Manuel Sanabria specializes in process simulations, relief system revalidations, and has conducted over 60 tube vibration assessments to mitigate rupture risks in heat exchangers. He contributes to various Equity Engineering Practices and has co-authored two articles in Equity’s Industry Insights publication: “Venting Atmospheric and Low-Pressure Storage Tanks,” analyzes the latest edition changes to API STD 2000, and “Safely Purging Tanks, Vessels, and Pipes during Decommissioning and Commissioning,” reviews procedures for purging gaseous content from equipment.
Manuel accumulated thirteen years of technical experience at a PDVSA refinery in Venezuela, serving as a Process Engineer and later as a supervisor, leading gasoline and LPG production for the national market. As a Process Engineering Lead on the Technical Management Team, he optimized yields by performing daily operational adjustments, monitoring heat and material balances, and ensuring technical compliance through field validations during major turnarounds. His early contributions focused on process improvement projects in utilities and storage.
For his undergraduate thesis, Manuel synthesized a polymer to regulate bentonite clay particle binding in oil well drilling muds. He applied viscosity-based methods to determine the polymer’s molecular weight and analyzed its impact on bentonite suspension rheology. The synthesis process was structured according to Dr. Taguchi’s engineering framework, incorporating multiple controlled reaction variables. This work earned him an “Honorific Mention” from the University Evaluating Committee.
