Methanol & ammonia processes
Experience working with process developers and engineers from process philosophy and design through commissioning, startup, and plant performance.
PROJECT ENGINEERING · CONTROLS · SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Nelson Vergara
Project Engineer &
Controls and Commissioning Professional
I’m a Project Engineer with a background in industrial controls, commissioning, and plant construction. On data center projects, I work with BIM and engineering teams to plan electrical installation, develop software for model-based takeoffs, and schedule field work in Primavera P6.
HOUSTON, TEXASINDUSTRIAL + DATA CENTER EXPERIENCE
HOW I WORKFIELD + ENGINEERING
01 / INPUTEngineering models
02 / PRACTICAL OUTPUTField drawings & tools ↗
Real field experience.
Tools built around the work.
ABOUT & SKILLS
Engineering experience.
Practical programming skills.
I’ve worked on methanol, ammonia, petrochemical, and LNG projects, from early design through startup. My experience includes scheduling, field management, controls, and commissioning. Today, I use those skills in data center construction and build tools that make engineering information easier to use in the field.
Project engineering
Work with BIM and engineering teams to coordinate electrical installation, review drawings and models, and prepare field work packages.
Controls & commissioning
Represent clients on controls work, lead technicians, test control and safety functions, and support plant startup and operations.
Software & project controls
Develop IFC-based takeoff and measurement tools, build construction trackers, and schedule project work in Primavera P6.
Start with my experience below. Open work examples for more detail, or download my full resume.
WORK EXPERIENCE
My professional
experience.
Current role first, followed by earlier experience. Select a role to read its responsibilities.
WORK EXAMPLES
What I do.
How I approach it.
Explore the projects below, then select “Read example” for a closer look at my approach to engineering, commissioning, and software development.
CURRENT FOCUS · DATA CENTER PROJECT ENGINEERING · JUNE 2026–PRESENT
BIM, takeoffs, and scheduling
for electrical construction.
I work with the BIM team to coordinate engineering information and plan a clear sequence for electrical installation. I’ve developed a system that uses IFC files exported from Revit for quantity takeoffs and accurate measurements, reducing the time spent searching through individual PDFs. I also schedule the project in Primavera P6 and break the work down into practical steps for field crews.
My current responsibilities
- BIM and engineering coordination for electrical installation.
- IFC-based takeoffs, item quantities, and field measurements.
- Nelson Bridge development to connect Navisworks selections with progress tracking.
- Primavera P6 scheduling and construction work sequencing.
- Practical field references for surveyors and installation crews.
01Coordinate the design→02Prepare takeoffs→03Schedule field work→04Plan for commissioning
How I connect engineering with field execution +
Coordinate with BIM and engineering
Work with the BIM team to review engineering information, resolve installation questions, and give electrical crews a clear path for the work.
Make takeoffs easier
Use IFC files exported from Revit to extract measurements and item quantities. My system reduces the need to search individual PDFs for each takeoff and prepares information teams can use for planning and installation.
Turn the schedule into field steps
Build project schedules in Primavera P6 and break down the work into activities, dependencies, and installation sequences for field crews.
Plan with commissioning in mind
Plan installation, documentation, and verification work early, drawing on what I’ve learned from commissioning industrial plants.
SOFTWARE I DEVELOPED · NELSON BRIDGE
From model selection
to progress tracking.
I developed the Nelson Bridge to connect Navisworks with my tracking tool. Selecting conduit in the model brings the matching items into the tracker, totals the selected footage, and lets the field team review and record progress. Selection works both ways, making it easier to find the same items in the model and the tracking records.
What it helps teams do
- Find matching model objects and tracking records.
- Count selected conduit items and total their footage.
- Review the selection before recording installation progress.
Try the Nelson Bridge example +
1. Select conduit → 2. Review the totals → 3. Record progress.
Select runs in either panel to see the matching selection in the other. This browser demonstration uses fictional data and a simplified model; it is not a live Navisworks connection.
Model selection
Simplified plan view · sample conduit runs
Outlined runs: selected · Green runs: installed
Matching tracking records
Select a row to highlight its model run.
SELECTED ITEMS
SELECTED FOOTAGE
NEW FOOTAGE TO RECORD
Previously installed runs are counted once. Updates apply only to this demonstration and reset when the page reloads.
FEATURED EXPERIENCE · METHANOL & AMMONIA
From process philosophy
to plant performance.
I have extensive experience on large-scale methanol and ammonia projects. I worked alongside process developers and controls, instrumentation, and electrical engineers, learning how the process, control system, and field equipment work together.
These specialists brought experience with high- and low-pressure methanol and ammonia processes. Working with them across multiple projects shaped my understanding of chemical and petrochemical plant operation.
From design through startup
- Participation in early process philosophy and design.
- Instrumentation, electrical, and controls engineering coordination.
- Commissioning, startup, troubleshooting, and performance support.
- Work on the development and startup of U.S. methanol and ammonia projects.
SELECT A STAGE TO SEE MY INVOLVEMENT
01Process philosophy & design +
Worked with process developers and engineers early in the project to understand how the plant should operate and what that meant for controls and field equipment.
02Engineering & field execution +
Supported controls, instrumentation, and electrical coordination, including drawings, control system reviews, installation requirements, and field problem solving.
03Commissioning +
Coordinated and performed loop checks, functional tests, interlock checks, safety function tests, and troubleshooting before startup.
04Startup & operations support +
Worked with operations and controls teams during startup, troubleshooting instruments and control system issues as plant systems entered service.
05Plant performance +
Supported plant performance through control system troubleshooting, tuning, and improvements, drawing on both process understanding and hands-on field experience.
Selected projects in my resume: Pandora methanol and ammonia; OCI methanol and ammonia; Iowa Fertilizer ammonia; Fortigen fertilizer; US Methanol; BioMCN methanol.
FEATURED EXPERIENCE · ALPINE, ALASKA · 2024
Zero downtime · crude wells remained in productionA control system hot cutover.
Production kept running.
As FCO Manager on Alpine CD2 and CD4, I helped coordinate a control system transition while the crude wells stayed in production. MMR and ConocoPhillips worked side by side as one integrated team.
My involvement
- Invited by ConocoPhillips to participate as one of its controls representatives at factory acceptance tests (FATs) in Texas.
- Participated in the early project stages, then carried out the field work in Alaska.
- Coordinated functionality checks and cutover work with the client team.
Hot cutover: moving from the existing control system to the new system while the operating process continues.
Explore the cutover coordination demo +
Coordinating the cutover
Explore the project phases, review the sample checklist, and try a coordination issue. The demo shows how unfinished work or an unclear handoff can delay the next phase.
Illustrative coordination demo. Phases, tasks, and issues are fictional; this is not the project’s operating procedure.Shared readiness checklist
Actual project result
Zero downtime; crude wells remained in production during the hot cutover.
What this demonstrates
How I coordinate controls, field work, and operations with the client.
View demo decision history
FEATURED EXPERIENCE · CHEVRON PHILLIPS CHEMICAL
Client representation
in operating plants.
I represented Chevron Phillips Chemical on controls work during multiple turnarounds and served as a lead technician in its operating plants. The client trusted me to work on its control systems and process configurations.
Responsibilities across these assignments
- Represented the client during controls reviews, testing, and field work.
- Led technicians through loop checks, safety function tests, and troubleshooting.
- Supported control system changes, commissioning, and startup with the operations team.
Read about my client-side responsibilities +
Client representation & quality
I represented the client on instrumentation and electrical quality and turnaround controls work. My responsibilities included drawing reviews and redlines, contractor and vendor coordination, factory acceptance tests, and construction turnover.
Controls leadership in operating plants
My assignments included DeltaV and safety system support, technician leadership, field troubleshooting, loop and interlock checks, startup support, and authorized control system modifications.
Why that trust matters
Working on controls in an operating plant means understanding the process and coordinating closely with operations. The client trusted me with that responsibility across multiple assignments.
OPTIONAL SOFTWARE DEMONSTRATION
Another example:
model data for field teams.
My tools extract locations and dimensions from 3D engineering models so construction teams can use them in the field. Try this example with three sample conduit runs.ILLUSTRATIVE DEMO · FICTIONAL DATA
Open the interactive example +
How to use it
1. Select one of the three sample conduit runs. 2. Read its dimensions on the right (or below on a phone). 3. Switch between feet and meters if you want.
What this shows: how I turn model data into an easy-to-read field reference. IFC is a file format used to exchange 3D building models.
SAMPLE MODEL / PLAN VIEW3 RUNS
TAP A RUN TO REVEAL ITS FIELD DATA SCHEMATIC · NOT TO SCALE
FIELD DATA
I build tools like this to make model measurements easier to use in the field.
Plan distances and sample coordinates only. This demonstration uses no client models or project data.
01 MODEL INFORMATION→02 STRUCTURED DATA→03 FIELD REFERENCE
COMMON QUESTIONS
More about my background.
Select a question to read the answer.
What connects your engineering and programming work?+
My field experience helps me understand what construction teams need. I’ve developed construction trackers, commissioning databases, and digital turnover forms, and used HoloLens for planning. My Nelson Bridge connects Navisworks model selections with tracking records and conduit progress. I now build tools that turn Revit-exported IFC models into measurements, drawings, and interactive field references.
What is your methanol and ammonia experience?+
I’ve worked on large-scale methanol and ammonia projects from early process philosophy and design through commissioning, startup, and plant performance. I learned alongside process developers and controls, instrumentation, and electrical engineers with experience in high- and low-pressure processes. Those projects taught me how the process, controls, and field equipment work together.
Which controls platforms have you worked with?+
My experience includes Emerson DeltaV, Yokogawa DCS/SIS, Triconex, vendor PLCs, and Niagara-based HVAC controls. My work has included configuration, system integration, loop checks, interlock and safety function testing, troubleshooting, and startup support.
What does your current data center role involve?+
I started as a Project Engineer on data center projects in the last week of June 2026. I work with BIM and engineering teams to coordinate electrical installation, develop IFC-based takeoff tools, and prepare accurate measurements and item quantities. I also build project schedules in Primavera P6 and break down the work into practical sequences for field crews, with commissioning needs considered early.
How do you approach planning and project controls?+
My Golden Pass LNG experience includes Primavera P6 scheduling, system-based priorities, work package preparation, manpower projections, quality assurance and quality control oversight, and progress reporting. I use the schedule to identify what is ready, what is blocked, and what the field team needs next.
Can I see examples without confidential project information?+
Yes. The interactive demos use fictional data. The work examples describe my responsibilities and approach without including internal drawings or photos of facilities and coworkers.
CONTACT NELSON VERGARA
Let’s discuss
your role or project.
Contact me about project engineering, controls, commissioning, or software development opportunities.