Hello and greetings!
My foray into the oil industry started with a summer job scratching rust and painting remote oil production facilities in Western Canada. This eventually led to a degree in petroleum engineering and to a career in the offshore oil and gas industry.
While on one hand I'm a technical specialist, curiosity also made me a generalist: today I'm a subsea completion engineer but over the years I've worked as a deepwater well test engineer, as a subsea systems engineer, as an "exploitation engineer" (a dubious title to share at gatherings, I can assure you), and as a production field engineer. My advice to all young engineers is to know the difference between 10 years of varied experience, and one year repeated 10 times. Branch out and broaden your skills whenever you get the chance.
I've worked for operating companies of all sizes, as staff and as a consultant, and have enjoyed the privilege of extensive travel for work, including a 12-year stint as a rotating deepwater rig-site supervisor across North and West Africa.
A highlight of my travels has been collaborating with so many talented individuals, all with such different backgrounds. Diversity is our industry's collective strength. While "going it alone" may at times seem easier, I've learned that its never as effective as collaborating with a talented colleague who offers new perspectives and ideas. Often, the most novel ideas come from those with backgrounds and experiences that differ from your own. Be a good listener and allow your colleagues to make you into a better engineer.
I'm now the proud dad of three kids in uni, all studying engineering but none (yet?) in the oil patch.
One thing you may have noted is that I'm a 30+ year practicing engineer, and not a manager. That follows a deliberate choice, and possibly one you will need to consider.
Looking forward to discussing your aspirations and helping you set your own path in this amazing industry!
PS - if you're amazed by all my listed activities and interests, so am I! They were generated by SPE using an AI and I cannot edit them.
