W.Tom Thweatt Resume

W. Tom Thweatt

BACKGROUND SUMMARY
Mr. Thweatt is a Senior Principal with Long International and has over 35 years of engineering, construction, and management consulting experience. He has extensive experience in major U.S. and international refining, chemical, petrochemical, pipeline, infrastructure and thermal/ hydroelectric power generation projects ranging from $40 million to $1.8 billion. He has worked extensively in projects that were executed by multi-national joint ventures on both the owner's and the contractor's sides. Mr. Thweatt has served on Joint Venture and Consortium Executive Committees and has participated directly in claims negotiations and settlement agreements in excess of $100 million.

Before joining Long International, Mr. Thweatt served as Vice President and Director of Engineering for Techint, S.A., a major EPC contractor based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He served as a member of the Technint Comite Direccion, the governing committee responsible for all strategic and operational decisions, and was in responsible charge of worldwide engineering operations for all proposals and projects.

Before relocating to South America, Mr. Thweatt served as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Operations, for the Parsons Energy and Chemicals Group Inc., based in Houston, Texas. He had profit and loss responsibility for engineering, procurement, construction, estimating and project controls for all proposals and projects executed by the company's four major operating centers in Houston, Texas; Reading, Pennsylvania; Pasadena, California; and London, England.

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EDUCATION
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1970
Duke University Executive Advanced Management Program
Multiple short courses on technical and administrative management topics

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Registered as a Professional Engineer (not active) in Texas in 1975 (No. 39307)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
National Society of Mechanical Engineers

LANGUAGES
English as native tongue
Fluent in Spanish

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE
Representative U.S. and international technical experience includes:

Management of equipment design division for a major U.S. contractor
Management of $1 billion construction project’s Inspection Department in Algeria
Manual and computerized static and dynamic pipe stress analyses
Manual and computerized towers and reactors designs and analyses
Organizer and speaker/instructor for multiple ASME pressure vessel design seminars
Membership on ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committee, Subgroup General Requirements
Project Engineering Manager on petroleum refining projects
Project Manager, Sr. Senior Project Manager, Project Director and Program Director on petroleum refining, chemical and petrochemical projects
Vice President of Engineering
Sr. Vice President of Operations
Company Director and Vice President of Engineering
Contracts reviews, negotiations, signings and post-award contract management
Development of engineering and project management plans and procedures
Development and maintenance of corporate technical standards and procedures
Company representative on Construction Industry Institute management board
Construction claims preparation, analysis, and negotiations of eventual settlements

PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Mr. Thweatt has served as Project Engineer, Project Engineering Manager, Project Manager, Sr. Project Manager, Project Director and Program Director on major domestic U.S. and international projects. Representative projects include the following:

Petroleum Refining, Chemical and Petrochemical, Power Generation Projects

Prepared an Expert Report in support of the owner’s entitlement to claims against the EPC contractor involving the standard of care in its management of the design and construction of a nitrogen plant project in Mexico. Testified in arbitration.
Analysis of the technical entitlement of defective work claims on an onshore and offshore gas plant project in Australia, and preparation of an expert report. Testified at trial in Australia.
Assessment of the owner’s counterclaims for defective work and the engineering and construction contractor’s technical entitlement of over 400 change orders associated with a magnesium oxide production plant in Jordan. Prepared for expert testimony at an ICC arbitration hearing in London prior to settlement of the dispute.
Preparation of an Expert Report refuting a contractor's claim for delay and disruption allegedly resulting from work associated with removal of lead-containing paint from the process plant modules and platforms of an offshore oil production facility installed in the Gulf of Mexico.
Analysis of defects associated with the engineering and construction of an offshore production facility installed in the Gulf of Mexico. Identified as the lead technical expert for the owner in ICC arbitration.
Analysis of a Japanese contractor’s $35 million change order, delay, and loss of productivity claims on a LPG FPSO project being constructed in Japan for installation in West Africa.
Analysis of a European/Japanese EPC firm’s $75 million claims on a refinery upgrade project in Belgium. Assessed the technical entitlement of over 100 change orders forming the basis of the claims.
Analysis of change order and delay claims totaling $85 million submitted by a South Korean EPC contractor on the construction of an offshore production facility being fabricated in Texas and South Korea.
Analysis of a contractor’s $56 million claim on an offshore production facility fabricated in Norway to be installed in the Gulf of Mexico and involving disputed change orders, delay and loss of productivity.
Analysis of alleged deficiencies in the design of a petroleum coke gasification and syngas plant, resulting in change orders, delay, and loss of productivity claims totaling $25 million against the owner of a refinery in Kansas.
Analysis of the adequacy of a cost estimate and construction risks associated with the upgrade of an LNG facility in Trinidad.
Preparation of an Expert Report regarding design defects that allegedly caused a failure of welds attaching the diplegs to the cyclone body in an FCC regenerator of a Texas refinery.
Analysis of the delays associated with the punchlist work, mechanical completion, and start-up/ commissioning of a chemical plant in The Netherlands.
Evaluation of defective design and project management performance problems associated with a gas plant and pipeline project in Australia.
As Project Engineering Manager, led the technical effort throughout the project from proposal preparation through to project execution and field assignment during the construction phase for a $175 million expansion project that added a dual-train Hydrocracker and two trains of sulphur recovery to the existing Mobil refinery in Torrance, California.
As Engineering Manager, led the technical project execution team for a fully-modularized $140 million project at Mobil's Coryton, England refinery that added a new Continuous Catalyst Regeneration (CCR) Unit and revamped the existing Hydrocracker and Naphtha Hydrotreater Units. The project was completed under budget and in accordance with an extremely aggressive construction schedule.
As Project Manager, managed a $400 million grass roots ethylene project for Formosa Plastics Corporation at Point Comfort, Texas.
As Sr. Project Manager, managed a $450 million major revamp of Mobil's Beaumont, Texas refinery.
As Vice President, Project Director, managed the $1.8 billion Essar Refinery Project at Jamnagar, Gujarat State, India.
As Program Director, managed the 50:50 Joint Venture between Badger and Fluor to design and build the $1.4 billion grass roots Shell Rayong Refinery in Map Ta Phut, Thailand.

Corporate Management Experience

Mr. Thweatt has held diverse positions in corporate management, including:

Principal Engineer, Vessel Mechanical Section, The M.W. Kellogg Company
Manager, Vessel Mechanical Section, The M.W. Kellogg Company
Vice President, Engineering, ABB Lummus Global Houston Operations
Sr. Vice President, Refining, Parsons Energy & Chemicals Group Inc.
Sr. Vice President, Worldwide Operations, Parsons Energy & Chemicals Group Inc.
Vice President and Director of Engineering, Techint, S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Long International, Inc.

Houston, Texas (September 2003 to Present)

As a Senior Principal with Long International, Mr. Thweatt provides expert services in all facets of contract dispute analysis and resolution, litigation/arbitration/mediation support and expert testimony.

Techint S.A.

Buenos Aires (April 2001 to September 2003)

As Vice President and Director, Engineering Business Unit, Mr. Thweatt was responsible for managing and directing engineering work on all domestic and international proposals and projects. Responsibilities included management of the engineering for all company proposals and projects and development of technical procedures, work processes and technology to maintain and enhance Techint’s competitive position in the EPC market place.

Parsons Energy & Chemicals Group Inc.

Houston, Texas (December 1996 to April 2001)

As Senior Vice, President Worldwide Operations, Mr. Thweatt was responsible for managing and directing approximately 3,500 operations employees in major execution centers in Houston, TX; Pasadena, CA; Reading, PA and London, plus ancillary and project offices throughout the world. Responsibility included all Power and Process projects. Executive Committee representative for the $850 million LSTK Petrozuata, $900 million LSTK Sincor Upgrader and $125 million Sincor Hydrogen projects in Venezuela.

As Senior Vice President, Refining, he was responsible for pursuit, acquisition and execution of worldwide refining projects. With P & L responsibility for all refining projects, and as executive sponsor on key major projects, ensured allocation of all appropriate corporate resources to projects, and provided executive level liaison between Parsons, partners and clients.

ABB Lummus Global
The Hague; Bombay; Houston (June 1993 to December 1996)

Vice President, Engineering, Houston Operations (1995 - 1996) and
Vice President, Program Director, Essar Refinery (1993 - 1995)

Mr. Thweatt was responsible for all project work, performed in both The Hague and Bombay, for the $1.8 billion Lump Sum deep conversion refinery project located at Vadinar, Gujarat State, India. This is the largest privately held refinery in India.

Badger B.V.
The Hague (December 1990 to June 1993)

Mr. Thweatt was Project Director (Phase I) and later Program Director (Phase II) for Badger’s 14-month Project Specification (Phase I) of work on $1.4 billion TIC Rayong Refinery Project. Subsequently partnered with Fluor Daniel for Phase II, EPC. He served in Phase II as Program Director, responsible for all EPC activities of 50:50 joint venture between Badger and Fluor Daniel. This project included twenty-one process units, including Shell Soaker Visbreaker, HDS, NHT, UOP CCR Platformer, Hydrocracker, Hydrogen Manufacturing, PSA, and Sour Water Stripper.

M. W. Kellogg Company
Houston; Arzew, Algeria; Bintulu, Malaysia; London; Yokohama, Japan (June 1975 to December 1990)

Senior Project Manager (1989 - 1990)
Responsible for a major $450 million refinery expansion project for Mobil in Beaumont, Texas. Project included UOP CCR Platformer, Hydrocracker, Crude, Hydrotreater, Delayed Coker, Hydrogen, PSA, Sulfur Recovery, and Coker Gas Plant Units.

Project Manager (1988 - 1989)
$400 million Lump Sum ethylene project for Formosa Plastics Company in Point Comfort, Texas.

Project Engineering Manager and Deputy Project Manager (1986 - 1988)
In M.W. Kellogg’s London office, responsible for all engineering activities on highly successful, fully modularized refinery expansion project. Project included a new UOP CCR Unit, plus major revamps of Hydrocracker and NHT units. Project was completed 5% below budget and start-up was achieved within schedule in 22 1/2 months from contract award.

Engineering Manager and Deputy Project Manager (1985 - 1986)
$175 MM TIC LSTK expansion, Mobil’s Torrance Refinery. Responsible for:

Process units included UOP Unocal process two-train Hydrocracker, Hydrogen Manufacturing, two-train PSA, and 2 Claus Sulfur Recovery Units with Exxon Flexsorb Tail Gas Treating.
Relocated to field during construction.
Project was completed ahead of schedule, and Kellogg was awarded 100% of the potential early completion bonus.

Engineering Manager (1984 - 1985)
Shell Wood River refinery revamp project. Project included major revamps of several process units with offsites and utilities.

Section Manager, Vessels / Tanks / Exchangers Section (1982 – 1984)
Worldwide responsibility for design, procurement, fabrication inspection and delivery of vessels, tanks and exchangers. Responsibilities included:

Served on the ASME Code Committee during this period, including the position of Secretary of Sub-Group General Requirements and later as Chairman of this Sub-Group.
Major Kellogg projects during this period included Malaysia LNG, Shell Northwest Shelf LNG (Australia), many new and revamp FCCU projects, Saber Refinery at Corpus Christi, Texas, and numerous refinery upgrade projects.

Principal Vessel Engineer (1980 - 1982)
Working extensively in Bintulu, Malaysia and Yokohama, Japan, to resolve problems on 100,000 M3 underground LNG storage tanks and 9% nickel cryogenic pressurized LNG vessels. Storage tanks problems involved cracking failure of foamglass insulating foundations; pressure vessel problems involved an in-service rupture of a vessel’s longitudinal seam and internal welds cracking in 9 other 9% nickel vessels.

Senior Chief Inspector (1978 - 1980)
Managed field inspection team of 75 inspectors for $1 billion TIC LNG-II construction project. Responsibilities included all aspects of field inspection, from installation of civil works through preparation of test packs and final turnover packages at Mechanical Completion.

Principal Vessel / Exchanger Engineer (1975 - 1978)
Principal engineer on various fertilizer and refinery projects, including expansion of the Saudi Aramco Ras Tanura tank farm in 1977.

Howe-Baker Engineers
Tyler, Texas (June 1972 to June 1975)

Project Engineering Manager
150 TPSD LSTK ammonia plant for Tipperary Corporation, Lovington, NM

Lead Project Engineer
Modularized 500 BPSD refinery project for Dow Chemical Co., Saginaw MI

Project Engineer
Various hydrogen manufacturing and crude desalting projects

Dow Chemical Company
Freeport, Texas (June 1967 to June 1972)

Project Engineer (1970 - 1972)
Responsible for production de-bottlenecking, maintenance projects, and capital improvement projects in a magnesium/chlorine production plant producing $50 MM of magnesium per year.

Co-op Engineer (1967 – 1969)
Worked alternate semesters, alternating with full-time school semesters.

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

“Construction Claims in South America,” Lorman Construction Claims Seminar, Houston, Texas, February, 2005.

“Design of Supports for Horizontal Pressure Vessels”, ASME South Texas Section Design Seminars, 1975 & 1976.

“Design of Supports for Vertical Pressure Vessels”, ASME South Texas Section Design Seminars, 1975 & 1976

“The Chemical Industry in the Coming Five Years”, AIChE Asia-Pacific Energy Conference, Taipei, 1995

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Revised: December 31, 2007