Operation & Maintenance Engineer

Job Description: Operation & Maintenance Engineer – Electric / Engine-Driven CNG Compressor Package

About the Role

The Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Engineer is accountable for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of an electric motor or gas engine-driven CNG compressor package and all associated auxiliaries. This includes the compressor, gas engine, PLC/control panel, air compressor and dryer, valves, tubing, leak detection system, and fire and gas protection systems. The role demands hands-on ownership of round-the-clock package availability, preventive maintenance, breakdown response, safety compliance, documentation, and coordination with operations, service vendors, and the engineer-in-charge.

Purpose of the Position

This position exists to maximize compressor uptime, safeguard equipment integrity, maintain package performance within OEM limits, and minimize downtime through disciplined operation, preventive maintenance, condition monitoring, and timely troubleshooting. The engineer must work in accordance with OEM operating philosophy, which prioritizes planned service, timely intervention, and the use of approved parts and procedures.

Reporting and Interfaces

Reports to: Station In-charge, Maintenance Manager, or Project/Operations Head, as defined by the site organization structure.

Interfaces closely with: Factory technicians, electricians, instrument technicians, statutory inspection agencies, and OEM or authorized service representatives during major maintenance and calibration activities.

Scope of Responsibility

The engineer holds complete O&M responsibility for the motor or engine-driven CNG package. This covers start-up, shutdown, loading and unloading sequences, emergency response, routine inspection, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, calibration follow-up, and maintenance record control. Responsibility extends to associated systems including gas detectors, flame detectors, emergency shutdown circuits, pressure and temperature instruments, cooling system, lubricating system, safety valves, and enclosure auxiliaries.

Core Duties

• Operate and maintain the motor/engine-driven CNG compressor package to ensure smooth 24x7 operation and minimum downtime, in line with OEM recommendations.
• Monitor and record package parameters such as suction pressure, discharge pressure, stage temperatures, oil pressure, coolant condition, vibration, gas leakage status, and running hours in daily log sheets.
• Carry out start-up and shutdown checks, verify readiness conditions, and confirm healthy status of trips, interlocks, fire and gas system inputs, and emergency stop circuits before operating the package.
• Perform preventive maintenance activities including inspection, cleaning, lubrication, tightening, and replacement of filters, gaskets, seals, valves, spark plugs, hoses, fittings, and other wear parts based on running hours and site schedule.
• Diagnose and rectify faults related to compressor performance, gas engine operation, PLC logic indications, pressure and temperature alarms, detector trips, motor or fan faults, and auxiliary equipment malfunction.
• Ensure safe isolation, depressurization, leak checking, trial runs, and restoration after all maintenance activities.
• Coordinate calibration and statutory inspection of gas detectors, flame detectors, gauges, switches, transmitters, flow meters, and pressure parts through approved agencies as required.
• Maintain critical spares, lubricants, coolant, consumables, tools, and maintenance inventory to support uninterrupted operation.
• Prepare daily, monthly, and annual maintenance reports covering downtime, spares consumption, service history, abnormalities, corrective actions, and equipment condition trends.
• Support root-cause analysis for repetitive failures and recommend reliability improvements in line with OEM practice.

Detailed Responsibilities1. Operations

• Verify package readiness before start, including permissives, suction conditions, dump valve status, fire and gas system healthy signal, and control panel indications.
• Supervise or perform manual and auto mode operation and confirm correct load, unload, stop, and auto-start behaviour from HMI or panel controls.
• Respond immediately to trip events and analyse causes such as low inlet pressure, high stage temperature, gas detector trip, differential pressure fault, emergency stop activation, or motor feedback failure.
• Ensure proper coordination with station cascade operation and downstream dispensing demand so that compressor operation remains stable and safe.

2. Maintenance

• Execute preventive and predictive maintenance activities for the compressor, engine, cooling system, lubrication system, piping, valves, control panel, and safety systems.
• Inspect alignment, coupling condition, vibration trend, fasteners, foundation integrity, enclosure condition, and leak tightness of gas lines and fittings.
• Replace oil, filters, plugs, belts, seals, packing, and other consumables or wear parts at OEM-defined intervals or when condition warrants.
• Attend breakdowns at any hour and restore service with minimum response time while maintaining safety and documentation discipline.

3. Safety

• Enforce lockout, electrical isolation, depressurization, gas-free verification where required, and permit-to-work compliance before maintenance.
• Ensure the health of gas and flame detection systems, ESD loops, alarms, annunciation, and firefighting interfaces.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping around the compressor package, oil handling points, drains, and electrical panel area to reduce operational risk.
• Support incident reporting, near-miss reporting, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.

4. Documentation and Compliance

• Maintain operating logs, maintenance checklists, calibration records, breakdown history, and spares registers accurately and on time.
• Track running-hour-based service intervals and ensure no critical maintenance task is missed.
• Assist audits, OEM visits, client inspections, and statutory verifications by presenting records and site condition evidence.

Required Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Automobile Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Formal technical training or demonstrable experience in reciprocating compressor packages, gas engines, and industrial control systems is strongly preferred.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 5 to 8 years of relevant experience in operation and maintenance of CNG compressor packages, gas engine-driven compressor systems, or closely comparable natural gas compression equipment.
• At least 3 years of hands-on exposure to reciprocating compressor maintenance, breakdown handling, and preventive maintenance planning in a CGD, CNG station, oil and gas, or industrial gas environment.
• Experience with CP/Atlas Copco, KPCL, TCPL, or equivalent compressor package OEMs is preferred, as these packages rely on structured PM intervals, control logic familiarity, and disciplined service execution.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of reciprocating compressor package operation, gas engine fundamentals, multistage compression, lubrication, cooling, and pressure safety systems.
• Ability to interpret P&IDs, GA drawings, wiring diagrams, alarm and trip lists, and OEM maintenance instructions.
• Working knowledge of PLC/HMI-based operation, annunciation systems, interlocks, and basic electrical troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with calibration follow-up for detectors, transmitters, gauges, and switches used in high-pressure gas systems.
• Competence in vibration observation, leak detection, fault diagnosis, and maintenance planning based on running hours and equipment condition.

Behavioural Expectations

• Strong ownership of uptime, safety, and documentation quality.
• Calm response under breakdown conditions and good analytical troubleshooting ability.
• Effective shift coordination, contractor supervision, and communication with operations and maintenance teams.
• Discipline in following SOPs, PTW requirements, and OEM instructions in hazardous gas environments.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Compressor availability and uptime.
• Breakdown frequency and mean time to restore.
• Preventive maintenance compliance.
• Safety incident and near-miss performance.
• Calibration compliance and statutory closure.
• Spares control, lubricant consumption, and maintenance cost discipline.

Working Conditions

The role typically supports a 24x7 operating CNG station environment. It may require shift work, emergency call-out, weekend attendance, and work in outdoor or enclosed package areas exposed to noise, vibration, and high-pressure gas systems. Use of PPE, gas safety discipline, and adherence to site emergency procedures are mandatory.

Preferred Certifications

• Permit-to-work or LOTO training.
• Fire and gas safety training.
• First aid training.
• OEM training certificate on CNG compressor package operation or maintenance.
• Calibration, vibration, or reliability maintenance training is an added advantage.

Pay: From ₦500,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person