Unocal East China Sea, Ltd. commissioned JPS to translate COBRA into Chinese as they are hiring many operators to staff the Chuandongbei Gas project located in Chengdu, China. Unocal East China Sea (a subsidiary of Chevron) is partnering on this project with PetroChina Ltd. The project consists of gas producing fields where the product is treated to become usable fuel. There are many existing sour gas wells in these fields and new wells will be drilled to increase capacity with modern treatment plants built to sweeten the sour gas.

Our translation project kicked off in September, 2009. We held a kickoff meeting with the Unocal sponsor Dale Burleson and the JPS project team. This is our fourth foreign language translation so we understand the process and how much time and effort it takes to produce a new version. We had a checklist of items we covered to make sure everyone’s expectations were met during the project. We first documented the hardware and network requirements and constraints. Next was translation of the script. It’s an interactive process where the client has a chance to review and verify all translations before the software is built. Next we did the narration and coordination of pages, links, and then simulation. At this point we ran a series of tests to ensure everything was working properly.

In January, 2010 we hosted a factory acceptance test (FAT) in our Alexandria offices for the Unocal project team. The FAT is a chance for the sponsoring company’s team (Dale Burleson, Lilly Meng, Alan Chen, & Luo Guomin) to test the software and correct issues they may find before we compile the final version. The process of testing and accepting the software typically takes four days to complete.  In addition to the FAT, we provided COBRA Administrator Training so they would be ready to proctor the test upon their return to China.

The Chuandongbei Gas project used COBRA for the first time in March to screen two groups of candidates and COBRA performed flawlessly. The project will be hiring operators during the project phases for the next few years and we look forward to supporting them as they use COBRA to test all the new candidates.

Right to left: JPS: Al Jacobson, Dina Staskiewicz . The Chuandongbei project team: Luo Guomin , Dale Burleson, Lilly Meng & Alan Chen

JPS was hired to develop detailed operating procedures for Hyundai Oilbank’s new Atmospheric Resid Desulfurization Unit being built in South Korea. The facility is part of Hyundai’s refinery modernization effort and is to be a feed preparation unit for the new Resid Cracking Unit. The design uses technology licensed from Chevron Lummus Global. 

Hyundai provided P&IDs, Process Design Basis narrative and simplified procedure guidelines.  From this, JPS created approximately 330 pages of detailed step-by-step procedures in check-off format for startup, shutdown and for four different emergency situations. These procedures were created for the total facility (two reaction modules plus common LP separation and distillation) as well as for an individual reaction module resulting in 13 different procedures. For startup, simplified facility P&IDs were created to show flows and valve and blind positions for each major stage.

To kick off the project, we conducted a two day meeting on-site in Korea to review and agree on a procedure prototype and to discuss technical issues. The majority of the work was done from JPS offices in California with electronic means used to provide source documentation, exchange of initial procedures and Hyundai review comments. 

Procedures were all done in English. However, a customized dual language procedure template and user documentation were included in the final delivery. The purpose of the template is to provide tools to make procedure development efficient in helping to create a standardized high quality format and to do error checking. Hyundai plans to translate the procedures to Korean.

Work was performed by three JPS personnel with extensive design, operating and management experience in hydroprocessing. JPS completed the project on time and on budget.

Q: Tell us about your education and background in accounting.

A: After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.S. degree in Business Administration & Management, I worked at Central Fidelity Bank in the accounting department as an accounting technician. My various employments throughout the years have allowed me to gain experience with just about every aspect of the accounting business. I have worked with non-profit organizations as well as for profit organizations as an accounting consultant.

Q: How long have you been working in this line of work?

A: 25 years. I started as an accounting technician then later was promoted to Accountant. I moved to Richfood Inc. (food distributor) where I was employed as a Cash Manager. I accepted an Accountant position at Andrews Federal Credit Union in the DC metropolitan area employed with B.I.L. Consultants as a Sr. Accountant with various profit and non-profit organizations. I started my own business as an Accounting Consultant for profit and non-profit organizations until 2007, when I accepted employment with JPS.

Q: What are your responsibilities?

A: Working out of the JPS HQ office in Alexandria, my main duties include maintaining the day to day accounting functions for JPS. I am also responsible for preparing monthly financial reports and assisting government & bank auditors as well.

JPS is happy to Spotlight:

Annette DeBrew
JPS, Financial Services Manager

Dr. Doug Rosenthal, President of JPS, was recently honored with an award from Colorado State University. The award is presented annually to distinguished alumni that have completed their doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. There are four criteria used to evaluate nominees for the award:

1. Has made significant contributions to the betterment of organizations by applying science and theory in industrial and organizational psychology.

2. Is a systems thinker that integrates information from a number of scientific disciplines.

3. Has a reputation for high ethical standards.

4. Has performed significant cross-cultural and international work.

Dr. Rosenthal was presented the award on April 8, 2010 at the 25th Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Atlanta, GA. 

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Rosenthal thanked the members of Colorado State University for choosing him.  He further noted that, “It is quite powerful to be recognized by your peers and colleagues for your professional work.” 

Right to left: Dr. Zinta Byrne, Dr. Doug Rosenthal, and  Dr. George Thornton