What are some of the skills you need in order to excel in this kind of role?
In my opinion, being proactive is key, given the inherently reactive nature of the job. Anticipating potential issues and planning ahead are vital aspects of ensuring successful interventions. Moreover, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with vendors is crucial. That gives you the ability to reach out on short notice in the event of equipment breakdowns and facilitate prompt solutions. Familiarity with various intervention techniques, tools and industry-specific equipment is also beneficial. A well-rounded understanding allows for informed decision-making and the effective application of the most suitable interventions to enhance well performance. Essentially, well intervention engineers play a critical role in optimizing the speed and efficiency of oil or gas production from a well. Our expertise and interventions have a direct impact on the operational pace and the achievement of the desired output.
The oil and gas sector has historically been mostly male-dominated. From your personal experience, have you observed any positive developments aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion?
There is a growing recognition of the significance of diversity and gender balance within the energy sector. Many organisations have introduced regulations and quotas aimed at promoting women to leadership positions across various companies. However, despite the existence of quotas, companies often struggle to place women in senior or managerial roles due to the demanding and inflexible nature of many positions. This is particularly evident in operational roles. For instance, as a well operations team leader, you are essentially on call 24/7 due to the continuous operation of rigs. In the past, the morning call with the rig was at 8 a.m., which posed challenges for individuals with family responsibilities like dropping off kids at the nursery or school before that time. Fortunately, there has been a recent shift in mindset, considering a move of the call to 9 a.m. to accommodate a better work-life balance for working mothers. Although the traditionally male-centric image of the energy sector has been eased slightly by providing more flexibility and support for women, there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Speaking of positive trends, have you observed a growing emphasis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in your role, particularly in light of the commitments made by numerous major oil and gas companies to achieve net zero emissions from their operations?
I have indeed observed a noticeable shift. We now have specific key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor our greenhouse gas emissions. A significant portion of our operations has transitioned to electrification, but we're continuously exploring additional methods to further reduce our carbon footprint. For instance, each time we utilise a truck, it contributes to our operational emissions, so we are constantly looking for ways to minimise these impacts. Essentially, the job remains the same, but our focus is now also on enhancing efficiency while aiming for a smaller environmental footprint.
