ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) says locally-trained engineers are eligible for engineering posts which the company is looking to fill but questions persist as to whether Guyanese will be hired for the most technical of these.
Currently, the company is inviting applications for facilities and well engineers. The advertisements will run until December 9th. These would be among the higher paying jobs in the nascent oil and gas industry. Hundreds of Guyanese have been hired by EEPGL and oil contractors but critics have said these are mostly unskilled positions with relatively low pay.
There are concerns that Guyanese may not be suitably qualified to take on some of the more technical posts in the company’s offshore operations, but the company says that persons with engineering degrees satisfy the educational requirements, and that with additional training that will be provided post-employment, will be suitably qualified to take on the posts advertised.
In fact, Esso Public and Government Affairs Advisor Janelle Persaud told Stabroek News yesterday that three locally-educated engineers were hired, and received training overseas for eighteen months before taking up positions as facilities engineers. It was not clarified how recent this hiring and training took place.
Local content and skills
Guyana has no local content legislation, and the local content policy being touted by government is still in draft form.
Another concern is that Guyanese may not be qualified to function in various capacities in the company’s exploration and production operations.
Stabroek News sought to ascertain whether the engineering programmes at the University of Guyana (UG) are capable of producing students capable of functioning in highly technical aspects of Esso’s offshore operations such as wells engineers.
Yesterday, Stabroek News reached out to the Department of Petroleum and Geological Engineering of the University of Guyana (UG), but was referred by the Department to Dr. Paloma Mohamed-Martin, Chairwoman of UG’s Transitional Management Team.
Stabroek News has been informed, however, that Dr. Mohamed-Martin, is currently out of the jurisdiction.
Engineering Degrees sufficient
Esso, however, says that Guyanese with basic engineering degrees are eligible to apply and can qualify as further area-specific-specific training will be done with successful candidates before they take up their portfolios.
Specifically, Persaud reiterated specifications in the company’s ad that a mechanical, civil, electrical engineering degrees, or a degree in a related field “would satisfy the education requirements” for the posts.
Persaud added that “once employed, these engineers, as do all of our employees, receive continuous training to be able to safely and effectively execute their respective duties”.
However, given the highly technical, and petroleum-specific nature of the posts, Stabroek News sought to determine whether experience in the exploration and production fields would be a game changing factor.
Key responsibilities of a wells engineer, according to the ad, includes understanding the operating and construction characteristics of components in the drilling completion systems, alternative systems and procedures that might be implemented to further enhance safety and operational efficiency; well design and cost estimating, including material selection, wellhead and casing design; and directional path, bottom hole assembly and bit design.
A wells engineer would also be responsible for preparing and revising drilling and completion programmes, as well as collaborating with other groups to ensure the programme includes all available geological and drilling information from offset wells.
Meanwhile, a facilities engineer would be required to serve as the engineering contact for the operation and maintenance team, including support for lead planning and execution of intervention activities.
Persaud, however, insisted that what is required for acceptance is an engineering degree, which, it is expected, would give them the basic engineering knowledge which can be built upon. “The education requirement is more important…lack of experience did not preclude any of the other engineers from being hired,” she explained.
“These persons would be able to fulfill their responsibilities after their training,” Persaud added. She also admitted that the posts are open to regional and international applications, but said that the company would prefer to hire locals, as this would, among other things, keep operations costs manageable.
