1993 to Present: M.D. Sanders & Associates, Inc., Industry, TX- Independent consulting engineer serving engineering, surveying, and operating companies on oil and gas pipeline project and consulting assignments. In addition to project engineering for marine, desert, and cross country oil and gas pipelines from conceptual design through FEED and detailed engineering, construction, and commissioning, consulting assignments have included advisory roles for development of geospatial information (GIS) technology and expert witness roles for federal and state pipeline regulatory agencies in evaluating pipeline network capacities involving regulatory rate and tariff studies in the USA and Mexico for project management and flow assurance assessments.
Served as Resident Field Engineer responsible for Consulting Engineering and Construction Management of TANAP 56” Gas Transmission System from Georgia across Turkey into Greece and Italy. Commenced assignment in July, 2016 for completion in 2018 with Commissioning of Phase I Operation and multiple Measurement and Compression Stations. Expert Witness role assignment with NERA- Boston for evaluation of oil measurement facilities in Nigeria for mediation in London.
Most recent project assignments have included risk related project management consultation with Williams Companies on the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Project in Northeast USA to convert Transco system from Gulf Coast to Marcellus Shale gas supply and system reversal. This is a $2.5 billion program involving new pipeline design and station work along with brownfield looping and pipeline facility reversals. FERC filings and contracting have been completed with construction planned for 2017-2018. Consulting role involved 2 year assignment for risk evaluations and assessments from FEED through permitting from May 2014-2016. Engineering services were also provided to lead pipeline design and estimating for a conceptual study of pipeline options and risks for delivery of jet fuel from a products terminal in Panama across the Panama Canal to serve a major airport.
From 2005 to 2014, provided consultation for Anadarko Petroleum involving the El Merk Oilfield Development Project in Algeria. The El Merk Project involved development, design, construction management, and commissioning supervision of over 750 miles of gathering and injection pipelines from 120 wells in four major fields to a central processing plant and almost 500 miles of export pipelines for oil, condensate, and LPG. Served in Milan, Italy, from 2009-2013 as Manager of Pipeline and Offsite Facility Development in addition to responsibility for development of a Geographic Information System for mapping, design, and interface management of all field contractors. Total value of all Offsites and Export Pipelines exceeded $1 billion of the $5,5 billion project. The project was fully commissioned by end of 2014 and required final EPC Close-out and audit.
From 2009 to 2013, provided expert witness services to State of Alaska and Shippers on Trans Alaska Pipeline System in a tariff dispute for the project failure of the 48” Alyeska Strategic Reconfiguration Project replacing original turbine pump stations with electric motor driven pumps for lower flow rate service. Testimony included 5 days in court in Anchorage, Alaska as a primary witness for pipeline design and project management practices related to conceptual FEED, and detailed design of oil and gas pipeline systems. This trial included both FERC and SOA Public Utility Commissions. The 2014 Court Ruling by FERC favored the State of Alaska and Shippers in this dispute with final appeals completed in 2015. Continuing to serve as part time Consultant in tariff adjustments.
Professional Qualifications
Professional Affiliations
Publications
From Early 2004 to 2006, served as a Senior Facility Engineer for multiple projects in USA, Canada, Russia, and Algeria for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. These included conceptual planning, FEED, and development of projects for coal-bed methane projects in Wyoming and Utah; LNG Terminal Development in Bearhead, Canada; consultation for a proposed gas field development in the upper Arctic regions of Russia: a major water pipeline in Wyoming for injection in the Salt Creek Field, and oversight of FEED work by KBR for El Merk Project in Algeria.
From April, 2003 through March 2004, served in Baghdad, Iraq as Subject Matter Expert as Consultant to KBR, USACE, CPA, and Iraq Ministry of Oil for restoring pipeline facility operation of over 7,000 miles of oil, gas, LPG, and refined product pipeline transmission and distribution systems in Iraq. Responsible for advising Coalition Provisional Authority and Corps of Engineers in the Task Force RIO (Restore Iraqi Oil) efforts for start-up of major oilfields, fuel to power plants, importation of LPG and refined products to meet national consumption needs, and restoration of war damaged pipelines and river crossings. Assisted Iraq Ministry of Oil and USACE in planning, estimating, and prioritizing the execution of over 222 major operating company projects totaling over $3 billion.
Under a multi-year consulting contract with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation since 1994, responsible for engineering planning and supervising major EPC contract pipeline and offsite systems for over 700,000 BPD oilfield developments for Anadarko Algeria Corporation and Sonatrach Hydrocarbons in the Hassi Berkine, Ourhoud, and El Merk oilfields in the Sahara Desert including conceptual engineering from initial discovery to final commissioning.
Pipeline design and engineering management for flow assurance studies, conceptual and FEED and detailed design level projects such as Amoco’s Atlantic LNG Project in Trinidad, BP’s Pedernales Project in Venezuela, various offshore pipelines for Enron Gas & Oil in USA and Trinidad, and ExxonMobil in Nigeria.
Provided expert witness testimony on multiple occasions for evaluating gas systems involving tariffs for PEMEX in Mexico, various FERC cases on cross country transmission systems, and State regulatory commissions in Texas and Connecticut. Provided expert witness testimony with respect to EPA issues impacting pipelines and provided expert witness testimony for litigation of cases involving pipeline design and operations disputes.
1990 to 1993: Universal Ensco, Inc., Houston, TX- Vice President and Project Director responsible for engineering of petroleum tank farms, terminals, oil and gas pipeline projects, and international operations. Supervised pipeline projects across USA, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
1987 to 1990: M. Doyle Sanders, P.E. Consulting Services- project and consulting service assignments included site direction for Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company in charge of rehabilitation and upgrade programs of LPG pipeline terminal facilities at Mont Belvieu, TX
1976 to 1987: Sovereign Engineering, Inc., Houston, TX- Project Manager and Consulting Engineer for an international engineering firm which served clients in the design of oil and gas pipelines, terminals, and plant facilities.
1972 to 1976: Williams Brothers Engineering Company, Tulsa, OK and Newcastle, England – Chief Engineer /Project Manager in England for development of an offshore production facility module fabricator for assembly and loadout for North Sea production platforms. Project Engineer in Tulsa responsible for system hydraulic and economic study of a 3100 km, 48” gas transmission pipeline from Algeria to Western Europe for Sonatrach.
1969 to 1972: Continental (Conoco) Pipe Line Company, Wichita Falls, TX and Ponca City, OK – Project Engineer in district office and headquarter office responsible for design and evaluation of crude oil and products pipelines, tank farms, terminals, pump stations, and related facilities. Conoco representative to 16 member Technical Committee studying feasibility of a 48” Arctic crude oil pipeline from the North Slope through the Mackenzie Valley to Canada.
Professional activities have included leadership roles with GITA as member of the Strategic Planning Committee, GITA 1999 Pipeline Industry Coordinator, and spearhead for Chapter formation and President (1998 & 1999) of the Houston based GITA Texas Gulf Coast Chapter. From 1995-2006, published a quarterly column as Contributing Editor for “Pipeline Info” in Pipeline & Gas Industry and Pipeline & Gas Technology magazines. “Pipeline Info” promoted information technology applications in the pipeline industry.