I am a chartered project professional with over 23 years’ experience working in the Oil and Gas sector,15 of those in Major Capital Projects. I have managed projects for over 10 years and transferred these skills into the decommissioning sector in 2014. I now work in the Decommissioning Directorate within EnQuest where we take mature assets to the end of their productive life and decommission them in a safe, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Thinking this was going to be a short assignment before returning to Capital Projects I have never looked back. The challenge of decommissioning offshore installations in this sector is just too big to be drawn away from.
How did you get into the Energy sector and how long have you been working in it?
I began my Career in Oil and Gas as a Software Engineer for a Subsea Control company called Kvaerner. Starting in 1998 I was quickly involved with designing and installing patches to prevent the millennium bug halting production in the North Sea. I have now been working in the Energy Sector for 23 years.
What does your job involve on an average day?
As a Project Manager for a major decommissioning project in the North Sea my job varies so much. No two days are the same. I carry out a range of work to ensure the project is staying on track, this includes engaging with partners and external stakeholders, attending pre-mobilisation visits to vessels and visiting the offshore installation to meet with the workers at the sharp end.
What are main challenges for the Oil & Gas Decommissioning sector at present and how can they be addressed?
At EnQuest, our licence to operate is based on trust that we do the right thing and remove or get the right permissions to leave the infrastructure that was put in place by ourselves or other operators to produce Oil and Gas over the years. The biggest challenge I find is managing the drive to make decommissioning cost efficient whilst performing the work safely and making the right considerations to protect the environment. This can bring many conflicts along the way that have to be carefully managed.
We have to be deeply aware of the regulatory constraints and work with all our stakeholders to devise the right decommissioning programmes to suit individual assets and their particular situations. This can be complex, detailed work.
What are main barriers to international growth for ambitious companies and what advice do you have for them?
EnQuest has interests in the UK and Malaysia, but our decommissioning programme is currently focused on the UK with four assets in decommissioning. We are however looking to build EnQuest as a decommissioning business which could have global reach. We also see that option within the organisation helps support the UK though the Energy Transition.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Without doubt the recognition I received within my profession when I received my Project Professional Chartership was a great moment in my career. I felt that the Project Management Profession was not properly recognised as a skill. For too long there was an expectation that an engineer would develop through their career and natural progression would be a Project Management role. It really is a different skillset and this is better recognised across industries. I always say I was a pretty good engineer but I’m a great Project Manager!
What ambitions have you still got to fulfil professionally in your career?
I am finding now that, although I still enjoy the Project Management side where I have to pull a team together towards a common goal, I do think more about the next challenge. I do enjoy creating and energising my teams but what I would really like to do is create something different and unique. I would like to find a new and exciting way to deliver decommissioning across the UK and one area where I am involved in the early stages is an initiative called Subsea Decommissioning Collaboration. This could revolutionise the way Subsea Decommissioning is approached, moving to a more industrialised approach and saving both operators and the British taxpayer millions of pounds.
Who has been the most influential person in your life professionally?
For work I have had many people influence my careers from MDs to line managers to graduates and my project engineers. I have discovered that I like to learn by watching people. For me, this is so much easier than reading a book or attending a training course. From a non-work perspective, the most influential celebrity I admire is Tiger Woods. His work ethic, focus and ability to adapt to a situation is incredible. I also think over the past few years we are now also beginning to see his influence in the locker room with the rest of the golfers. These attributes are all key to a successful career.
Over the next 10 years, what changes would you like to see in the energy sector with respect to D&I?
In a decade’s time I would like to see D&I so embedded in our culture that it becomes the norm. However, I know that this is a monumental change for people who have been conditioned with certain biases established at an early age. I challenge myself often on my unconscious bias when making choices. In 10 years, the landscape will definitely include more females, people from diverse ethnicities and career backgrounds and I want to ensure that all people are given an equal chance to succeed.
Given the experience you have now, what advice would you give a graduate just starting his career in the Energy sector?
Work hard, actively listen and don’t be scared to fail. I think a good work ethic is so important to success and it is so visible. It is a way to demonstrate commitment to succeed. But to succeed you must listen and act upon what you are being told. Feedback is the greatest gift you will be given in your career.
Finally, go for it. If you fail at something, think about it as a learning opportunity and pick yourself up and go again.
If you were inviting guests to a dinner party, which 3 people would you invite and why?
I would like to invite my grandparents, three of which are now dead. Family is very important to me and looking back on my time with them I was very focused on just me while I was growing up. When I then had my own family you get caught up in your own life. It would be great to have the opportunity to learn more about their lives and discovering our similarities across the generations.
I would also like to invite Alex Ferguson. When it comes to leadership his name often comes up. The main attribute I admire about Alex is sustainability. He created a product that never stood still.
He had to reinvent the team many times over to ensure success. He created an amazing team spirit that gave them a strong foundation for success.
Read the latest issue of the OGV Energy magazine HERE
Published: 18-10-2022