The Beginning

At Strathclyde University in Glasgow, I attended a recruitment presentation by ConocoPhillips and was impressed by the summer internship scheme in Aberdeen. I applied for a placement and after an interview embarked upon a 12-week placement in the well operations department. The internship was everything I expected. I had great accommodation and enjoyed the three day offshore survival course and two trips offshore. I was given the opportunity to work on interesting projects which helped develop skills needed to complete my studies.

After completing my placement in 2004, I returned to university for my final year motivated by the knowledge that I had secured full graduate employment for the following year. This allowed me to focus on my studies and the grant from ConocoPhillips also eased the financial pressure.

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My work at ConocoPhillips

After completing my degree I began my first graduate position in October 2005. My first year at ConocoPhillips was a challenging and exciting one, involving diverse roles, locations and a range of responsibilities. I gained valuable experience in the subsea group of a major capital project. Working in both the engineering office and on the fabrication yard itself I got involved with hands-on engineering that allowed me to experience a valuable new perspective of my degree discipline. I also had the opportunity to work in the Britannia operations group, which provides onshore support to the Britannia platform in the Central North Sea. I currently work as a completions and production engineer on new completions as well as production optimisation opportunities in existing wells.

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Life at ConocoPhillips

Approaching two years with the company, I am working on some real value adding projects. I have been able to draft work programmes and travel offshore to see the work being executed, which is satisfying.

I have also attended several training courses applicable to my everyday work - the most memorable being the two week engineering academy in Houston. ConocoPhillips is committed to progressing personal and professional development and I have attended many courses as part of the GRADS (global recruitment and development) scheme. ConocoPhillips has a unique atmosphere where you feel part of a close group of people whilst still working for a large multinational company.

Working in Aberdeen has been fun, with loads of extra curricular activities on the go and you’re never far from the great outdoors.

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The Future

One of the advantages of working for ConocoPhillips is the number of locations and different functions you get involved in, and the level of responsibility and real work afforded to graduates at an early stage.

One aspect of GRADS is the opportunity to engage in the challenge of year-long employment overseas – something I hope to do in the future.

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