Richard joined Watson Millican & Co. in 2016. Richard has over 40 years of experience in the oil and gas sector and worked for an international integrated oil company in a number of roles. He worked in the USA, Bahrain, the UK, Australia, South Africa, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand. He was involved in major construction projects as well in operating facilities. Afterwards he has worked as an owner representative on a large petrochemical project in the USA and Japan. Richard has authored expert reports and testified as an expert in various construction disputes, under various arbitration rules.

Qualifications

• BS Physics – Houghton College
• BE Electrical Engineering – New York University
• MBA – University of Cape Town

Expertise

• Design, Commissioning, Procurement and operation of utility (steam, water, air, fuel), Power and control systems. Contractor management on major engineering and construction projects in Australia, the UK, the US, the Philippines and Japan.

Industries

• Refining, Petrochemicals, Power generation

Example Engagements

• Design Defects
  • Arbitration between a contractor and owner concerning alleged design defects in a petrochemical gas processing facility in Australia. Assessed the defects in the utility and control systems. Performed on site inspection. Helped write an expert report and testified at the arbitration.
  • Arbitration being conducted under Sharia law between a contractor and an owner in the Middle East. Led a team of 6 people assessing the alleged defects in engineering, procurement and construction over a course of 2 years. Expert and reply reports were written.
  • Arbitration concerning the premature failure of wind turbine generators in the US which were designed for 50 Hertz service but were being used in 60 Hertz service. Examined the design of the design of the double fed generators. Wrote an expert report and testified at the arbitration.
  • Arbitration concerning the design and construction of a refinery in southeast Asia. Reviewed the specifications, alleged deficiencies, opposing expert report, wrote a reply report, testified in the arbitration.
  • Arbitration concerning the design and construction of a power plant and alleged defects in northern Europe. Reviewed the specifications and evidence of the defects and an opposing report. Wrote part of an expert report, and testified at the arbitration.
  • Arbitration in southeast Asia concerning capacitance on long transmission lines. Examined the cause of the capacitance, its effects and results. Wrote an expert report.
• Power Interruptions
  • Court case concerning the interruption of electric power to a refinery in the US which was being provided by a utility and internal generation. Examined the design of the electrical supply and distribution systems and their operation. Wrote an expert report, was deposed and testified in court.
  • Arbitration concerning interruption of electric power to a refinery in the US. Reviewed the design of the external supply and distribution system as well as the internal generation system. Wrote an expert report and was deposed.
  • Arbitration concerning the interruption of electricity to an abattoir in the US. Reviewed the supply and distribution systems and wrote an expert report.
• Property Damage
  • Review of an installation that experienced major damage due to flooding during a storm on the east coast of the US. Carried out on site inspections, documented the damage and prepared detailed estimates for remediation.

Senior Consulting Associate

Richard.Swanson@WatsonMillican.com

(972) 578-7980

700 Central Expressway South

Suite 425

Allen, TX 75013