PIPELINE & POWER
ENGINEERING

As Pipeline and Power Engineering Intern at Chevron in Bakersfield, I worked on cogeneration and wastewater systems — the plant infrastructure that keeps produced water and power generation running safely and efficiently on-site.

I designed P&ID diagrams and ran simulations for those systems using PipePhase, taking the simulated system and projected-flow data to select wastewater pumps capable of handling 20,000+ gallons per day — sized to allow for regular use and overhead for emergencies without underutilizing the pumps during normal operations. On the power side, I investigated cogeneration plant design — specifically dry low-NOx combustion units — to help limit chemical pollutants from the plant's operations.

I also investigated issues with an oil mist eliminator unit that wasn't eliminating oil mist properly after a bearing blowout. My findings pointed to the unit's exhaust final filter, which hadn't been replaced after the blowout — causing residual oil from the blowout to spray out. The resulting maintenance plan, to replace and routinely check this filter, was aimed at reducing pollutants and increasing plant safety: a smaller-scope deliverable, but one that translated directly into a concrete maintenance action the site could take.