Rigging For Energy - Oil & Gas Exploration

Journeying all over the world and adventuring to oilrigs far off the coast, Mr. Deepak Edwin (Mechanical Engineering, 1986) reports back from the frontier.  He explores what new fields of study are being developed for the next generation of adventurers in oil exploration.

Mr. Deepak Edwin (Mechanical Engineering, 1986) 

Introduction

We live in an energy-craving world.  Mankind needs energy to power the cars, buses, trams, air-conditioners and everything else that requires to be plugged into an energy source.

While wind and solar energy have made spectacular inroads into how we harvest energy, conventional fossil fuel continues and is expected to drive the market for energy needs over the next three to four decades at least.

The demand for more energy is pushing the frontiers of Oil exploration to new depths.

Pursuing a career in Energy Engineering

I take this opportunity to present to you two post graduate courses in engineering, which is gaining prominence. These courses can be taken by any branch be they civil, mechanical or electrical engineering.

The courses are Master’s Degree in Subsea Engineering and Master’s Degree in Arctic Engineering.  Let me briefly outline these courses for you:

The familiar ‘offshore rigs’ is a phrase now turned on its head.  Rigs can be seen hundreds of kilometers off the coast, if not more these days.

As the rigs move farther offshore and deeper, the engineering challenges that come with it are immense. From sheer water pressure to corrosion to the challenges in installing and operating equipment & pipelines on the seabed call for specialized ‘design, build, operate and maintain’ skills.

Subsea Engineering:

This is where a Master’s Degree in Subsea Engineering helps.

From entry-level engineers in all of the above design, build, operate and maintain phases, this master’s degree is well sought these days in the energy sector. A few universities in the US offer this course.

But, Norway has the reputation of being the better option. Courses are in English language, which obviously can be quite helpful to those of us from the Indian subcontinent! 

On successful completion of the course, an entry level start of US$ 350~400 per day can be expected with an international oil field developer or operator.

Arctic Engineering

The Master’s Degree in Arctic Engineering is again a two-year course that not only relates to Oil & Gas sector but also broadly outlines ‘living, working in and protecting the Arctic Environment’.

Obviously the effects of ice and the extreme sub-zero temperatures are the challenges here.  Coupled with the extremely fragile eco-system in the arctic, any disaster in a man-made installation – say a north or South Pole expedition base to an oil rig or an underwater research on sea lions and the like can have disastrous consequences.

Pouring concrete with immersion heaters built into the steel work and powering them up after the pour is one way concrete is made to set in these treacherous climes.

How do you power cranes and forklifts in an arctic environment? Battery powered options become a necessity. Even special grades of diesel don’t fire on a cold wintry morning.

Challenges and demands

A diet of more than 9,000 calories a day is vital to survive if you work in the open – exposed to the elements for even 2 hours a day.

Oil companies, research agencies, environmental groups, think tanks, defense equipment manufacturers, all recruit Arctic Engineering Master’s degree holders.

These master’s degree courses are predominantly in Alaska, US and Norway. Though civil or marine engineering graduates prefer this course, it opens great vistas in careers for all discipline graduates.

Salaries are rewarding and the career is very challenging.

It is cold though!

Summary

As I have narrated here, after getting a start in Mechanical Engineering, my career and business travels have taken me far and wide - indeed as far as onto oilrigs. It has been both an adventurous and satisfying life.

There is plenty of innovation taking place in energy engineering, as I have outlined above.  Mankind has always had a frontier spirit.  We are seeking farther and farther limits to learn more about the world and universe we live in and also to find source of value for humanity. Energy is one such search we are constantly engaged in.

For those that choose this path, exciting discoveries await!

About the author:

Deepak Edwin works in the energy industry in Europe.  He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from PSG College of Technology.