B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Workload; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict
General None Reported / Taken
Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Air Carrier X was handed off to me southbound at 310; I had control to climb via LOA reference Sector 68 traffic shown to me. I observed pertinent crossing overflight traffic; Air Carrier Y; westbound at 340; and climbed Air Carrier X to 330. Subsequently; Sector 68 descended Air Carrier Y to 320. Conflict Alert went off too late for any vector/altitude resolution. The closest point was 800 FT and 3.8 miles. It would be good practice for Sector 68 to hold onto ocean departures when we are on the PSX playbook until they are clear of the overflight traffic. There is a lot of Data Block overlap.
Air Carrier X south eastbound was cleared to climb and maintain FL310 and Air Carrier Y was westbound level at FL340 converging. Air Carrier X was handed off to Sector 79 and given the appropriate frequency. The Controller on 79 was aware of another aircraft in the area level at FL340 and cleared Air Carrier X to climb and maintain FL330. Air Carrier Y was getting a rough ride and requested a lower altitude. Air Carrier Y was then cleared to descend and maintain FL320. Shortly after; Conflict Alert went off. Air Carrier Y was instructed to turn thirty degrees left immediately and expedite descent to FL320 and report reaching. Separation was lost before Air Carrier Y was level at FL320. Complexity might have played an issue because weather in the area was forcing reroutes to nearly every aircraft.
Enroute Controller experienced a loss of separation during multiple play book re-route procedures; the reports listing weather; non-familiar routing's; Data Block overlap; traffic complexity/volume as causal factors.