The Team

Background

• After a PhD in Chem Eng from MIT, Mark has 35 years’ experience in Oil & Gas. Petrochemicals and Chemicals covering R&D, hands-on operations support through to process safety management both on-site and as an external consultant.
• Mark was a key member of the committee developing the CCPS/EI book on Bow Ties, focussing on human factors and culture and how bow ties facilitate these.
• Mark’s specialities are process safety management systems, Bow Ties and Safety Culture.

Skills

• Process Safety Management systems
• ALARP determination
• Safety culture and Bow Ties
• Coaching and training.
• Process Engineering Refining/Upstream
• Qualifications: PhD Chem Eng (MIT), MSc Phys Chem, BSc Ind Chem.
• 18 recent publications/presentations at IChemE’s Hazards and AIChE GCPS Conferences

Professional Experience

University of Chester, 2017 to date, Visiting Professor

• Delivering process safety training to 3rd and 4th year Chemical Engineering students

ABS Group, 2013 to 2020, Principal Consultant

• Consulting a range of services to >30 Fortune 500/FTSE 100 clients including:
• Process Safety Management services to including PSM Frameworks, PSM Training, PSM auditing and coaching.
• Bow Tie training and development across the globe
• Root Cause Analysis and Incident Investigation training (>30 courses)
• HAZOPs and HAZIDs and associated training.
• CCPS & Energy Institute: One of the key, active members of the committee for the concept book on Bow Ties in Risk Management and developed the CCPS’s COVID-19 bowtie

Shell Stanlow Refinery, UK, 2008 – 2013, Process Safety Manager

• Refinery lead for Process Safety Management, Management of Change and Learning from Incidents implementation incl. demonstrating process safety risks had been reduced to ALARP for Buncefield-like tanks to UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency.
• Chairman (2 years) and Shell/Essar representative (5 years) on UKPIA’s Process Safety Leadership Network, the primary interface between the oil refining industry and the HSE regarding process safety issues.

Shell Global Lubricants, 2004 – 2008, Senior Base Oils Technical Analyst

• Managed technical aspects of Shell base oils business including process safety, product quality, R&D definition & planning, capital expenditure planning for 10 base oil manufacturing plants

Shell Stanlow, 1999 – 2004, Senior Process Technologist

• Technical design & development for revamp of Stanlow’s 8kT/day gasoil hydrodesulphurisation (HDS) unit for robust & safe manufacture of 10ppm gasoil.
• Technical expert/support for base oil unit including training 3 base oil technologists, driving long-term operational and HSE improvements.
• Day-to-day technical support of HDS unit (hydrotreating, ADIP unit, sour gas treating) and base oil units (high vacuum unit, propane deasphalter, furfural extraction, MEK/toluene dewaxing) and departmental environmental focal point and auditor for ISO-14000

Shell Global Solutions, 1986 to 1999, Senior Process Engineer and Researcher

• Petit Couronne, France: R&D Leader for Base Oils including pilot plant programmes & new product development (Catenex-SNR, a PCA-free rubber extender oil, leading to an EU Patent
• Shell Bintulu, Malaysia, Providing unit support to Shell’s 300,000 ton/yr. commercial scale Gas to Liquids (GtL) demonstration plant converting natural gas to transportation fuels and (wax) specialty products
• The Hague, The Netherlands: technical support to the 12 Shell Base Oil plants.
• Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Exploratory and development research on residue hydrodesulphurisation process and catalysts.

Chemical Engineering Research Group, Council for Scientific & Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa 1976 to 1978, Researcher

• Fundamental & synthetic R&D on amorphous silica alumina catalytic cracking catalysts