Andrew Knight

Principal Engineer - Hydroprocessing Technology at Topsoe

Houston, Texas, United States

About

Chemical engineer with extensive experience in turnarounds/start-ups, process improvement, and pushing technological boundaries. A consistent track record of maximizing profitability while maintaining safe and reliable operation. Particularly interested in Hydroprocessing & the production/utilization of hydrogen, along with the associated catalytic and reactor technologies.

Experience

  • Topsoe (3 yrs 11 mos)
    • Group Lead - Hydroprocessing Technology
      Feb 2026 - Present · 5 mos

      North American team lead for hydroprocessing proposals & studies on a wide variety of grassroots and revamp applications, including: • HydroFlex® = Maximized SAF and/or RD yields and reliable performance from even the harshest renewable oil feedstocks • Polyshift™ = Maximized diesel volume gain and catalyst cycle length expansion • Aroshift™ = Maximized FCC profitability through upgraded FCC feed pre-treatment • HyOctane™ = Maximized octane number from FCC gasoline post-treatment • HPNA Trim™ = Maximized jet + diesel yield from full-conversion hydrocracking • HydroTech™ = A full suite of hydroprocessing catalyst + reactor internals + technology options to effectively meet any process objective Responsibilities include close coordination with R&D, technology licensing, process + mechanical engineering, and clean fuels/renewables technical service teams.

    • Principal Engineer - Hydroprocessing Technology
      Aug 2022 - Jan 2026 · 3 yrs 6 mos

      Primarily involved with Topsoe's Polyshift™ and HydroFlex® hydroprocessing technologies for the production of conventional diesel, renewable diesel (RD), or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), including: • Grassroots & revamp project proposals, studies, and reactor design packages • Reaction kinetics & catalyst load strategies • New equipment specifications & existing equipment evaluations (reactors, vessels, columns, heat exchangers, pumps, etc.) • Process safety & depressurization systems analysis • Unit start-up support & performance evaluations • Operational support & margin/reliability upgrades

  • Imperial Oil (8 yrs 11 mos)
    • Refinery Crude & Production Coordinator
      Feb 2022 - Jul 2022 · 6 mos

      Various experiences at Imperial's Strathcona Refinery in technical/operations/turnaround support and process development/improvement in Hydroprocessing (diesel/jet/gasoline/naphtha), Naphtha Reforming + hydrogen systems, Crude Distillation (A&V), Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC), HF-Alkylation, Butane Isomerization, and Sulfur Recovery Refinery Coordinator highlights include: • Lead Supply Scheduler, managing crude slate & unit operation strategies to maximize site profitability • Guided Strathcona through multiple internal/external disruptions while mitigating financial impact • Aided other refinery with intermediates supply through unplanned crude unit outage for >$4M profit

    • Crude/Hydroprocessing/Reforming-Complex Technical Lead
      Nov 2020 - Jan 2022 · 1 yr 3 mos

      Highlights include: • Technical Lead for 2021 Crude Unit turnaround • Substantially increased Naphtha Reformer profitability through new operating strategies & catalyst upgrades • Extensive improvements in operating complex's risk-reduction portfolio

    • Process Development & Improvement (Margin/Energy) Group Lead
      Oct 2019 - Oct 2020 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Highlights include: • Capitalized upon gasoline/diluent/diesel opportunity windows for greatly increased site profitability • Record site energy performance two years in a row • Several OPEX reductions through hydrogen system improvements & optimizations

  • Graduate Student Researcher - UBC Fluidization + Clean Energy Research Centers at The University of British Columbia
    May 2011 - Aug 2013 · 2 yrs 4 mos

  • Undergraduate Student Researcher - Queen’s-RMC Fuel Cell Research Center at Queen's University
    May 2010 - Aug 2010 · 4 mos

  • Engineering Summer Student at WaterSMART Solutions Ltd.
    May 2009 - Aug 2009 · 4 mos