, from concept to operation, on time and on budget.
Heckmann Resources
Supervised the installation of pipelines on land and below the ocean for the Heckmann Resources project, 15 miles of 16-inch PVC pipeline from South of Shreveport, LA, to Joaquin, Texas. The pipeline was laid in swampland to hard rock. The pipe radius was huge and required coordination with the surveyors to lay out the radius and landmen to contract the rights of way. We have dealt with many landowners and government agencies daily.
Chevron Project
Witten Engineering guided technical and strategic decisions regarding design, integrity, and compliance of 1200+ pipelines for Chevron North America, Covington, LA, as Lead Pipeline Advisor, Business Unit & Pipeline Integrity Lead, Facilities Engineering & Tech Services.
Drilling Riser Fabrication
Directed projects with budgets up to $50MM and set industry precedents for structural strength and robustness. Top Tension Drilling Riser Fabrication Project Manager, Budget: $100MM for Shell International, New Orleans, LA, & Houston, TX, EPC as Lead-Major Capital Projects/Operations Integrity Interface Lead.
Deepwater Pipeline
Improved business processes and global asset integrity by leading a multidisciplinary team of 7 to design and complete failure mode effect analysis templates for Stones Major Capital as Project Manager (Deepwater Pipeline Project, Forgings), Budget: $30MM.
Sub-sea pipeline
Witten Engineering coordinated for Beta Offshore as Offshore Project Installation Manager, the engineering and construction of a $30M sub-sea pipeline project between Platforms Elly and Eureka offshore Long Beach, CA. We served as the onsite QA/QC manager overseeing the inspection of the fabrication and loading of the new 10-inch pipe on the pipe-laying vessel. Ultimately served as the Offshore Installation Manager, working on the line laying vessel and both offshore platforms, and became responsible for the safe and successful installation of two 10-inch fully insulated sub-sea oil and water pipelines. This project was the first of its kind in more than 25 years offshore in California and was completed promptly with good quality, including no accidents or spills.
Deepwater riser tensioner
Managed for British Petroleum Deep Water Riser Tensioner, Manager; a team of (18) Engineers and Designers to design and construct a deep-water riser tensioner for deployment in the rotary table of the Discoverer Enterprise drillship. Designed, specified, and directed the development of this system to comply with BP and Transocean Offshore requirements. They coordinated the efforts with DnV to fully certify the system for use worldwide. Provided direct oversight of the manufacturing process and assembly of components received from numerous vendors through final assembly and deployment and directed and supervised the installation and utilization onboard the Transocean Discoverer Enterprise Drill Ship. Other projects include maintenance projects onboard large ocean-going ships in the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles. They provided engineering and project management services. These projects were generally in the $1M to $10M range.
Management
City of Beverly Hills well abandonment
The City of Beverly Hills sits on large Oil and Gas Reserves. Witten Engineering has a longterm contract to provide Petroleum Engineering, Project Management, Geology, and Petrophysical service to the city to evaluate development proposals and oil and gas projects within the City of Beverly Hills. In 2019 Witten Engineering provided Cost analysis services to the City of Beverly Hills to abandon 21 wells on the site of Beverly Hills High School. W.E. evaluated all wells, developed cost estimates, and reviewed contracts to advise the City on the proper direction to abandon 21 oil wells. At the field execution state of a project, Witten Engineering provided a Project Manager and a Petroleum Geologist to manage the rig work and advised the City of Beverly Hills on the various options presented to them. The 21 wells were abandoned, and the oil and gas process facilities were removed. The project took one year to complete and cost $41 MM.
Offshore Operation for BreitBurn Energy Co
Witten Engineering established an Offshore Operation for BreitBurn Energy Co. and received MMS approval for BreitBurn to operate a three-platform complex offshore Southern California. Sought and received MMS, USCG, and Calif. State support to increase BreitBurn Energy's asset ownership offshore. Wrote all government-required policies, procedures, and contingency plans for operations. They developed the organization and staffing plans for the takeover of these platforms. Managed an operating budget of $14 million per year and a CAPEX budget of $32.5 million over two years. Served as the lead engineer on the planned retrofit of two MARS, three CENTAUR, and three SATURN Turbines with new controls and fuel systems to minimize air pollution offshore in California. Experimented with and tested an emulsified fuels technology to reduce pollution from fuel oils. We have interfaced with USCG and MMS, now BSEE, to develop acceptable underwater pipeline repair alternatives. Part of the team set up to create the divestiture strategy for BreitBurn so that they can exit the Offshore California market. Additional responsibilities included management of 6 MW of electric generation and land reclamation and development work for BreitBurn Land Company in Southern California.
Deep-water riser system design
Design and manufacture deep-water riser system: Leader of a design team to design and manufacture a deep-water riser tensioner system for a BP drillship in the Gulf of Mexico. We transitioned to the Construction Manager and Off-shore Installation Manager. The project AFE was more than $50 M.
Advisor of Mayor, City Council
Witten Engineering has a long-term contract with the City of La Habra Heights to advise the Mayor, City Council, and the City Manager on oil and Gas. This includes oil process facilities, gas plants, oil and gas production, and water injection. The city has a responsibility to make sure the oil operators follow federal, state, and local laws. Witten Engineering works closely with the City and the Fire Department to evaluate, track and approve oil and gas operations within the City Limits. Witten Engineering served in this capacity for the past five years.
Project manager for ARCO
Managed for ARCO as Mechanical Engineer, Senior Project Manager, and Division Operations Manager, and was responsible for 250 people working in remote locations, amid a Civil War, to hundreds of miles offshore. We were responsible for controlling the budget, bringing in the project on time, and protecting the workforce's lives. Witten Engineering was also responsible for the military garrison that protected our operations from bandits and terrorists on many occasions. Many of the budgets exceeded $50 million.
Lead Country Manager for ARCO Exploration, Inc
Lead Country Manager for ARCO Exploration, Inc. Established engineering and operational bases in 15 countries worldwide. Ultimately responsible for more than 250 field personnel, helicopters, workboats, trucking personnel boats, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft per project. Lived in camps and on offshore vessels for 28 days on and 28 days off. Responsibilities extended to 24 hours per day.
Offshore Superintendent for ARCO
Served as an Offshore Superintendent for ARCO in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Supervised at South Pass 60, Main Pass 123, and Mississippi Canyon 148. Responsible for all day to production and facility operations. Worked a seven on and seven off schedule out of the offshore base in Venice, LA
Environment
Clean Air Logix
Received two patents from Clean Air Logix to plug in large ocean-going vessels to reduce air emissions, built a trucking company around utilizing LNG fuel, and received $2.5 MM in grants to commercialize the company. Received the first two of nine trucks in November 2008. Demonstrated the viability of the ship-based clean air system on a 5,000 container ship in the Port of Oakland for APL in July of 2007 and a 5,000 container ship in the Port of Los Angeles in October 2008 and worked with the State of California regulators to pass legislation to require that large ocean-going vessels reduced their air emissions while at berth in California and awarded over $1.5 MM in grants to commercialize this process and worked on numerous boards and with multiple environmental justice organizations to economically and efficiently clean the air emissions from large ships. Patent-pending on two new patents to reduce NOx from large diesel and natural gas engines and a system to clean air emissions from locomotives in switching yards. Direct responsibility for corporate development, investors, bankers, government regulators, and the profit and loss of a business.
40-hour Texas A&M Oil Spill School
Produced the 40-hour Texas A&M Oil Spill School through the Pacific Spill Control School. We have accomplished this by bringing together the National Response Corporation (NRC) response equipment and the Program Manager from Texas A&M’s Oil Spill Program. This was done in a facility right in the heart of the Port of Long Beach, which acted as a classroom and base of operations for training exercises. Many members of the Coast Guard, the Department of Fish and Game, and local oil companies all learned, discussed, and practiced oil spill prevention tactics and regulations. The attendees all worked together to achieve the course goals- practicing a response to a real-world HAZMAT spill.
Air Quality Management District
Served Southern California Air Quality Management District and California Air Resources Board on working groups at SCAQMD and CARB to develop rules for diesel exhaust t reductions for large construction equipment, diesel trucks, port handling equipment, and large ocean-going ship main auxiliary engines. Attended many hearings and worked with staff to develop protocols to calculate emissions and health impacts. Attended industry organization meetings and reported developing the regulations and rules—expert on Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for diesel and natural gas trucks and construction equipment.
international
Offshore drilling supervisor in Algeria, Myanmar, Qatar, Philippines, and Peru.
Witten Engineering was Division Operations Manager / Superintendent / Senior Drilling Supervisor and Senior Drilling Engineer (1996 to 2000) in Algeria, Myanmar, Qatar, Philippines, and Peru. Superintendent grade level with changing responsibilities based on workload, location, and skills required and worked with offshore drilling units in all water depths. From 1996 to 1997, mobilized a drilling program with a drillship in Myanmar, a jackup in Qatar, and a deep-water semi in the Sulu Sea, Philippines. We worked with a multidiscipline team on a deep-water drilling program offshore in the Philippines.
All levels of supervision for construction teams in Peru and Amazon.
Mobilized construction team to Peru and built helicopter location in the Amazon. Expertise includes all levels of supervision and engineering design, procurement, contractor and subcontractor selection, logistics, and the management of foreign nationals that require excellent communication skills. We have developed a successful history of working with foreign and U.S. governmental agencies. Extensive foreign travel working on a 28 and 28 rotation.
Coordinated all aspects of drilling, work-over, and completion technology in Algeria.
We have coordinated the AEPT effort to provide master planning and technical evaluations to support the development of the REB Field. This effort included all aspects of drilling, workover, and completion technology. Responsible for the coordination of these field activities with the facility upgrades to tie in the new development program. Additionally, we worked in Algeria to develop onsite technical expertise and determine the historical basis for the currently accepted design and operational practices.
Slim Hole Drilling Research and Development
Directed the Program for the Elf Aquitaine Production in Peru, France, Gabon, and Congo, Africa. Responsible for the acquisition and development of slim hole-drilling technology and the construction of associated facilities. In these remote areas.