Overview

Recent Role

Project Director at CDM Smith (July 2024 – Dec 2025)
Leading the planning, design, contracting and execution of 6 BESS projects (565 MW – 2,260 MWh) and 4 Peaker projects (278 MW) for Genera PR, a New Fortress Energy company, to stabilize electrical generation and distribution in Puerto Rico.

Background

45+ years of experience in energy project management spanning oil & gas, LNG, renewables and offshore structures — across Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States. Holds two two MS degrees from MIT and a Docteur Ingénieur from École Centrale de Paris.

Key Expertise

LNG / FLNG / FSRU systems  ·  BESS & energy transition  ·  Offshore engineering  ·  Cost estimation & CAPEX management  ·  Business simulation  ·  QA/QC in major capital projects

Education

MIT — M.S. Mechanical & Civil Engineering, 1980
École Centrale de Paris — Docteur Ingénieur, 1987
Universidad Simón Bolívar — Engineering degree

Professional Experience

CDM Smith
Houston, TX  ·  Engineering & Construction Management
Project Director — BESS & Peaker Plants July 2024 – Dec 2025

Leading the full project lifecycle — planning, design, contracting and execution — for battery energy storage and peaker power plants for Genera PR (New Fortress Energy) to stabilize Puerto Rico's grid.

  • 6 BESS projects totaling 565 MW / 2,260 MWh capacity
  • 4 Peaker projects totaling 278 MW capacity
Nexta
Oil, Gas, LNG & Renewables Consulting  ·  2019 – Present
  • Cienaga LNG, Colombia (2024). Co-development of an LNG import/export project at Cienaga, Santa Marta. Site selection and assessment for dual import/export FSRU–FLNG operation. Currently in first permitting phase. cienaga-lng.energy
  • Associated Gas Recovery, Petroecuador (2022). Identification and quantification of investments for recovery, processing and monetization of flared gas across 4 blocks in northeast Ecuador. Bid process manager. Under contract with New Stratus Energy.
  • Malvinas Gas Plant Logistics, Pluspetrol / Camisea, Peru (2022). Analysis of improvement opportunities for logistics of the Malvinas plant (up to 1,600 MMscfd). Initiatives identified for domestic consumption, export and re-injection optimization.
  • Compression Service — Maria Conchita Field (2022). Bid manager for 1,706 HP of compression installations. Technical sheets, RFP preparation, analysis for Ariel, Waukesha and Galileo compressor packages. Commissioning and start-up coordination.
  • Maria Conchita Gas Plant FEED, NG Energy, Guajira, Colombia (2022). Front-end engineering design for gas process, mechanical and electrical engineering. First gas from Aruchara well achieved October 2022. Original capacity 20 MMscfd.
  • OCENSA TLU-2 Fiber Optics — Constructability Study (2020). Communication and strain-measurement fiber optics offshore/onshore installation at Coveñas, Colombia. Analysis of materials transport, marine MOB, and onshore installation.
  • OCENSA TLU-2 PLEM & Buoy Replacement — Constructability Study (2019). Pipeline End Manifold and off-loading buoy replacement study and diagnosis for Monobuoy–Cambridge, Coveñas, Colombia.
Frontera Energy
Colombia  ·  (Incl. Pacific Stratus, Pacific Rubiales, Pacific Energy)  ·  2007–2018
Investments Quality Assurance Manager Jan 2017 – Oct 2018

Responsible for QA processes in engineering, manufacturing, construction and commissioning of production infrastructure and drilling materials.

  • Developed and implemented the QA process for engineering, materials, tools and drilling operations.
Cost Estimation & Visualization Manager July 2015 – Dec 2016

Responsible for CAPEX infrastructure estimates and performance indicators for the exploration portfolio.

  • Managed individual and differential metrics for 34 exploratory units to support ranking of exploration plans.
Gas Export (LNG) Project Manager Oct 2010 – May 2015

Directed development and execution of a 0.6 MTPA LNG export project from La Creciente field, leading an interdisciplinary team of up to 35 and managing a 600 MMUSD budget.

  • Developed the first floating gas liquefaction project worldwide in conjunction with Exmar (Belgium).
  • Managed environmental licensing for multiple pipeline and liquefaction port options, obtaining on-time permits.
  • Developed the small-scale LNG concept in its technical, commercial, environmental, legal and regulatory dimensions.
  • Generated interest in regional LNG markets and integrated 5 indicative and 2 binding offers for liquefaction, transport and regasification (Caribbean and Central America).
  • Managed project closing scheme amid falling oil/gas prices in 2015, minimizing commercial consequences.
Pacific Stratus — Projects Manager Sept 2007 – Sept 2010

Management of engineering and construction projects at Pacific Stratus Energy.

  • Completed construction and start-up of the La Creciente gas processing plant (35 MMscfd) in Fast Track — only 13 months after discovery.
  • Directed design and construction of the La Creciente field expansion to 65 MMscfd.
  • Directed design and construction of a gas quality correction system in 10 months.
ExcelTEC
Consulting, Engineering & Management — Caracas, Venezuela  ·  Co-founder & Director  ·  Nov 1988 – Aug 2007

Consulting services in engineering and project management, along with development planning studies, cost estimation and economics of oil & gas exploration prospects.

  • Developed digital simulation methodology for logistics estimation of crude oil transport capacity for a deep-water terminal (Gulf of Paria) — BP, Amoco & PDVSA (1998–1999).
  • Directed the technical management of the first large-scale national content study for offshore gas projects in eastern Venezuela, generating the first national offshore added-value public policies (2001–2005).
  • Developed technical and economic bases for Venezuela's first Foreign Investment Open Bid process for oil & gas blocks — the nation received a record 2.4 BUSD for 8 exploratory licenses (1995–1997).
  • Developed and integrated offshore upstream cost estimates and development plans for the first large-scale offshore gas project in Venezuela (12–13 TCF) — Christopher Columbus LNG project with Lagoven-PDVSA, Exxon, Shell & Mitsubishi (1994–1995).
  • Directed the specialized PMT Group for the offshore gas recycling and condensate Rio Caribe project (PDVSA–Lagoven / Hudson–McDermott) (1990–1993).
  • Closed sale and installation of 10 HP UX CAD network workstations for PDVSA Maracaibo through HP VARs (1990–1992).
PDVSA / INTEVEP
Oil & Gas Research & Development — Venezuela  ·  1980–1988
Automation & Instrumentation Manager Jun 1987 – Sept 1988

Define, negotiate and direct projects and R&D in instrumentation and automation.

  • Directed innovative developments in oil-in-water fraction measurements and proprietary industrial SCADA equipment design.
Structural Mechanics — Group Leader Jun 1987 – Sept 1988
  • Led development of novel experimental structural analysis techniques for condition evaluation using static and dynamic multichannel measurement.
Offshore Structures — Group Leader Sept 1980 – Sept 1984
  • Led the first study of simultaneous offshore drilling and production platforms in Venezuela (North of Paria).
  • Directed the development study of the Tuy–Cariaco marginal field (12 MMBBLS) based on jack-up pre-drilling, subsea template tie-back and FPSO, with Technip Geoproduction (PDVSA–Maraven).
  • Collaborated on a full-scale instrumented load test of LPG Tank 250130 (PDVSA/Lagoven, Las Salinas) — 90-day data acquisition of strain gauges, horizontal and vertical displacement sensors.
  • Established the group of specialized technical services in digital analysis of offshore structures for oil & gas in Venezuela.

Volunteering

MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge

Judge — Years 2018, 2019 & 2020
MIT Solve (formerly MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge)

MIT 100K Latam

Judge — 2018 & 2020
ITBA (Buenos Aires) · MIT Sloan Latin America Office
100klatam.org

Teaching

Role Course / Subject Duration Period
Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA) — Venezuela
Chartered Lecturer Project Management — Business Graduate School, Oil & Gas Advanced Mgmt Program 1 term 2021
CBM Ing. Exploración y Producción — Mexico D.F.
Contracted Course QUE$TOR Onshore — Modelling and cost estimation of oil & gas developments 1 week 2015
PDVSA Major Offshore Projects Division — Venezuela
Contracted Course QUE$TOR Offshore — Modelling of offshore oil & gas developments 1 week 2004
Universidad Simón Bolívar — Venezuela
Chartered Lecturer Structural Dynamics — Graduate School, Civil Engineering 1 term 1983
Chartered Lecturer Machinery Dynamics — Pre-Grad, Mechanical Engineering 2 terms 1981
Lecturer / Instructor Energy Conversion & Transport Laboratory — Direction of hydraulic turbomachinery and combustion engine studies; supervision of personnel and student theses Full time 1977–78
Teaching Assistant Mathematics I–VI 6 terms 1973–75
Teaching Assistant Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Rational Mechanics 3 terms 1976–77
Universidad Metropolitana — Venezuela
Chartered Lecturer Structural Analysis — Civil Engineering Department. Grad School 2 terms 1985–86

Publications

Research papers on offshore structural dynamics, fatigue analysis, and digital simulation of oil & gas operations.

2002
Operational Dynamic Simulation for Dimensioning Hydrocarbon Transport Systems under Uncertainty. PMI — 3er Congreso Ibero Americano de Gerencia de Proyectos, Caracas. Laya, E., Velarde, C. and Cavero, A.
1988
Soto, C. and Laya, E. "Modal Instrumentation, Testing and Analysis of a 110 m-long Jetty: Case History." International Modal Analysis Conference, Orlando, FL.
1980
Kawamoto, J.; Shyam Sunder, S.; Laya, E. POSEIDON-II: A computer program for evaluating short and long term frequency domain response of offshore steel jacket platforms. MIT, Dept. of Civil Engineering.

Technical Reports

Author and co-author of approximately 55 technical/business reports at ExcelTEC (1990–2007) covering oil & gas offshore & onshore field development planning, simulation of hydrocarbon transport and logistics, cost estimation, and economic appraisal of oil & gas asset development.

Author and co-author of approximately 35 internal technical reports at INTEVEP/PDVSA (1978–87) covering structural analysis, offshore structures, floating systems, and experimental engineering studies.

Research

MIT — Research Engineer (1978–1980)

Development of methodology and digital analysis of offshore structures. Analytical investigation of water–structure interaction, hydrodynamic damping prediction, and cumulative fatigue damage assessment through frequency domain structural response analysis.

PDVSA / INTEVEP (1980–1986)

Incorporated offshore structural digital analysis methodology (SACS, ASAS Launch) for conceptual analysis of structures offshore Venezuela. Developed design guidelines for offshore structures incorporating specific seismicity requirements (with DNV). Developed experimental structural dynamic modal analysis methodology to assess structural integrity. Incorporated dynamic response analysis of floating vessels for optimal SPM selection for medium-size FPSOs offshore Venezuela (with Technip Geoproduction and Atkins AQWA). Developed experimental static multi-channel measurement techniques (strain, load, displacement).

École Centrale de Paris / Bureau Veritas (1985–1987)

Development of a fatigue monitoring system for offshore steel structures, including modelling of tubular node stress concentration factors with experimental validation and subsea measuring via vibrating-wire strain gauges.

PDVSA / INTEVEP (1987–1988)

Co-developed oil-in-water in-line measurement transducer. Co-developed industrial RTU units for remote well rod-pump monitoring. Co-developed load-displacement pump-off detection algorithm for remote well rod pumps.

Professional Skills

Updated June 2026

General Project Management, Teamwork, Communication, Technical Writing
Business-Applied AI Practical knowledge of AI tools and platforms (Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini) for productivity, analysis, and decision support.
Business Simulation Simulation of oil & gas supply chains. WITNESS (Lanner), Jaamsim, Ithink / Stella (Isee Systems), MATLAB / Octave, SimPy
Oil & Gas Development Planning Planning, defining and structuring oil & gas production infrastructure projects. Life cycle cost estimation and specialized technical/economic analysis tools
Offshore Oil & Gas Infrastructure Technologies for development of oil & gas fields on fixed and floating structures
Computational & Experimental Physics Structural analysis, structural dynamics, offshore structures. Static and dynamic multichannel strain, displacement and acceleration measurement. Modal analysis
Cost Engineering Oil & gas upstream and midstream cost estimation. Class V and Class IV estimation for concept ranking
LNG & Regasification LNG liquefaction and regasification processes and technologies, onshore and offshore. LNG logistics and supply chains including FLNG, FSU and FSRU concepts
Gas Engineering Processes and technologies for gas treatment, compression and transport. Investment and OPEX analysis in upstream and midstream natural gas projects
Engineering Software & Coding MS 365 · QUE$TOR (S&P Global) · Hysys · Pipesim · Autodesk · Java · JavaScript · Python · HTML/CSS