Half Way Point

So I guess I should start off with some exciting news: I SURVIVED TROPICAL STORM EDOUARD. My first tropical storm experience however did not live up to the hype and expectation that preceded it in the media. I was hoping for flying cows and twigs through trees; what I got was the west coast of Scotland on a typical February day. I should note that this was only a tropical storm and did not reach hurricane status, despite this to ensure our safety we were given the Tuesday off work, this was some welcome news to me as I have been suffering from the cold for the last week and some extra time in bed was certainly not missed.

On the back of this Shane and I headed to Wal-Mart to get some groceries (food and juice), and what a mistake that turned out to be. I only wanted to get some dinner for the next few nights, possibly some bottled water and certainly some Gatorade (love the stuff), this simple task turned out to be some what of an ordeal. What we encountered upon our arrival to the superstore was a scene of mass hysteria, panic and pandemonium...... all taking place at 1mph. People were loading up on all the essential supplies: water, milk, bread, 2 gallon tubs of ice-cream, skittles and marshmallow spread, and they were doing this as if the World was coming to an end. To be honest with you I would not blame them for doing so, the way the media reported this glorified thunderstorm any one would have thought Texas was going to be blown off the face of the earth. Something you will notice about the news in the States is that the coverage is just not as good as it is back home. What you get are egotistical news anchors with their perfect hair, perfect teeth and their own, sometimes ignorant opinions (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy anyone?), bbc.co.uk is a lifesaver.

So that is me half way through my internship with the Wood Group, time has flown past and I honestly cant believe in one month and one day's time I will be back in Scotland to get ready for a petroleum geology field trip. That aside my time here at Pressure Control has been somewhat mixed, as I said before it is a very mechanical based division and we really did not have enough time to get used to the programs and systems that they use here to do any real project work. Simon, an Aussie over here for training has been here for 4 months and is still learning the ropes! We have been given some things to do here and there; I have made up some power points that show metal hardenability for the well heads that are designed here, Shane and I headed to the test center a couple of times where they are testing faulty valve systems on which we wrote a report. Over the last couple of days Jason has been giving us some system updates that need to get done on SyteLine, a program that contains a massive list of the various components that make up the valves and well heads. Although we have not really been challenged here there are always positives to be taken from any experience, this has been my first 'office job' and as a budding geologist, whose main office is in the field, it has been quite a change in scenery. Last time I was out doing my dissertation project work I was out trekking the hills of Skye and enduring the best and worst of the Scottish climate, that last two weeks I have been sitting in a cubicle in a pleasantly air conditioned office at a nice corner desk.

Before coming away on this internship I knew I wanted to work in the oil industry, hence my application to the Wood Group, but where I wanted to be I was not sure of: should I apply for an office type job when I graduate or should I stick with my degree and apply for a job that combines field work with the office. What I am starting to take from this experience is that I enjoy being in the field, gathering information, recording data, facing the inclement weather and running from the occasional crazed sheep;  then processing and interpreting that info. from the comfort of a climate controlled office (university lab) safe from the extremes of mother nature (and said sheep). So thanks to this internship am starting to get an idea of what career choices I will be taking as a graduate next summer; and hopefully my time spent with Alliance Engineering and ODL (Offshore Design Limited) over the coming four weeks will further clarify what direction I want my career to follow.

Anyway, to celebrate the mid-point of our internship programs we have decided to take a trip up to the capital of the Lone Star State, Austin, a university city home to the University of Texas. We have been told that it is a great city with a fantastic atmosphere by almost every one we have met here. So the four of us, joined by Aussie Simon are heading up there tomorrow morning with our tourist hats on ...... good times? ...... confirmation to follow! 

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