Mr. Kurlekar is a Materials/Corrosion Engineer with over 30 years experience in failure analysis and material selection (metals, non-metals, and coatings); material, processes, and paint specification; QA/QC procedures; mechanical integrity procedures; corrosion and risk based analysis; welding procedures and qualifications; and, chemical cleaning. He also has an extensive knowledge of ASME, ANSI, ASTM, and AWS standards and codes.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
- M.S. (Nuclear Engineering), Brooklyn University, New York, June 1976
- M.S. (Metallurgical Engineering), Pune University, Pune, India, June 1963
- B.S. (Metallurgical Engineering), Pune University, Pune, India, June 1961
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Technical Services Group Leader, Senior Corrosion Engineer/Materials Engineer
- Corrosion/Materials Engineer — Responsible for selection of materials of construction, and linings/coatings for projects, provided technical expertise on welding (including welding procedure reviews) and welding codes; generated material specifications. Developed solutions to corrosion problems, reviewing and overseeing chemical cleaning operations, and designing cathodic protection systems for tank bottoms and underground piping. Also developed mechanical integrity procedures for Process Safety Management, wrote manuals on Chemical Cleaning and Cathodic Protection, and conducted classes on Metals and Materials, Chemical Cleaning, and Cathodic Protection for plant engineers and supervisors.
- Heavily involved in development testing of an internal surface coating to substantially reduce the coking tendency of the ethylene furnace cracking tubes. The coating was used in one furnace that saved over 7 million dollars over 5 years. Published four papers in NACE and other international journals.
- Technical Services Group Leader based in Lake Charles, Louisiana — Worked with Process Safety Management group to develop Risk Based Inspection (RBI) Procedures and to select a RBI software that could be used globally in all Sasol Plants.
- Managed a cost reduction project in 2002 that saved over 3 million dollars by reviewing engineering standards, maintenance and inspection procedures, and alternate material applications.
Metallurgical/Corrosion Engineer
- Responsible for failure analysis and material selection for a liquefied natural gas plant in Algeria; developing and qualifying welding procedures, also weld qualifications to ASME Code; plant inspection with nondestructive methods for mechanical integrity, equipment life extension studies, corrosion monitoring with in-service coupons. Supervised two engineers, two technicians, and four inspectors, and was in charge of the metallurgical laboratory.
Senior Engineer
- Generated material and process specifications for heat treatment, acid cleaning, and phosphate coating of blow-out preventers. Performed failure analysis on field failures, developed welding procedures to ASME Code. Also conducted research on hydrogen sulfide corrosion of materials that were included in NACE recommended materials for sour gas service, and developed new heat-treatment procedures.
- Worked as a quality control engineer and wrote QC and QA manuals and nondestructive inspection procedures. Responsible for the approval and auditing of vendors. Assisted Marketing by providing field customer service for solving material and welding problems.
Additional Experience
- Worked as a welding engineer in fabrication shop, a construction inspector; a senior metallurgist in SE gas Company in London, UK, on high temperature oxidation of metals. Owned a manufacturing business in India building laboratory polishing equipment.
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