Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Languages
Timeline
Generic

AHMED MEZER MOHAMMED

Kirkuk

Summary

Experienced Process and Design Engineer with extensive expertise in Oil & Gas refining operations, process control, and unit rehabilitation. Proven track record in leading engineering teams, optimizing refinery operations, and executing complex projects while ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

CHIEF ENGINEER - NAPHTHA HYDROTREATING (NHT) UNIT

North Refineries Company (NRC)
Baiji
01.2024 - Current
  • Lead the NHT unit engineering team to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the hydrotreating process.
  • Oversee all aspects of process operations, troubleshooting, and optimization to maintain product quality and meet production targets.
  • Manage reactor performance, hydrogen circulation, temperature profiles, and catalyst activity to ensure compliance with desulfurization and product specification requirements.
  • Develop and implement process improvements to enhance unit efficiency, energy utilization, and operational reliability.
  • Review and approve operating procedures, PFDs, P&IDs, equipment datasheets, and process modifications.
  • Coordinate with maintenance, instrumentation, and control teams for unit turnarounds, preventive maintenance, and process upgrades.
  • Lead hazard and operability (HAZOP) studies, safety reviews, and management of change (MOC) initiatives for the NHT unit.
  • Supervise, mentor, and train engineers, operators, and technicians to enhance technical capabilities and safety culture.
  • Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), analyze process data, and recommend corrective actions to optimize production and quality.
  • Ensure compliance with refinery safety, environmental, and regulatory standards at all times.

PROCESS DESIGN ENGINEER - WHITE SPIRIT, SPECIAL SPIRIT, CDU/VDU UNITS

Columns of Energy
Erbil
01.2017 - Current
  • Perform process design and revamp studies for White Spirit, Special Spirit, CDU, and VDU units to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective operation.
  • Design and rate distillation columns including tray and packing selection, hydraulic analysis, and pressure drop evaluation.
  • Carry out line sizing, pressure drop calculations, and hydraulic analysis for process and utility piping systems.
  • Design and select heat exchangers and air coolers, including thermal rating, mechanical considerations, and exchanger type evaluation (shell & tube, plate, finned).
  • Evaluate and select pumps based on hydraulic requirements, NPSH, reliability, and process compatibility.
  • Size and specify control valves, including pressure, flow, and temperature control applications to ensure reliable and stable process performance.
  • Contribute to the design and selection of fired heaters, including duty calculation, efficiency analysis, and compliance with safety and environmental standards.
  • Review plant layout, plot plans, and piping arrangements to ensure operability, maintainability, and compliance with process safety standards.
  • Define and recommend control schemes (interlocks, safeguards, advanced control strategies) to optimize process safety, efficiency, and reliability.
  • Prepare and review process deliverables such as PFDs, P&IDs, equipment datasheets, cause & effect diagrams, and process design basis documents.
  • Support HAZOP, SIL, and MOC reviews by providing detailed process insights and design justifications.
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, piping, instrumentation, electrical) to deliver integrated design packages.
  • Ensure compliance with international codes and standards (API, ASME, TEMA, IEC, ISA) in all process designs.

PROCESS DESIGN ENGINEER - REHABILITATION OF CDU, NHT, CRU, CCR, AND LPG UNITS (UOP LICENSED)

North Refineries Company (NRC)
Baiji
01.2020 - 01.2024
  • Contributed as a core member of the refinery rehabilitation team after the ISIS era, restoring and upgrading UOP-designed CDU, NHT, CRU, CCR, and LPG units at NRC.
  • Led and coordinated multidisciplinary engineering teams in process design, revamp, and start-up activities under accelerated rehabilitation timelines.
  • Reviewed and interpreted isometric drawings, PFDs, and P&IDs to validate field conditions and identify modifications required for safe and reliable operation.
  • Performed hydraulic analysis, line sizing, and equipment re-rating to ensure operability of piping systems and compliance with design standards.
  • Executed CCR unit revamp, including redesign of the oversized regeneration air blower system to reduce flow, improve process stability, and protect catalyst performance.
  • Coordinated with Honeywell DCS engineers to update, test, and implement modifications to legacy control schemes, ensuring compatibility with revamped process designs.
  • Evaluated and selected critical equipment replacements (heat exchangers, pumps, fired heaters, and control valves) to restore efficiency and meet new process requirements.
  • Conducted plant layout reviews and provided process input to ensure safe integration of new and existing systems.
  • Prepared and reviewed key process deliverables including design basis, hydraulic calculations, equipment datasheets, cause & effect diagrams, and control narratives.
  • Supported HAZOP reviews, safety studies, and commissioning/start-up activities for rehabilitated units.
  • Ensured all rehabilitation designs complied with UOP standards, API, ASME, IEC, and refinery best practices.

PROCESS SHIFT ENGINEER - CDU/VDU, NHT, CRU/CCR, AND LPG UNITS

North Refineries Company (NRC)
Baiji
01.2016 - 01.2018
  • Supervise and control shift operations across multiple refinery units (CDU, VDU, NHT, CRU/CCR, LPG) to ensure safe, stable, and efficient plant performance.
  • Monitor and adjust operating parameters through DCS and field supervision, including distillation column pressures/temperatures, reactor temperature profiles, hydrogen circulation, recycle ratios, furnace firing, and LPG stabilization.
  • Ensure product quality and yield targets are consistently achieved, covering crude/vacuum distillation cuts, desulfurized naphtha, high-octane reformate, LPG composition, and hydrogen purity.
  • Manage CCR catalyst regeneration cycles (oxy-chlorination, combustion, drying, and reduction) to maintain catalyst activity and stability.
  • Troubleshoot process upsets, equipment malfunctions, and off-spec products; coordinate corrective actions with operations, maintenance, process control, and laboratory teams.
  • Lead unit start-ups, shutdowns, emergency handling, and operational changeovers in compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
  • Optimize hydrogen management between NHT, CRU/CCR, and LPG sections to minimize flaring and maximize utilization.
  • Enforce refinery safety standards, participate in HAZOP and MOC processes, and ensure compliance with operating procedures and international best practices.
  • Prepare detailed shift logs, incident reports, and performance summaries for daily review and continuous improvement.
  • Mentor and train junior engineers, operators, and field staff on process fundamentals, troubleshooting, and emergency response.

PROCESS CONTROL ENGINEER - CDU/VDU

Petrol Company
Erbil
01.2014 - 01.2016
  • Monitor, optimize, and troubleshoot process control systems (DCS/PLC/ESD) for CDU and VDU operations to ensure safe, stable, and efficient unit performance.
  • Configure, maintain, and fine-tune advanced process control (APC) applications and PID loops for distillation column operation, pumparounds, heat integration, and furnace control.
  • Conduct control strategy reviews and propose improvements to maximize unit throughput, product recovery, energy efficiency, and reliability.
  • Support process engineers in optimizing cut points, column pressure profiles, and furnace firing using advanced control and optimization tools.
  • Perform alarm rationalization, loop tuning, and control performance monitoring to minimize process upsets.
  • Lead the implementation of control logic modifications, interlocks, and safety instrumented functions in line with operating procedures and international standards (IEC 61511, API, ISA).
  • Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and process engineering teams to diagnose instrumentation issues and recommend corrective actions.
  • Participate in HAZOP, MOC, and unit start-up/shutdown activities.
  • Train operations personnel on control system functionality and best practices for CDU/VDU operation.
  • Ensure compliance with refinery safety, environmental, and reliability requirements while maintaining high unit availability.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering

Tikrit University
06.2014

Master of Science - Chemical Engineering

Tikrit University
09.2020

Skills

  • Design practice proficiency in oil and gas
  • Process Design & Optimization
  • CDU/VDU/NHT/CRU/CCR/LPG Operations
  • Advanced Process Control (APC, DCS, PLC, ESD)
  • Hydrotreating and Catalyst Management
  • Process Revamp & Rehabilitation
  • HAZOP, MOC, SIL Studies
  • Engineering Team Leadership & Mentoring
  • Technical Assurance & Verification
  • Process Safety & Compliance (API, ASME, IEC, ISA)
  • Hydraulic Analysis, Equipment Sizing, PFD/P&ID Reviews
  • Process Simulation via Aspen HYSYS and UniSim
  • Heat Transfer Equipment Design using HTRI Software
  • Troubleshooting
  • Engineering design

Certification

  • Aspen Certified Expert User in Aspen HYSYS, AspenTech University, 01/01/24
  • General Industry Safety and Health, OSHAcademy, 01/01/21
  • Project Management Training, Samalfager, 01/01/24
  • Experion PKS: Fundamentals - Controller Operation, Honeywell, 01/01/24

Languages

Arabic
English

Timeline

CHIEF ENGINEER - NAPHTHA HYDROTREATING (NHT) UNIT

North Refineries Company (NRC)
01.2024 - Current

PROCESS DESIGN ENGINEER - REHABILITATION OF CDU, NHT, CRU, CCR, AND LPG UNITS (UOP LICENSED)

North Refineries Company (NRC)
01.2020 - 01.2024

PROCESS DESIGN ENGINEER - WHITE SPIRIT, SPECIAL SPIRIT, CDU/VDU UNITS

Columns of Energy
01.2017 - Current

PROCESS SHIFT ENGINEER - CDU/VDU, NHT, CRU/CCR, AND LPG UNITS

North Refineries Company (NRC)
01.2016 - 01.2018

PROCESS CONTROL ENGINEER - CDU/VDU

Petrol Company
01.2014 - 01.2016

Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering

Tikrit University

Master of Science - Chemical Engineering

Tikrit University

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