Jeff began work with Watson Millican & Co. in July 2013. He has nearly 30 years of manufacturing, operating, and consulting experience in the energy and electronics industries, including refining, chemicals, facility construction, crude supply and logistics, and industrial equipment manufacturing.

Jeff has worked or consulted in diverse areas such as industrial incident investigations, large construction disputes, business interruption and property damage claims, refinery operations and maintenance, worldwide refinery performance assessment and improvement, refinery turnaround performance improvement, capital project construction and cost control, and industrial property tax appraisal support.  Jeff is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Texas.

Education

• B.S. Mechanical Engineering – Kansas State University – 1984
• M.S. Industrial Engineering – Kansas State University – 1985
• M.B.A. – Southern Methodist University – 1999

Example Engagements

• Industrial Accident and Injury Investigation and Litigation Support – Investigated industrial accidents, including those with injuries, concerning the roles and responsibilities of contract workers, owners, and operators regarding maintenance work practices, refinery operating practices, safety practices, facility design, and prevailing regulations and industry standards.
• Industrial Construction Litigation and Arbitration – Assessed project variations and change of work scope claims on facilities associated with a large gas pipeline construction project with reference to the contractual documents, owner instructions, and normal industry practice.  Investigated mechanical subcontractor claims related to construction of a new gas processing plant involving cost overruns and completion delays associated with late engineering, unexpected site conditions, late delivery of materials, changes in work scope, and rework.
• MTBE Contamination Dispute – Conducted crude oil feed and gasoline product tracing in the defense of oil companies charged with supplying gasoline containing the additive MTBE which was alleged to have contaminated water supplies.
• Industrial Site Property Damage and Business Interruption – Reviewed operational and repair data and provided consulting assistance to client for use in negotiations with insurers and other third parties associated with the facility production outage.
• Analysis of Refinery Performance and Operating Practices –Examined reliability, maintenance, contracting, and operating practices for international clients as part of an overall refinery performance assessment team. The team analyzed performance gaps relative to peer refineries that were similar in size and complexity. The completed analyses resulted in target setting and recommended maintenance and operating improvement initiatives aimed at achieving cost savings and improved profitability. The work involved site visits, employee interviews, presentations, and final reporting to company management.
• Refinery Turnaround Performance Improvement – Led the evaluation of several refinery turnarounds on crude, fluid catalytic cracking, delayed coking, hydrocracking, and sulfur removal units. Evaluated existing practices and resulting performance relative to the “best” performers in industry. Provided management assistance in setting goals and objectives which targeted significant financial savings and unit availability increases. The work involved site visits, employee interviews, presentations, and final reporting to company management during the initial planning stages and the actual execution of the unit turnarounds.

Senior Consultant

[email protected]

(972) 578-7980

700 Central Expressway South

Suite 425

Allen, TX 75013