Andre Johnson | Refinery Engineer at Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Summary

Refinery EngineerMarathon Petroleum Corporation

Texas City, TXJun 2021Present

Optimized crude distillation unit operations, reducing energy consumption by 7% and increasing light distillate yield by 2% (equating to $5M annual savings).
Led a cross-functional team to troubleshoot and resolve chronic fouling issues in heat exchangers, extending run cycles by 20% and preventing unscheduled shutdowns.
Implemented advanced process control strategies for a Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit, improving gasoline selectivity by 1.5% and reducing catalyst consumption by 10%.
Conducted HAZOP studies and participated in incident investigations, contributing to a 15% reduction in process safety incidents over two years.
Managed capital projects up to $2M, from scope definition and budget tracking to commissioning, ensuring on-time and within-budget delivery.

Process EngineerValero Energy Corporation

Port Arthur, TXAug 2018Jun 2021

Analyzed operational data to identify bottlenecks in the hydrotreating unit, proposing modifications that increased throughput by 5% without capital expenditure.
Developed and updated P&IDs and PFDs for new equipment installations and process modifications, ensuring compliance with engineering standards.
Supported major turnaround activities for the Delayed Coker unit, completing pre-commissioning checks and start-up procedures ahead of schedule.
Performed process simulations using Aspen HYSYS to evaluate various operational scenarios and optimize utility consumption, saving $750K annually.
Authored and revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) for multiple refinery units, enhancing operational consistency and safety for 50+ operators.

Crude Unit Energy Optimization Project

Mar 2022Jan 2023

Led a team to implement heat integration strategies and preheat train modifications, resulting in a sustained 7% reduction in furnace fuel consumption.
Utilized process simulation software to model various scenarios, validating a design change that avoided $1.2M in capital expenditure.
Monitored post-implementation performance, verifying an annual energy cost saving of $2.5M for the refinery.

FCC Reactor Catalyst Performance Improvement Initiative

Aug 2021Jul 2022

Spearheaded a research and development effort to evaluate alternative FCC catalysts, identifying a new catalyst that increased gasoline yield by 1.5% and reduced coke formation by 5%.
Collaborated with vendors and internal R&D to conduct pilot plant tests and full-scale trials, successfully transitioning to the new catalyst within a 6-month timeframe.
Improved the FCC unit's profitability by an estimated $3M annually through enhanced product slate and reduced operational costs.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent Quality Enhancement

Nov 2019Sep 2020

Investigated and resolved persistent issues with chemical oxygen demand (COD) excursions in refinery wastewater effluent, achieving 99% compliance with EPA discharge limits.
Designed and oversaw the installation of a new dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit, which improved solids removal efficiency by 15% and reduced chemical additive usage by 10%.
Developed a comprehensive monitoring plan and operator training program, sustaining improvements in effluent quality and reducing potential environmental penalties.

The University of Texas at AustinBachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Austin, TXSep 2014May 2018

Graduated with High Honors, GPA: 3.8/4.0
Recipient of the John J. McKetta Scholarship for Chemical Engineering excellence
Completed capstone project on sustainable biofuel production using catalytic processes

Optimizing Heat Integration in Crude Distillation Units for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Apr 2023Andre Johnson, E. Chen, R. Patel

Impact of Catalyst Bed Design on Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Reactor Selectivity

Sep 2022Andre Johnson, M. Rodriguez

Advanced Process Control Strategies for Reducing Emissions in Refinery Furnaces

Jul 2021A. Johnson, D. Lee, S. Gupta

Process Engineering & Simulation

Aspen HYSYSPRO/IIHTRIProcess OptimizationP&ID DevelopmentMass & Energy Balances

Control Systems & Automation

DCS (Honeywell Experion PKS)PLC (Rockwell Automation)PID Control TuningSCADAProcess Instrumentation

Safety & Compliance

HAZOPLOPAPSM (Process Safety Management)OSHA RegulationsEPA ComplianceRoot Cause Analysis

Data Analysis & Software

Python (Pandas, NumPy)SQLOSIsoft PIMicrosoft Excel (VBA)Power BI

Project Management

Capital Project ManagementLean Six SigmaContractor ManagementBudgeting & Cost ControlScope Definition