A lack of commitment
I am coming to a crunch period in my time on attachment with BP. There seem to be a number of things coming to a head all at the same time, both from a BP perspective and a PEW point of view.
I want to complete a design phase attachment with WGPSN as a mechanical engineer for about two months, in the same way Chris Warner did, so that I can satisfy the DO where I feel I may be weak. It will also undoubtedly make me a better engineer, which is the whole point of this attachment. The problem is that my role as SPA demands all my time and focus and my line manager is keen for me to do the attachement at a time when there will be no advsere affect on my projects, which is fair enough. In true military style I forecast out what the key activities were that I needed to have in the bag so that I could genuinely feel comfortable just monitoring my projects for afar for two months. Sadly, my plans are falling to pieces because the key activities are predicated on receiving work from other people in good time and trying to get anybody to make a decision before we are right up against a deadline is proving problematic. As an example, I inherited a Hazard Operability (HAZOP) study report containing a number of actions relating to process engineering. Unfortunately, the report records the actions as an SPA responsibility (cheers Imran) and not a process engineer responsibility. So it appears that I am culpable for the action even though it is impossible for me to close it out because I know I am not competent to do so. Depsite badgering the process engineers, the best I have got is an emailed response expalining in great and complicated detail why there shoudln’t be any actions on me but also still refusing to formally close out the action. Thus, the situation is not resolved and I will have to keep escalating until someone finally gets told to piss or get off the pot. This takes time and effort that I would prefer to be using elsewhere.
That said, this proactive approach has been beneficial. I feel as though I have a good grip on the key project risks as a result of forecasting ahead and trying to anticipate what is likely to trip me up at Xmas time.
As another example of people trying to become human teflon, there is a distinct aversion to taking responsibility for pretty much anything. On another one of Imran’s projects that I inherited, the Minox Blower, there has been an issue with handing over a piece of kit that has a defect. This one was not Imran’s fault at all I must add. However, there is a cracked weld on a motor jacking point that is used to align the motor after a period of maintenance, therefore it is not requird for routine operations. 
The solution seems clear, re-weld it. However, as a project engineer based on shore I cannot weld it and it is not in my budget to get a vendor to do this. Nor am I empowered to get the repair or maintenace team to do the job. Hence, we are stuck again and I cannot clse the job out because this needs to be fixed. The reapir and maintenace team leaders have agreed they can do it but will not take it on. I have had to raise it several levels to try and get it as a directed task. This consumes so much more time that is necessary to complete realtively simple jobs. This does however tick the B3 Do, which is effectively make sure that what is installed works.
Finally, the PEW deadlines are a bit rubbish overe the next two months. We have had over 4 months between AER2 and AER3 and then we get between 20 and 25 working days between AER3 and AER4. There is also a TMR and probably thesis form C to complete by the end of January. I think for next year’s students this is worth some debate at PEW as to whether this has yielded the best work or just work that would suffice. I am trying to feedback into the embryonic modular thesis process and see what peope think. I can see a positive note though and that is that by about March time we will be able to slow down a bit and take stock of what we have achieved prior to going for CPR.
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Nick
You quite often find that you pick and pick at something for ages with little progress to show for your efforts and then one day it all comes together and the issues just fall away. This event usually closely follows on from having found someone with the power to help and a positive impression of you for the spade work you have had to complete to reach them. Keep digging away at the bullshit and shame those that stand in your way with calm, reasoned arguments.
As we come into winter and head towards the start of phase 3, we begin the hardest yards on the course. However, as you point out, make it to March OK and it is downhill all the way to graduation. You guys are doing excellent work in Aberdeen.
Jim
NIck, is that an afterthought of a jacking point? It looks like its been shimmed with a piece of scrap and that it was welded on when someone thought “how are we going to tighten the belts up at the end?” It also looks like it broke when someone tried to tighten it up and realised it had been shimmed by an old piece of scrap. Cue whistling and much walking away purposefully pretending it wasn’t me (yes I am talking from experience – you don’t spend 8 years as a fitter without dropping a b+-*+/k !!) Good luck closing the job out though, it may be frustrating but it should be a good discussion point in terms of cause/effect.
Keep record of your involvement in HAZOPs and HAZIDs (if you have had any) – good talking points and they tick safe systems boxes.
Nick the point about the thesis process is good, we need some feedback on how it works, don’t forget the submission of all forms between B and F is based on your timescale so there’s no push from our end – if you aren’t going to get it in then that’s fine. I introduced the system based on my experience of how Greenwich helped manage my BEng (start………hand in, thanks) and how Brunel manage their MSc program, the former was typically how we managed in the past and the latter is what we are attempting here. Please get around everyone else and encourage them to feed back too, if it helps I will start a forum on the ELE where people can dump comments?
DOs? Oh you mean competencies….just checking!
Keep smiling, 59 days till Christmas.
Mark
Thanks for the comments. The cracked weld was caused by an unknown operator and i have nobody to blame. Not that blame matters here because it’s about ensuring what’s in is fit for purpose.
And i think the debate on thesis timings and coursework deadline would be worthwhile for next year. It is sometimes too easy to say work harder, run faster and just drive on. In the spirit of continuous improvement it seems likely to inprove the calendar for next year’s submissions.
Would still recommend this attachment to the present cohort?
Yes. It is a great place to work, i’ve been given lots of responsibility and had exposure to the technical, project management and financial elements
Sorry, sent that early by accident. In short, yes.
It covers everything you need and the student can tweek as required. I’m sure there are things to complain about on everyone else’s attachments. This is no reason to disregard BP.