Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

Not sure what happened to the first version so here is take 2…

Week One: 2^nd – 6^th April 2012

Well, it’s good to see that BP operates in a similar way to the Army, by which I mean the following:

1. It takes a while to get your IT sorted
2. Everyone goes on leave at the same time leaving a few people covering all the desks
3. Bank holidays are as sacrosanct as Wednesday sports afternoons

and all is going well.  Having popped into the office last week to meet the Projects and Modifications Team Leader, Paul Mullan, it was good to arrive fresh faced on Monday morning to see that people did know I was arriving, even if there was no computer terminal.  And the printers were down.  But before long, the necessary inductions were done and I had a few documents to peruse through, an SON to have a look at (an access platform for the bridge bearings on Bruce) and I knew where the coffee machine was.  And that was Monday really!

The week progressed well though, with my time spent on further inductions; off-shore medicals; sitting in on some of Ish’s meetings; a Projects and Mods Team meeting; and delving into the world of BP’s North Sea Intranet to find out their methods of working.  I also had a good chat with the Engineering Services Manager, Tom Macartney in a chance-meeting.  A quiet start, but the work will arrive after the Easter break I am certain!

Phase 2/3 role

Throughout this placement I will be based in the Focus Office where Projects and Mods, its contracted engineers and its main contractor of Wood Group PSN (WG PSN) all work.  I’m still not 100% sure of the relationship between BP and WG PSN so shall explain it better at some point in the future.

Once I’ve ticked off the various sea-survival courses I’ll be able to get onto the platforms, although this will be a rarity due to their limit of personnel on board (PoB).

I am working as a Project Engineer in the Projects and Mods Branch of Engineering Services.  Engineering Services is part of the Operations sector within the North Sea area.  At this stage I will naïvely say that this covers topside (above-sea) alterations to existing platforms up to a value of $15m (BP net value).  I might be getting involved with the following:

1. Bruce P60 Bridge Access Platform.  This is to engineer, procure and install access platforms to provide access and maintenance of the support bearings for the Bruce P60 bridge (Fig. 1).
2.  ETAP Accommodation Fit.  I’ve not seen an SON yet but this might be the physical accommodation “bolted” onto the side of an existing platform with its building services and everything else that goes with it.  I am already aware, however, that during the Appraise part of the Common Value Process (CVP), it may transpire that a better option is the use of a floating hotel, or “floatel” as they are commonly known.  For the sake of adding some more pictures, ETAP itself can be seen at Figure 2.
3. All of Ish’s stuff, more of which in a later blog I’m sure, but essentially replacing an existing turbine chimney.  I will be covering Ish while he is on Phase 4, and taking over what projects are outstanding when he finishes Phase 5.

Site Description

Throughout this placement I will be based in the Focus offices where BP, its contracted engineers and its ‘main contractor’ of Wood Group PSN (WG PSN) work.  Physically, this is a two-story building just over the road from the (much larger and more impressive) BP North Sea HQ (NSHQ).

Getting Chartered

I had initial reservations about the amount of in-depth technical work and site experience I might gain from this attachment, but this has been somewhat alleviated having spoken to our Project Services Lead, Martin Fragell.  Martin (covering for Paul this week) is very much involved with getting two of their “Challengers” (graduate training scheme) through a programme that will eventually see them chartered, and we’ve already had a chat about ensuring I can do the right amount of A and B to qualify myself.

To follow

With Paul and more of his Programme Leads back in next week, I’m hoping they’ll decide which job to give me and let me roll with it!