You've been at Xodus for just over a year - what appealed to you about the company?

During my graduate job search, I came across Xodus and was immediately interested due to the diversity of the work Xodus was involved in. I’ve always wanted to work within a consultancy for the variety of projects but seeing the range of sectors within the energy industry that my career could go within Xodus was appealing.

I’m very interested in travelling and new experiences and Xodus has offices throughout the UK and the world, so I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities to visit other offices as my career progresses, especially in the Middle East as Xodus looks to expand the business in this area.

It’s an exciting time to come into the company, and the wider energy industry, as the focus is on energy transition and delivering a responsible energy future.

What was your degree, and why Vibration Engineering? 

I studied Aero-Mechanical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. As I went through university I started to become more interested in the energy sector due to the increased conversations around the development of new renewable energy sources, like floating offshore wind and hydrogen, and the work to reduce the emissions from oil and gas.

When I came across Xodus’ Vibration and Integrity Engineering Division, I was immediately interested in the on-site work the division carries out, something I had been enjoying in my previous job. The role of a Vibration Engineer is very niche I knew I’d be constantly learning new skills and coming across different challenges, and doing work which plays an important part in the reduction of emissions on assets. General vibration surveys identify any vibration risks that have the potential to propagate into serious issues like loss of containment, leading to downtime for maintenance or even plant shutdown/start-up which is very emission intensive. We also carries out a range of troubleshooting work both on-site and in the office to ensure the assets run efficiently and safely.

Overall, some very interesting and fulfilling work!

What are some of the projects you've been working on?

During my first year, I have been involved in over 10 different projects covering a wide array of vibration and integrity scopes. Working on projects such as the detailed FIV study for the new FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias, part of the MERO 3 project in Brazil, I further developed my existing FEA skills. I have gained a range of new industry-specific skills, including, but certainly not limited to, AIV/FIV analysis using Xodus’ HAWXEYE which I have used in projects covering assets in the North Sea, Middle East and Australia. I’ve also spent a lot of time working on BP’s Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project which is due to be stationed off the coast of Mauritania and Senegal.

I have also spent time at onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities carrying out vibration measurement surveys, including trips to bp's Clair Ridge platform, Bluewater Energy Services' Aoka Mizu FPSO and Centrica Storage's gas processing facility.

Any other Xodus highlights?

Amongst all the hard work there has been plenty of time for fun. I was part of the Xodus touch rugby team competing in last year's corporate games in Aberdeen where we managed to secure 1st place. I also played some (questionable) golf at the company's annual golf day and had a great day out at the summer BBQ.

More recently I’ve attended some after-work bouldering sessions and have started making plans to try out some water sports as the nicer weather comes in. I’m looking forward to seeing what other social activities happen throughout the year with the newly formed social coordination team.

Overall, I've had a very interesting year and I'm incredibly happy with the foundational knowledge of the industry I've built up over the last 12 months. I can't wait to see what challenges and opportunities arise over the next 12 months.