Matthew Schlabach

Director of Projects for Germany & Austria

Burghausen, Bavaria, Germany

About

I'm an engineering project manager with 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. I've worked in a breadth of petrochemical areas, including the oversight of full project execution, piping and mechanical design, overseas workshare, and storage tank maintenance. I've spent the past 15 years embedded in client facilities from US Gulf Coast to Germany, working to provide onsite services for all phases of EPCM projects. I'm passionate about building sustainable and cost-effective solutions as the industry grows toward a goal of net zero.

Experience

  • Kent (On-site)
    • Director of Projects / Project Delivery Manager
      Feb 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 5 mos

      Delivers PMC services for multiple low-carbon and energy transition projects, including green hydrogen production, bio-based feedstock conversion (bio-ethanol to ethylene), and circular economy initiatives (plastics-to-oil), supporting industrial decarbonization and fossil-fuel displacement. Led multi-party interface management between Owner, engineering, procurement and construction contractors, resolving scope and responsibility boundaries to maintain execution progress. Developed and maintained project baseline documentation (scope, schedule and cost basis) enabling investment decision and forming the contractual basis. Established project controls reporting and performance metrics used to forecast cost and schedule outcomes and trigger corrective actions. Led risk reviews resulting in mitigation actions and contingency strategies influencing schedule logic, procurement sequencing and execution planning. Managed the implementation of a new EDMS and built the accompanying procedural standards for controlled data management.

    • Senior Project Manager of Site
      Nov 2021 - May 2023 · 1 yr 7 mos

      Developed and managed project scope from FEL1 through detailed design baseline. Coordinated offshore engineering and local contractors to deliver site execution workshare. Established site procedures, standards and templates; trained onshore and offshore teams. Implemented Oracle Fusion for project cost tracking, invoicing and time control. Managed project cost and schedule performance and produced forecast reporting.

  • Owner at CITY ACRE BREWING COMPANY LLC
    Jan 2015 - Dec 2022 · 8 yrs

    Conceptualized, built and operated a successful brewery & restaurant with a workforce of 13 kitchen, brewery, maintenance and pub employees. Oversaw P&L statements, tax reports, and local, state and federal compliance.

  • SNC-Lavalin (Baytown, Texas, United States)
    • Department Manager for Mechanical Design & Piping
      Dec 2019 - Nov 2021 · 2 yrs

      Managed design group consisting of 60 piping designers, adjusting workloads and manpower as project schedules dictated. Grew offshore engineering India workshare for capital projects from 30% to 50%. Maintained and stewarded adherence to departmental and company guidelines.

    • Project Manager
      Mar 2019 - Dec 2019 · 10 mos

      Managed client budgets through daily cost analysis and maintained project schedules for capital and turnaround projects. Built estimates and managed workshare percentages to keep engineering costs aligned with project TICs. Oversaw projects from early development stages to mechanical completion via a phased project process. Led timely constructability reviews to address and identify execution issues, risks and strategies.

  • SNC-Lavalin (On-site)
    • Project Manager
      Oct 2014 - Oct 2018 · 4 yrs 1 mo

      Managed client budgets through daily cost analysis and maintained project schedules for capital and turnaround projects. Oversaw projects from early development stages to mechanical completion via a phased project process. Ran program for planning of the maintenance and repair of existing and new API 650 storage tanks for three client sites. Tracked cost and schedules to ensure compliance with turnaround milestones. Closely monitored project budgets.

    • Lead Mechanical Engineer
      Oct 2009 - Oct 2014 · 5 yrs 1 mo

      Responsible for engineering, maintenance and repair of existing and new API 650 storage tanks for three client sites. Performed checking of construction prints, redlines and as-builts for accuracy and compliance with standards. Analyzed structural and foundation components including environmental protection barriers, cathodic protection and inspection wells.

    • Lead Mechanical Engineer
      Apr 2007 - Sep 2009 · 2 yrs 6 mos

      Created decommissioning plans for an existing facility in accordance with milestone schedules, analyzed lift and move strategies for relocated equipment. Performed supplier shop inspections and equipment testing

  • Mechanical Engineer at CDI Engineering
    Jan 2005 - Mar 2007 · 2 yrs 3 mos

    Lead the Mechanical Engineering group on two Silane expansion projects totaling $120M. Participated in the relocation of a pilot chemical plant from Austin, TX to The Woodlands, TX. Designed structures for down-hole oil tool calibration.