Gooden Keeps Lubrication All Good at Cornerstone
Name: Troy Gooden
Age: 46
Job Title: Rotating Equipment Specialist
Location: Waggaman, LA
Length of Service: 13 Years
With 12 years under his belt at Cornerstone Chemical Company, Troy Gooden has a vested interest in the company’s lubrication program.
Q: How long have you worked for your company and which positions have you held?
A: Six years, 8 months as a Millwright, 5 years 4 months as the Rotating Equipment Specialist.
Q: What other companies have you worked for and which positions did you hold?
A: U.S. Navy, 22 years, Gas Turbine Systems (mechanical) Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8 retired)
My last two tours were as the Senior Enlisted Propulsion Engineering Specialist, AKA “Top Snipe” which is the Engineering Departmental Leading Chief Petty Officer and program manager onboard Naval Ships.
Q: When did you get your start in machinery lubrication and how did it happen?
A: In 1997 onboard the USS Mitcher (DDG-57), I was assigned to the ships oil lab as assistant Oil King where I was responsible for the testing and the transfers of fuels, lube oils, and water onboard the ship. As I progressed through the ranks and qualifications, I held the designation and responsibility as the Ship's Oil King on the USS Laboon (DDG-58) and the USS Stethem (DDG-63).
Q: What types of training have you taken to get you to your current position?
A: I hold dual Associates Degree in Applied Marine Engineering and Vocational Technical Education. Senior Enlisted Academy Graduate in leadership at the Naval War College in Newport RI. Fuel and Oil lab management with years of hands on sampling and testing experience. Navy Fuel and lube oil testing and treatment courses and qualifications. Post Navy-Fluid Analysis 101 course thru Noria, OMA-1 training thru ALS by Michael Holloway but no certification, Lubrication Awareness training by Wes Cash, and OARI training by Bennett Fitch.
Q: What professional certifications have you attained?
A: I have a journeyman’s License in Maintenance Mechanic (any industry), Power Plant Operator (utilities), Fuel Systems Worker (any industry), NCCER Industrial Maintenance Mechanic certification, MLT-1 certification, and Apollo Root Cause Analysis facilitator certification thru Arms Reliability.
Q: Are you planning to obtain additional training or achieve higher certifications? If so, why and which ones?
A: Yes, my goal is to achieve the MLE certification, primarily to continue improving Cornerstones reliability and maintenance program and to seek further professional growth.
Q: What’s a normal workday like for you?
A: Currently a normal work day is very busy with a heavy focus on turning fault reports or CBM technology findings into work orders in our CMMS system.
Q: What lubrication-related projects are you currently working on?
A: We are developing a capital project to build out and restructure our storage and handling practices across the site. We have a hardware improvement initiative to install desiccant breather, 3D bullseyes, BS&W bowls etc. on the 893 identified assets, to include the administrative changes to the asset bill of materials and onsite warehouse inventory.
Q: How does your company view machinery lubrication in terms of importance and overall business strategy?
A: Lubrication has become the 2nd most important business strategy with safety being the most important. Since we have made lubrication one of our top priorities we have reduced equipment down time to a record breaking low and our on-stream time and rate is at an all time high.