Derek Holland, HSC and safety engineering specialist and Sarah Taylor, associate director at NES, provide an insight into how chemical engineers can move into the oil & gas sector from other chemical engineering disciplines.
A move between sectors for the chemical engineer is usually a decision that is triggered by one of two things: financial or necessity. Financial factors are major drivers for many people and evolving market places can force them into new areas (whatever happened to the English aircraft industry?) Some sunrise industries will pay major financial packages to service their voracious and urgent needs and the reality is that at some time in an engineer’s life, things happen that will cause them to reassess where they are going.
It is clear for everyone to see that the oil and gas industry is exceptionally busy at the moment. Engineers in the sector are blessed with an abundance of career opportunities; can afford to be selective with where they work; can expect high rates as a result of demand for their expertise; and have the reassurance of knowing they are unlikely to be out of work unless they choose to be. It is understandable then, that chemical engineers working outside of oil and gas might encounter an attraction to the industry from sectors that cannot offer the same prospects.
It is commonly accepted that the ideal candidate for a company to hire is around 30-35 years old (although with the new age discrimination legislation, this can no longer be a specified requirement), has at least a 2:1 degree, is chartered, and has five to ten years experience. It is also universally accepted that they are like gold dust and are unlikely to be readily available in the employment market place. This means that industries have had to start changing their goal posts. A well-known contractor’s senior UK VP said some time ago that he wanted younger and cheaper. His company is still looking and is now hiring older and more expensive - from other industries!
Mandatory skill set requirements are now: five or more years chemical engineering experience, clear skills in major areas, for example: mass/heat transfer; process control; knowledge of World Codes; ability to control and communicate. Working knowledge of spreadsheets and specialist computer packages such as Hysis is essential, and experience of additional programmes such as Pro-II and Auto-CAD is advantageous.
All chemical engineers acquire universal skills during their education - mass transfer, heat transfer, process control, reaction process, distillation and separation are key proficiencies that are undisputedly required within the wider chemical world. Evidently, certain skills are of greater importance in some sectors than they are in others. For food, mass transfer and heat control take precedence, for pharmaceuticals it is reaction and process control. Fundamental oil and gas skills requirements include distillation, heat transfer and mass transfer, and for polymers; reaction, mass transfer and process control skills are imperative.
So, all that time spent throughout education learning about Reynold’s numbers and Fourier analysis does have a purpose. Perrys and Coulson and Richardson (along with steam tables) are still the fount of all knowledge. If you have an understanding of these things, you have the skills. However, the reality is that when you move across sectors, some polishing will be necessary of core skills relevant to your chosen discipline.
If you go into the food industry, there is a different set of compulsory legislative standards that you must become familiar with: hygiene and cleanliness are paramount. It is much the same for pharmaceuticals, particularly in pilot and development phases. To go into oil and gas means a good understanding of selection of best equipment for use and a good understanding of all types of transfer, coupled with process control. Polymers require transfer knowledge again, with storage and materials of equipment also important. All need good understanding of utilities, which cost 70% of the Opex of a modern plant and usually kill/injure more operatives than main processes.
So when you target an industry change, you must conduct extensive revision and research into that industry and its processes and not just the company that you are targeting: that comes from the web and recruitment consultants are there to help you with that kind of background information.
Of course, it is also important to consider the ways in which your non-technical skills can be transferred across disciplines. Soft skills are highly valued by employers and can seem so basic that they are often overlooked, but as they are relevant to every engineering sector, underestimating the importance of these portable skills could hinder your success at moving across sectors. Think about how skills such as communication, leadership, team working and time-management can be used to facilitate a move across disciplines.
A further consideration is when you change across industry sectors, you are highly unlikely to move across at the same level. Moving down the scale for the first one or two years is something that you must feel is worth it when you compare it to the long-term gain you will eventually achieve. Experience is valuable so do not expect or chase a top job immediately.
The significance of action planning once you have made the decision to move across industry sectors cannot be emphasised enough. Taking the time to write a detailed action plan of the steps that are needed in order to reach your goals is essential to keep you focused. One strong recommendation for part of your action plan is to read Kletz’s books. With eleven publications that address safety in the process industries, these will enable you to speak knowledgeably about safety and the environment and how it should be managed: issues that are now relevant to all plc’s and major companies. Being able to demonstrate an understanding of such issues is highly advantageous within any discipline.
It is important to identify the main chemical engineering differences between your home industry and your chosen path and read all you can about the specific equipment that this entails - pump types, main codes used and software packages used, etc. Recognise your own core specialities and map them against the needs of your new industry. Identify where there are gaps and then read standard reference books or guidance notes to address any missing abilities (being honest with yourself is the only way you will do this successfully).
The IChemE database and HSE have good websites. Other institute websites can also be a good source of help, as can seeking the assistance of a mentor. It is also important to consider some of the courses available that can help you – the costs are tax deductible and participation proves that you are serious about what you hope to achieve. The IChemE organise many of these and they count towards CPD. Leeds and Manchester universities (amongst others) offer a variety of courses that can count towards an MSc.
Taking up opportunities for secondment and participating in joint venture projects can aid the development of skills that complement but are not necessarily the same as those you have previously acquired. Varying your experience as much as possible is a good way of demonstrating that you are able to adapt quickly to new environments and helps to improve your ability to address challenges and situations you have not previously encountered.
Knowing how to get the best deal in a job market where there is incredible demand and limited supply for certain skills is something else that you need to consider. When you are confident that you have the skills needed to succeed in your target sector, securing a position that reflects your capabilities requires effort. Recruitment consultants are ideally positioned to be able to provide support and advice on what you can expect from the current market, so contact them for guidance in the first instance. Whereas you might have a selection of five vacancies to give you an idea of opportunities available, a recruitment consultant could have several more that could be relevant to you, putting them in a much better position for matching you to the right role.
The final, but most significant factor affecting every point that has been raised in this article is that acquisition of new skills, determination to move into a more prosperous sector, dedication to achieving goals and time spent researching market conditions cannot have any bearing at all on successfully switching disciplines unless companies within the industry are willing to consider applications from engineers who do not have specific industry experience. The suggestion at the moment is that there is unlikely to be any significant change to typical hiring requirements within the industry. Yes, there are excellent opportunities available in oil and gas and yes it is possible to move into it from other sectors, but there is also an immense amount of commitment and perseverance required by any engineer who is considering such a move.
