Readers,
I am on the second half of my vacations time in France. This is a good occasion to introduce something I found out. the field engineer / vacation mode.
It is easily understandable that there is nothing that can allow you to be one day a field engineer and the day after back home: the son/husband/brother/friend you were before.There is a kind of transition lets say.
When the vacations starts , I was still in " field engineer " mode. not very talkative, having short sleep and difficulty to eat normally. I was still checking my company mail and not really keen to meet my friends or simply hang out. I was not really involved in what happens around me. Well I just wanted to spend some time alone.
After few days, I started to be able to oversleep in the morning, starting to joke with my family and friends and also could eat normally and a lot of junk foods ;)
I dont know If others engineers feel the same when they are off.I was thinking that when we have 2 weeks off, it is in fact 10 days off because of this transition time between field engineer and lets say " normal guy" mode.
anyway, only few days remaining, I will try to breathe as much as I can some fresh "Provençale" air. When you are not home for a long time and you come back, you realize that you like your hometown.
R
PS: someone said that a man will always be attracted like a magnet by the land he was born in. I am quite agree ;-)
Showing posts with label field engineer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label field engineer. Show all posts
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Trainee wars episode 2 : the engineer 1 or eng-1 "School"
Readers,
3:40 a.m. alone in the unit, time drilling. almost nothing to do.
I had a click. why don't I write the second chapter of the SLB field engineer in this trainee life.
Here we go!
the previous phase is quiet similar fro all the segments. unfortunately, the school is specific to each of them. If you are not from D&M this post is not for you.
The school phase does not start from the day 1 in the training center. It starts earlier. Lets say 2 weeks before as average.
2 weeks before school, you will do the "entrance exam". this is not much than a online test supposed to cover all the knowledge you should have learnt during your first months in the company. The pass mark is 75 %, if you fail it, you have a second chance to pass it, but this time the pass mark increase to 80%. if you fail it one more time, you are simply dumped by the company.
Quiet brutal isn't it?
well, it is understandable. if you are not able to get the mark to this exam, you will probably fail the school. the school expenses are taken by your location. Pretty normal then that they will not be motivate to put further money on you if you fail the entrance exam.
Don't be scared, if you went normally through the learning process, it will be easy for you. I noticed that also people tends to put useless pressure on themselves for this test... especially ladies.
Officially any kind of cheat during this test is strongly prohibited and can result to disciplinary action.
To be honest, if you do it during the same time another trainee is taking it, you can communicate. You can even ask to an engineer to help you if you don't know. Your manager is enough busy to keep watching you for one hour.
After passing this easy step, you need to review with your manager. Basically it is just a mean for him to check that you did not cheat (too much) during the entrance exam, and you understand at least the basics. He will also validate your fu****g control cards, your quest records and then you are ready to finally go to the school.
The school is a learning process which is during 9 weeks ( previously 10 ) which encompass both theoretical and practical knowledges.
for doing so, you will go to one of the schlumberger training center. for D&M there are 2 centers. SLC ( sugar land learning center) is located in Houston Texas and is mainly for trainee based in north and south america, some european trainee, and some african trainee. MLC ( midlle east learning center) is located in Abu dhabi Emirates. Trainee based in middle east, asia, and some of europe, africa go to this one.
there is a third learning center which was opening recently. STC ( siberian training center) is in russia and mainly dedicated for russian trainees. In the past, a lot of failures during the school were observed for russian trainees. the reason was english language problems, for this purpose they built , a russian training center which where lessons are lectured in russian.
You will arrive on day before the beginning of the class. You will be accomodate in two bedrooms flat shared with one of your classmate. Usually they group people under their nationality if possible, french guy with french guy, nigerian girl with nigerian girl and so on. Of course the flat is not mixed. there is no chance to share with a lady if you are a guy.
First day is an induction day, first contacts with instructor, classmates, learning center facility.
the typical week is : a lot of presentations for the 2 first days, practical sessions for the two following days and exam for the last day of the week. at the end, it is up to the instructor, he can modify the schedule for any reasons.
Following my experience, school can be splited into 2 parts. the first 4 weeks and the last 5 weeks.
the first 4 weeks are quite easy, exams are ok, presentations pretty simple to undertand and record, practical basics.
During this time, you will have time to enjoy every night with your classmates.
the last 5 weeks are very tough, rythm is increasing. More presentations, more knowledge and also more concepts "to understand". the peak is during the last 2 weeks. you will end up to work overnight and come also during the week end.
if you fail one exam during the school ( less then 75 % ) you will get a warning letter, if you fail another time, you will get a new warning letter and will be sent back to your location. most likely you will be fired.
this makes the school more complicated, especially if you fail one exam at the beginning. you will have a constant pressure on you. Just nightmares.
at the end of the school you will get your overall mark ( average is around 90% ). it looks simple but believe me, it is not.
After that, time to say goodbye to your classmates. Maybe the most difficult time during the school. Spending 2 months closely to other people can build very strong links. I am not surprised that a lot of couple are formed during school.
The last one who leave the accomodation may drop the maximum of tears as he will see everyone leaving.
Despite the difficulty and the pressure put on you. the school is the best time in the company. If you have a nice instructor, it will really be a unforgivable time. Especially when you know what you will endure after the school .....
4:23 a.m. still alone in the unit. still time drilling, still almost nothing to do.
Raf-Senpai
PS: I forget to mention that you will receive money each two weeks to "have" fun. it is not huge but it is enough to eat everynight at the restaurant, or playing bowling ...
3:40 a.m. alone in the unit, time drilling. almost nothing to do.
I had a click. why don't I write the second chapter of the SLB field engineer in this trainee life.
Here we go!
the previous phase is quiet similar fro all the segments. unfortunately, the school is specific to each of them. If you are not from D&M this post is not for you.
The school phase does not start from the day 1 in the training center. It starts earlier. Lets say 2 weeks before as average.
2 weeks before school, you will do the "entrance exam". this is not much than a online test supposed to cover all the knowledge you should have learnt during your first months in the company. The pass mark is 75 %, if you fail it, you have a second chance to pass it, but this time the pass mark increase to 80%. if you fail it one more time, you are simply dumped by the company.
Quiet brutal isn't it?
well, it is understandable. if you are not able to get the mark to this exam, you will probably fail the school. the school expenses are taken by your location. Pretty normal then that they will not be motivate to put further money on you if you fail the entrance exam.
Don't be scared, if you went normally through the learning process, it will be easy for you. I noticed that also people tends to put useless pressure on themselves for this test... especially ladies.
Officially any kind of cheat during this test is strongly prohibited and can result to disciplinary action.
To be honest, if you do it during the same time another trainee is taking it, you can communicate. You can even ask to an engineer to help you if you don't know. Your manager is enough busy to keep watching you for one hour.
After passing this easy step, you need to review with your manager. Basically it is just a mean for him to check that you did not cheat (too much) during the entrance exam, and you understand at least the basics. He will also validate your fu****g control cards, your quest records and then you are ready to finally go to the school.
The school is a learning process which is during 9 weeks ( previously 10 ) which encompass both theoretical and practical knowledges.
for doing so, you will go to one of the schlumberger training center. for D&M there are 2 centers. SLC ( sugar land learning center) is located in Houston Texas and is mainly for trainee based in north and south america, some european trainee, and some african trainee. MLC ( midlle east learning center) is located in Abu dhabi Emirates. Trainee based in middle east, asia, and some of europe, africa go to this one.
there is a third learning center which was opening recently. STC ( siberian training center) is in russia and mainly dedicated for russian trainees. In the past, a lot of failures during the school were observed for russian trainees. the reason was english language problems, for this purpose they built , a russian training center which where lessons are lectured in russian.
You will arrive on day before the beginning of the class. You will be accomodate in two bedrooms flat shared with one of your classmate. Usually they group people under their nationality if possible, french guy with french guy, nigerian girl with nigerian girl and so on. Of course the flat is not mixed. there is no chance to share with a lady if you are a guy.
First day is an induction day, first contacts with instructor, classmates, learning center facility.
the typical week is : a lot of presentations for the 2 first days, practical sessions for the two following days and exam for the last day of the week. at the end, it is up to the instructor, he can modify the schedule for any reasons.
Following my experience, school can be splited into 2 parts. the first 4 weeks and the last 5 weeks.
the first 4 weeks are quite easy, exams are ok, presentations pretty simple to undertand and record, practical basics.
During this time, you will have time to enjoy every night with your classmates.
the last 5 weeks are very tough, rythm is increasing. More presentations, more knowledge and also more concepts "to understand". the peak is during the last 2 weeks. you will end up to work overnight and come also during the week end.
if you fail one exam during the school ( less then 75 % ) you will get a warning letter, if you fail another time, you will get a new warning letter and will be sent back to your location. most likely you will be fired.
this makes the school more complicated, especially if you fail one exam at the beginning. you will have a constant pressure on you. Just nightmares.
at the end of the school you will get your overall mark ( average is around 90% ). it looks simple but believe me, it is not.
After that, time to say goodbye to your classmates. Maybe the most difficult time during the school. Spending 2 months closely to other people can build very strong links. I am not surprised that a lot of couple are formed during school.
The last one who leave the accomodation may drop the maximum of tears as he will see everyone leaving.
Despite the difficulty and the pressure put on you. the school is the best time in the company. If you have a nice instructor, it will really be a unforgivable time. Especially when you know what you will endure after the school .....
4:23 a.m. still alone in the unit. still time drilling, still almost nothing to do.
Raf-Senpai
PS: I forget to mention that you will receive money each two weeks to "have" fun. it is not huge but it is enough to eat everynight at the restaurant, or playing bowling ...
Sunday, October 21, 2007
typical first weeks of a field enginner in Schlumberger
Let's be serious a little bit,
A couple of months before I suffered from a lack of informations regarding what I will do, I will try to give as much as possible informations regarding the famous position of Field Engineer.
As schlumberger said in the job description : a field engineer is the corner stone of the business, always dealing with sharp edged technology.
then, what does mean " field engineer" :
Schlumberger is a service company, that means that it does whatever jobs that a major, lets say a conventional oil company doesn't do.
As a field engineer, you will be, most of time, working in the field. this means that you will close to the well, wearing coveralls and hard hat and fighting with numerous and various problems.
You will occupy this position for at most 5 years and then, you will be affected to an "office" position.
A field engineer is assignated in one department like well services, wireline, Drilling and Measurements, artificial lift, etc...
For your instance, I am in Drilling and Measurement.
As I have only a one month life in the company, I am not able to tell a lot of things regarding this positions, but I can at least give you my first impressions and other-more-experienced- field engineers feedback ans secrets ;)
The first week sounds really good in the paper. You have to attend a seminar which is called OFS1. this seminar is occuring is several "exotic" place like Kuala lumpur, Beijing, Mumbai(india),... it can also be Melun in France.... (which is a little different than Kuala lumpur as for exemple).
During this seminar, you will deal with a lot of QHSE contents (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment). it is mandatory to deal with, and certainly efficient and necessary but to be honest you will be quickly bored...
they will also deliver a kind of general training material package which is designed to provide you a primer of oil business in general.
After this OFS1, you go to your team in your assignated country.
then you will spend a couple of weeks(2-4) in order to settle down with administrative issue, and have a first contact with your future occupation and draw your development plan.
You will meet, your line manager, get your PPE, get your proper function training materials.
during these weeks, you have to go through a lot of online tests in order to check that you were not sleeping during OFS1 course.
After this, induction periods, you will be ready to have your first time rig exposure.
Basically, you will be an "extra person" in the rig. Nothing to do but everything to learn.
You have to navigate in the rig and try to get a lot of informations about each people in different service ( as for example, you have to spend few hours with a wellsite geologist, a mud logger, a rig super intendant, etc...).
I can not tell you more about it as I will go tomorrow for my first time rig exposure.
I will tell you more when I will be back :-))
A couple of months before I suffered from a lack of informations regarding what I will do, I will try to give as much as possible informations regarding the famous position of Field Engineer.
As schlumberger said in the job description : a field engineer is the corner stone of the business, always dealing with sharp edged technology.
then, what does mean " field engineer" :
Schlumberger is a service company, that means that it does whatever jobs that a major, lets say a conventional oil company doesn't do.
As a field engineer, you will be, most of time, working in the field. this means that you will close to the well, wearing coveralls and hard hat and fighting with numerous and various problems.
You will occupy this position for at most 5 years and then, you will be affected to an "office" position.
A field engineer is assignated in one department like well services, wireline, Drilling and Measurements, artificial lift, etc...
For your instance, I am in Drilling and Measurement.
As I have only a one month life in the company, I am not able to tell a lot of things regarding this positions, but I can at least give you my first impressions and other-more-experienced- field engineers feedback ans secrets ;)
The first week sounds really good in the paper. You have to attend a seminar which is called OFS1. this seminar is occuring is several "exotic" place like Kuala lumpur, Beijing, Mumbai(india),... it can also be Melun in France.... (which is a little different than Kuala lumpur as for exemple).
During this seminar, you will deal with a lot of QHSE contents (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment). it is mandatory to deal with, and certainly efficient and necessary but to be honest you will be quickly bored...
they will also deliver a kind of general training material package which is designed to provide you a primer of oil business in general.
After this OFS1, you go to your team in your assignated country.
then you will spend a couple of weeks(2-4) in order to settle down with administrative issue, and have a first contact with your future occupation and draw your development plan.
You will meet, your line manager, get your PPE, get your proper function training materials.
during these weeks, you have to go through a lot of online tests in order to check that you were not sleeping during OFS1 course.
After this, induction periods, you will be ready to have your first time rig exposure.
Basically, you will be an "extra person" in the rig. Nothing to do but everything to learn.
You have to navigate in the rig and try to get a lot of informations about each people in different service ( as for example, you have to spend few hours with a wellsite geologist, a mud logger, a rig super intendant, etc...).
I can not tell you more about it as I will go tomorrow for my first time rig exposure.
I will tell you more when I will be back :-))
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