Shell Oil Company Houston, TX - Programmer/Analyst
Work location was Westhollow Research Center.

• Developed software for plotting chromatograms (pattern of peaks and valleys from the chromatograph detector) with peak labels and boundaries. Previously technicians had to label strip chart chromatograms by hand. (A chromatograph analyzes hydrocarbon mixtures to determine the proportion of compounds in the mixture.) The plotter used was Hewlett-Packard. The programming language was FORTRAN on MODCOMP computers. This package was used on laboratory and process liquid chromatographs.
• Performed software upgrades on computers (process and lab) at a remote plant site and wrote user manuals.
• Developed an automated test suit for a process control entry program on DEC VAX computers. The system was the company's process control package. Previously one had to edit text files to change the instrument descriptions and control parameters. A developer developed a screen-entry program to facilitate the entry and modification of the parameters.