Salt Cavern Operations Expert

Westlake Performance & Essential Materials Team

We are seeking a highly skilled Salt Cavern Operations Expert to join our team. This position will be responsible for making decisions and recommendations that are recognized as expert in brine field operations, salt dome geology, and aquifer reservoirs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develops strategy and serves as subject matter expert in Brine Cavern/Salt Deposit Management and Risk Mitigation
• Optimizes long-term planning for the development plans for Westlake North American salt/brine assets
• Provides technical support to Westlake Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance departments for salt/brine wells and caverns
• Reviews and develops recommendations based on internal and external inspections of wells/caverns and establishes appropriate inspection and testing intervals
• Provides expertise to the sites in addressing well and cavern reliability issues
• Serves as the Westlake Brine/Salt focal point responsible for managing key relationships
• Oversees engineering service providers, brine well drillers, and maintenance contractors to implement best practices and state and federal compliance
• Provides guidance and auditing to confirm best practice adoption and operating standard execution
• Advises Westlake Senior leadership and site management on progress of projects, improvements made, and other items as necessary
• Develops best practices and builds competence of salt/brine sources and internal brine generation for all Westlake sites
• Ensures a strong safety culture through enforcing safe operations and a commitment toward environmental health and safety

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Geology, or Geophysics (PE certification preferred)
• Minimum 10 years of related experience in brine field operations, geology of salt caverns, and/or petroleum well drilling for salt extraction
• Experience in interfacing with contractors and company staff on brine field management
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, verbal and written
• Proficient computer skills, with good working knowledge of all standard company applications
• Self-directed and motivated with the ability to make sound decisions based upon technical information
• Good leadership skills

Why Westlake?

At Westlake, you will be part of a global diversified team working together to provide essential and more sustainable products that enhance people's lives every day. There are learning and development opportunities to craft your career path. We offer benefits that enhance your life, including a competitive compensation package, health insurance, bonus incentives, retirement plan, life benefits, and many more.

Travel: up to 33%

Relocation: Yes, Domestic (only)

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to touch, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. During plant visits, must be able to climb stairs and ladders in order to access elevated structures and equipment such as towers and columns. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Additionally, this position must make general decisions requiring judgment and perform activities requiring sustained concentration.

Work Environment:

The noise level in the work environment is sometimes moderate when working in an office, however, some of the work may be required in the operating units which mandates usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc. May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators. Travel, including air travel or auto travel, may occasionally be required.

Work Location:

This position is location agnostic and can be located in Houston, Texas, or at one of Westlake's Gulf Coast plants (Lake Charles, LA, Plaquemine, LA, Geismar, LA, or New Martinsville, WV) and will be required to travel to our other Westlake plant locations in the United States.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.