#008 – Working as a Petroleum Engineer – Geoff Purdy
Geoff Purdy is a graduate of Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University. Right after his bachelors, he began work as a Coiled Tubing Field Engineer for Schlumberger – some of that time was spent on the Hibernia, the largest oil platform in the world. Four years ago, Geoff joined the team at Chevron Energy Technology Company in San Francisco as a process engineer. He currently spends about half of the year at the Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan.
Geoff shares with us:
- why he studied Chemical engineering.
- stories of work on an oil platform.
- the pros of working in a large company.
- tips on integrating with a multicultural team.
- his involvement with Tengizchevroil.
- And much more…
Reach out to Geoff Purdy via LinkedIn.
Listen to the episode on iTunes.
Stream the episode below or by clicking here.
Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”.
Already heard it once or twice? Please leave us a review here and like our Facebook page.
Discussion timestamps:
6:08 Setting foot on the Hibernia.
7:44 Coiled tubing field engineering and technology.
9:10 Hands on work at Schlumberger.
9:33 An unexpected working schedule.
10:45 Shift work on the Hibernia.
11:38 What attracted Geoff about the Oil & Gas sector.
13:00 Expected payback periods.
13:14 Landing his first internship.
14:48 Networking with direct relations.
15:13 What companies look for besides grades and experience.
16:49 Roles and responsibilities as a Process Engineer at Chevron San Francisco / Scaling up lab processes.
20:06 Cross departmental chain of communication / Finding a fit for new technologies.
22:44 Developing financial literacy.
23:51 Pros & cons of joining large organization early on.
27:29 The 5 year Horizon training program at Chevron.
28:52 The role of mentors.
29:45 Overview of TengizChevroil company / multicultural work environment.
31:19 Rotational schedule.
32:10 Work that Geoff is doing in Tengiz.
33:19 Collaborating and integrating with new teams in new environments.
34:47 Advantages of struggling with a problem before looking up the answers.
36:03 Persevering through challenges.
37:08 Potential next steps for Geoff at Chevron.
37:57 Technologies that Geoff is keeping an eye on.
39:53 Advice for future engineers / developing a passion for excellence.
Episode related content:
The Construction of the Hibernia – Super Structures of the World:
Image credit: Glenn Beltz. Platform Holly near Santa Barbara, California.
Stream the episode here:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS
