Rotating Equipment Engineer

The Santos (Oil Search) Alaska LLC Business Unit (OSA) is responsible for appraising discovered resources in Alaska, commercializing the appraised resources and ultimately developing a project leading to oil production. In addition, OSA will be responsible for securing additional acreage and the discovery of new resources in the region. The President OSA is accountable for managing this Business Unit to the parent Company, Santos LLC, headquartered in Adelaide, Australia.

Through its merger with Oil Search, Santos has acquired and assumed operatorship over a world-class portfolio of oil leases on the Alaskan North Slope, USA. Our focus in Alaska is advancement of our Pikka Phase 1 project, which includes a single drill site, an oil processing facility, and other infrastructure to support production of 80,000 barrels of oil per day.

Pikka has been identified as being among the top quartile of oil and gas development projects for greenhouse gas emissions performance. Pikka is poised to play an important role in the energy transition and is aligned with our company goal of managing climate change risk. The project is on track to be ready for first oil in 2026.

The Pikka Unit is one of the largest conventional oil discoveries made in the United States in the last 30 years, and the Pikka Phase 1 Project is the most significant development on Alaska's North Slope in more than 20 years. The permitted Pikka development project includes two additional drill sites. The Alaska assets also include discoveries made from both the Mitquq and Stirrup exploration wells drilled in 2020. These opportunities combine to offer a clear path to long-term growth in Alaska.

Job Description

The rotating equipment engineer assumes a key role in delivering the operational efficiency and reliability of critical rotating equipment for the Pikka project. This position is dedicated to defining and implementing comprehensive operations and maintenance strategies that align with industry best-practices and project-specific requirements.

The primary purpose of the role is to leverage deep expertise in rotating equipment engineering to contribute to the development of solutions that optimise reliability, availability of longevity during the operational phase of the project. The role will collaborate with cross-functional teams, providing insights and guidance to enhance reliability, and inform design decisions.

The rotating equipment engineer will take the lead in identifying and addressing reliability risks, developing preventive and predictive maintenance programs, and establishing key performance indicators to monitor equipment health. By fostering a culture of proactive reliability engineering within the project team, this position aims to ensure that reliability considerations are seamlessly integrated into ongoing operations.

In close collaboration with various stakeholders, including maintenance teams and project managers, the incumbent will drive continuous improvement initiatives. Through the implementation of effective reliability strategies, the goal is to uphold the highest standards of operational excellence, contributing significantly to the long-term success and sustainability of Pikka.

This position is instrumental in establishing a foundation for a resilient and high-performing operational phase, with a focus on optimising rotating equipment reliability and efficiency in alignment with evolving project needs.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Promote and lead in the implementation of Santos Ltd policies and procedures, including Safety, health, environment, process, people, and planning.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve comprehensive operations and maintenance strategies for rotating equipment. This includes the identification of reliability risks, establishment of preventive and predictive maintenance programs, and implementation of key performance indicators for ongoing monitoring.
• Master these strategies within an electronic web-based Reliability Management Plan (RMP) with inclusion of a visual overview of the operating assets and contains asset health metrics, reliability block diagram and downtime cost model. The RMP will be linked to critical information and will leverage asset hierarchy, establish equipment criticality and critical spares requirements, and establish condition monitoring and operator care requirements.
• Operationalise the RMP through the company CMMS.
• Identify, assess, and address potential reliability risks associated with rotating equipment. Develop proactive strategies to mitigate risks, minimize downtime, and optimize equipment longevity.
• Develop and implement a condition monitoring and surveillance program, including leadership of asset health management and visualisation.
• Lead efforts to enhance the reliability and performance of critical rotating equipment during the operational phase, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and project-specific requirements.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including maintenance personnel, project managers, and other relevant stakeholders, to integrate reliability considerations into ongoing operations and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish and oversee key performance indicators (KPIs) for rotating equipment, implementing monitoring systems to track performance and efficiency. Conduct thorough analyses to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Foster a proactive culture of reliability engineering within the project team by providing training, guidance, and support. Promote the importance of reliability in day-to-day operations, encouraging a mindset of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Conduct in-depth root cause analyses of equipment failures or performance issues, implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence and improve overall system reliability.
• Collaborate in the development and management of budgets related to the implementation of reliability and maintenance strategies, ensuring cost-effective solutions and efficient resource utilization.
• Explore and recommend innovative technologies and methodologies that can enhance the reliability and efficiency of rotating equipment, ensuring the project remains at the forefront of technological advancements in the field.

Formal Qualifications

- Tertiary degree in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
- Professional / Chartered Engineering status

Skills / Technical Competencies

- Proficiency in designing and operating various types of rotating equipment, including pumps, compressors, turbines, and motors.
- Expertise in utilizing vibration analysis tools and techniques to assess the health and condition of rotating machinery.
- Skill in conducting Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to identify potential failure modes, their causes, and effects on equipment performance.
- Knowledge of Reliability Centred Maintenance principles to develop effective maintenance strategies that prioritize critical components.
- Expertise in the utilization of Meridiam Asset Performance Management Software and SAP CMMS.
- Familiarity with various condition monitoring technologies such as infrared thermography, oil analysis, and ultrasonic testing to assess equipment health.