Career Episode 1

In my first career episode I describe my last projects with Uhde ThyssenKrupp. I have

been working with Uhde since November 18, 2006 until March 12, 2008. There are two distinct

periods: one in Saudi Arabia where I've worked as Process Engineer - Commissioning

Supervisor for Safco 4 Project (period of November 18, 2006 - June 15, 2007) and the second

period as Process Engineer - Consultant in Head Quarter office, Dortmund - Germany (period of

August 7, 2007 - March 12, 2008).

Saudi Arabia SAFCO 4 Project (SABIC Company) Jubail City.

As Commissioning Supervisor for Ammonia Plant in SAFCO 4 I was responsible for

plant preparation for "Sustaining Load Test" and "Performance Test" of 3300 mtpd of the

world's largest ammonia plant. I coordinated the Client Company - SAFCO operation personnel

and I collaborated with other Uhde engineering departments such as Mechanical,

Instrumentation, Rotary and Electrical ones.

As a daily routine I checked the plant parameters, collected the data from the field and

Control Room, lab analysis, and took decisions regarding the operations and maneuvers that had

to be done in order to achieve the plant design specifications.

During the plant test and inevitable trips and shut-downs I was directly involved in

investigations regarding the cause and effect, route cause analysis and field inspections. After all

the data had been collected, all the investigations had been done and after a conclusion had been

taken, I was a member of engineering team who made the final reports, taking the appropriate

measures in order to prevent future hazards.

I analyzed the design mistakes and the effect during the plan normal operations. In close

contact with Engineering Design department I proposed solutions in order to improve the process

and to achieve the design parameters of the plant. Also after the construction stage, during

commissioning and normal operation, a series of erection and construction errors appeared.

Together with the Mechanical and Civil engineering department I prepared the action plan for

corrections. All the major design mistakes, constructions errors, and other technical problems

(catalyst poisoning, heat exchangers internal by-pass, or broken tubes, internal columns

disturbing, etc) were corrected during the Turn Around shut-down of the plant (period of January

20, 2008 - February 20, 2008). As former Commissioning Supervisor, I coordinated the shut
down plan and I was responsible for the site progress of all the engineering departments: Civil,

Mechanical, Instrumentation. Electrical, and Rotary.

The organization chart for Safco 4 Project w a s :

Germany - Dortmund: Uhde ThyssenKrupp office head-quarters

As Process Engineer Consultant for Uhde I did preparations for H A Z O P study,

checked and correcting the PID, PFD. data sheets, Trip Schedule, emissions and consumption

lists for EAgrium Fertilizer Project from Egypt.

For future Ca Mau Fertilizer Project (Vietnam) I was responsible for technical

background support for Uhde sales team. During the bidding process, together with the sales

department I prepared the engineering documentation (material balance sheet, emission and

consumption lists, PFD's) for client company P V F C C - Petrovietnam.

Another task was field inspecting for Duslo Sala revamping project in Slovak

Republic. There, as Uhde licensor representative, I investigated the final construction stage to

compare with the original PID, analyzing the effects and impacts of potential erection and

construction errors to commissioning and start up of the plant.

 Personal Engineering Activity

Saudi Arabia SAFCO 4 Project (SABIC Company) Jubail City.

During Saudi Arabian SAFCO 4 Project, I did the preparations of ammonia plant for

Final Performance Test. When I started the project, the commissioning had already been on

going for 6 months, and the maximum design capacity had not been reached yet. The "bottle

neck" of this project was the CO2 removal system. The efficiency of the main absorber column

did not fit with design specifications.

One of the tasks was to improve the absorption system. In this respect during the plant

running I was conducting a series of tests and experiments, changing the MDEA solution

composition, flow and temperatures and collecting data for future simulation. Then after, I used

process simulation softwares like Aspen and Pro II in order to find a solution for increasing the

efficiency of the CO2 removal system.

I prepared a complete report with all my conclusions sustained by collected data, trends,

simulations and observations, and then I sent it to the design department in Dortmund and to

BASF licensor of the CO2 removal system. After a series of meetings between the Client -

SAFCO - Sabic, Uhde, and BASF a decision regarding future modification was made.

During the final Turn Around shut-down, my task was supervising of the final works and

modifications inside the CO2 removal system. I inspected the main absorber, flash drums, and

stripper, checked signs of corrosion, preferential flow circulation, internal packing rings layer

distribution. I supervised and controlled the final works regarding the installation of a new gas

distributor inside the absorber in order to improve CO2 absorption. The new design for the gas

distributor was a result of my conclusions regarding the efficiency of the absorber column. It was

done by Uhde design department together with BASF, based on the field data sent by me. Today,

due to this modification the world largest ammonia plant is running at 105% capacity.

Another j o b which I completed in the Saudi Arabia was to increase the efficiency of the

syngas drying unit. The syngas drying unit's central piece was the two dryers filled up with

molecular sieves working in parallel. Most probably during precommissioning, commissioning

period, the molecular sieve from one dryer was contaminated. Due to this fact, when the

contaminated dryer was in service, traces of water escaped, and affected the reaction in the

synthesis column. My idea was to increase the regeneration time sequence for defect dryer

working only on the logic sequence. Together with the software DCS engineer I completed this
job. This way, the client Safco didn't have to shut down the plant and Uhde didn't have to pay

for a new molecular sieve.

During the normal operation of Ammonia unit in Safco 4 I faced multiple pressure

variations in steam system distributions. Carrying over often appeared and the level in the steam

drum could not be maintained. I made a series of investigations regarding the real level in the

steam drum. I suspected from the beginning either an instrument calibration mistake, or an

indication error at the water level indicators in steam drum. Instrumentation department checked

many times the calibration in the field, but still the problem persisted.

I decided, in common agreement with Commissioning Manager, to isolate all trip

transmitters, to by-pass them, and to purge for flushing. The decision was made based on my

observations that the water level in the level glass did not match with the electronic level

transmitters. I suspected 3 5 % - 4 5 % percentage error. The problem was that we had 5 level

transmitters, and only one level glass. For this reason, the Instrumentation department claimed

that it could not be 5 transmitters indicating wrong in the same time. During the morning meeting

I sustained my idea, and I got clearance for cleaning all 5 level transmitters. During the flushing I

discovered a thin layer of magnetite deposit formed inside all the transmitters. This was due to

the poor precommissioning made in early times. After flushing and cleaning a new calibration

was done, and the steam system came back to normal. The calculated error matched with new

indications of level transmitters.

Germany - Dortmund: Uhde ThyssenKrupp office head quarter

At Uhde head-quarters office I was participant of the first part of EAgrium Project

engineering task force as Consultant Engineer. Future EAgrium Project (Ammonia plant 1250

mtd) was located in Egypt, and commissioning was scheduled to start in December 2009. I was

responsible to prepare the HAZOP (hazardous operation) study, to check the trip schedule, to

correct the PFD and PID, and to improve the operation manuals. Due to the fact that EAgrium

project was a copy paste from another Egyptian Uhde Projects (Suez 2, Hellwan) a series of

mistakes and mismatching appeared in the documentation. I made final revision and prepared the

final documentation for the client.

During the bidding process for future Ca Mau Fertilizer Project from Vietnam, I was in

charge for engineering back up for the sales team. I prepared the technical offer, made final

revision for PFD and PID, emissions and consumption list, material balance sheet and case study

for different plant loads.

 As I was already familiar to the new Dual Synthesis Pressure system for ammonia plant

from Uhde (system used for Safco 4 in KSA) I was delegated for the new revamp project at

Duslo Sala in Slovak Republic. I did the field inspection to investigate how the client

subcontractors had completed the construction j o b according to Uhde (licensor) technical

specifications. During the daily meeting with the client company - Duslo and construction

company TKB, I was comparing the original Uhde PID and specifications with the final

construction PID, pointing out differences and the impact of the changes made by the constructor

in the original project.

I conducted a new series of HAZOP studies, preparing the client for future

commissioning of the plant. The scope of the revamping project was to increase the plant

production from 1000 mtd of ammonia to 1300 mtd. based on Uhde new Dual Synthesis Pressure

technology. Another task was to make training with 2 new graduate students from Uhde.

Together with them I made plant inspections, explaining the process, characteristics of Ammonia

plants, how to learn much faster and easier from the PDF and PID.

During the Uhde ThyssenKrupp project my tasks were complex and challenging. I had to

demonstrate my abilities in field and office, testing my theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

I got in touch with various clients and partners from Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe and I

had the chance to learn and discover their country history, culture and geography. I applied all

my previous experience in this project and I got more information about the latest process

technology, equipment and research. Due to the fact that my contribution in Uhde projects had
st
been appreciated I was requested to participate in a future project in Russia in period August 1
sl
2 0 0 8 - l January 2010.

All statements of fact in this report are true and correct.

Dipl.Eng. Cojocaru Dan