Building Your Reliability Program: An Interview with Eddie Acosta, Reliability Manager at Placid Refining

Inspectioneering recently caught up with Eddie Acosta, Reliability Manager at Placid Refining Company in Port Allen, Louisiana. Mr. Acosta has been in the industry for nearly 25 years with experience in managing the reliability of rotating and fixed equipment. Our discussion focused on the essential elements for developing a reliability program, as well as the unique advantages and challenges of working with an independent and relatively “small” refining company. We hope you enjoy the exchange as much as we did.

IJ: How did you get your start in the industry and what roles were pivotal in your ascension to Reliability Manager?

EA: My introduction into the petrochemical industry started in high school. I worked for my father in plants and at offshore installations overhauling compressors and engines. When I entered college, the Mechanical Engineering field seemed like a natural fit for me. This early hands-on experience had a tremendous influence on my role as a Rotating Equipment Engineer and laid the foundation for understanding the importance of mechanical integrity.

I was originally hired in 1994 as a Maintenance Engineer with the intention of mostly concentrating on project work. However, within a month of my hiring an opportunity surfaced where the company needed a Rotating Equipment Engineer. Upon my acceptance of that role, I was asked to develop a reliability program for rotating equipment that would deliver improved operational security and ultimately lower Maintenance cost. In 2008, I became the Reliability Superintendent, where I was responsible for both stationary and rotating equipment reliability. The role was created in an effort to place a greater emphasis on fixed equipment mechanical integrity (FEMI). A few years later I became the Reliability Manager.