As the general manager of Phillips 66's Alliance Refinery, Ray Rigdon is responsible for the overall operation of the refinery and devotes his time to ensuring the site meets all its business, safety and environmental metrics. Rigdon and his team make certain the Alliance Refinery complies with all applicable regulations and remains a valuable asset to Phillips 66 in terms of profits.
Ray Rigdon, General Manager, Alliance Refinery Phillips 66
"A key part of my job is being able to develop a strategic plan for the longterm viability of the refinery while meeting Phillips 66's company strategy," Rigdon said.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Rigdon earned his Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Tulsa in 1989. He then began his career as an engineer for BP at the Alliance Refinery before transitioning to roles at BP's Scotland and Texas City, Texas, refineries. In 2001, he returned to the Alliance Refinery under Phillips 66. After the merger of Phillips 66 and Conoco in 2002, he moved up the ladder of operations and management at the Borger, Texas, and Trainer, Pennsylvania, refineries.
When the company spun off its downstream assets into Phillips 66, Rigdon served as operations manager at the Alliance Refinery before becoming general manager at the Billings Refinery in Montana, a position he held for six years. In November 2019, he returned to the Alliance Refinery once more as general manager, the role he currently holds.
Rigdon said a number of unique skills are needed for someone to succeed in his job.
"Of course you need to have the technical skills to understand the refining process, but refinery managers must also be able to understand the business side of the job," he explained. "For example, how does the refinery fit into the current market? Internally, you must be able to see the big picture and motivate employees to work for the greater good of the organization. A big part of that is creating an environment where people feel welcome to speak up and share their experiences.
"Refinery managers must also be decisive - seeking and hearing different perspectives and then choosing the best path forward with the information shared."
Rigdon is involved with a number of industry associations, including the Plaquemines Association of Business and Industry, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance and Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association.
"These organizations help us network with other businesses and give a stronger voice to the business community locally and regionally," he said. "Within these organizations, we advocate for issues that are important to us while working to raise the quality of life and drive economic development in Louisiana."
Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company. With a portfolio of midstream, chemicals, refining, and marketing and specialties businesses, the company processes, transports, stores, and markets fuels and products globally. Phillips 66 Partners, the company's master limited partnership, is integral to this portfolio. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has 14,500 employees committed to safety and operating excellence.
Built in 1971, the Alliance Refinery, located on the Mississippi River in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, primarily processes light, low-sulfur crude oil. The refinery receives domestic crude oil from the Gulf of Mexico via pipeline and U.S. tight oil via marine transport. The refinery can also receive foreign crude oil via a pipeline connected to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port.
The single-train refinery's facilities include fluid catalytic cracking, alkylation, coking and hydrodesulfurization units, a naphtha reformer and aromatics units. These enable it to produce a high volume of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels. Other products it produces include petrochemical feedstocks, home heating oil and anode-grade petroleum coke.
The majority of the Alliance Refinery's products are distributed to customers in the eastern U.S. through major common-carrier pipeline systems and via barge.
Safety as a core value
The Alliance Refinery is an OSHA VPP Star site, a title that requires it to have extensive safety programs in place. Rigdon said Phillips 66's goal is always to have zero injuries or incidents.
Phillips 66's Alliance Refinery is an OSHA VPP Star site, a title that requires it to have extensive safety programs in place.
"While we do not always meet that goal, the company is well below the average in the refining industry," he said. "Here at the refinery, everyone who steps foot on the site has the ability to stop work they feel is unsafe, or even when they are unsure. We live by the idea that our work is never so urgent or important that we can't take the time to do it safely."
Giving back
The Alliance Refinery's employees regularly volunteer and give back to their community through an annual month-long campaign for the United Way of Southeast Louisiana. They also participate in events such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and on-site fundraisers for organizations like the Marine Toys for Tots program and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Ray Rigdon, center, and Tristan Babin, second from left, of Phillips 66 present a check for $10,000 to, from left, Tracey Kahun, Jodi Nohra and Sissy Stricklin of the Belle Chasse YMCA.
In 2001, the refinery established its Community Advisory Panel (CAP), a diverse group of citizens from Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, who openly discuss plant activities and issues with others in the community. In turn, they bring the information they receive from other community members back to their monthly meetings.
The main focus of the Alliance Refinery's CAP has been information sharing. Its goal is to promote a better understanding of business at the refinery, as well as HS&E.
Providing energy, improving lives
According to Rigdon, the future of his industry looks bright.
"We are continuously improving operations to minimize our environmental footprint," he said. "However, there is a portion of the world that does not have access to affordable, reliable energy. We expect to be a big part of supplying that energy, along with all of the newer, alternative energy forms."
One industry issue Rigdon and his team are watching closely is temporary sales tax, and they hope to influence the conversation surrounding this issue in the years to come.
"We are currently paying sales tax on electricity and natural gas used by the refinery and on new machinery and equipment purchased or constructed," he said. "These items are traditionally exempt, but temporary sales taxes were put on them a few years ago. They are set to expire in 2025, but since the state is now operating with a surplus, we would like to see the legislature restore these exemptions sooner. This year is a nonfiscal session, so it will be our No. 1 priority next year."
Rigdon's primary goal going forward is ensuring his facility is a safe, environmentally friendly and reliable refinery capable of fulfilling his company's mission of providing energy and improving lives.
"In the future, I hope to see the Alliance Refinery stick to its strategic plan and remain a viable, long-term asset for Phillips 66 by running reliably with a zero-incident safety culture," he said.
