The engineering world is filled with individuals who bring technical precision to their work, but few blend expertise, passion, and personal balance as seamlessly as Tesia Dobrydnia. A Chemical Engineer with more than fifteen years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Tesia has developed an impressive track record across process design, safety management, offshore support, and relief system design. Outside the workplace, she maintains an active outdoor lifestyle that complements her professional accomplishments.
Tesia’s journey into engineering began at Oregon State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 2007. Her academic preparation gave her the tools to navigate the complexities of industrial operations, and shortly after graduation, she joined Chevron—an opportunity that marked the beginning of a long and meaningful career.
Throughout her time at Chevron, Tesia has taken on a variety of engineering roles that highlight her adaptability and technical competence. She has served as a Facility Engineer, Process Engineer, MCP Process Engineer, Relief Engineer, and ultimately a Relief Senior Engineer. Each position expanded her understanding of refinery operations, upstream production, and offshore processes.
Her experience includes:
Her contributions have supported facilities across multiple regions, including Alaska, Louisiana, California, and international locations.
A core highlight of Tesia’s career has been her specialization in flare and relief system engineering. In this complex discipline, she has honed advanced skills such as relief valve sizing, dynamic modeling of pressure scenarios, and flare header analysis. She is well-versed in the industry’s essential safety standards, including those published by ASME and API.
Her expertise helps ensure the safe operation of large-scale facilities by modeling how systems respond during emergency or high-pressure conditions.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Tesia works at the Chevron Richmond Refinery, where she continues to apply and expand her engineering skill set. Her role in relief system design brings her into close collaboration with operations, reliability teams, and other engineering groups to support safe and efficient refinery performance.
While engineering is a significant part of her life, Tesia places equal emphasis on maintaining a rich and fulfilling personal life. She enjoys hiking, backpacking, snowboarding, and camping—activities that allow her to unwind and explore the natural world. Her passion for the outdoors mirrors her professional commitment: both require endurance, focus, and curiosity.
When she’s not in nature, Tesia enjoys reading, watching movies, and taking on home improvement projects that allow her to express creativity.
Tesia also contributes to her community through volunteer work, supporting organizations such as food pantries and Habitat for Humanity. Her willingness to give back highlights her belief in using her skills and time to benefit others.