Careers for Mechanical Engineers

This is a short article on one specialist area of mechanical engineering in the Oil and Gas industry – Subsea Seawater Lift Pumps.  This article  is aimed at giving an insight into the type of work a Mechanical Engineer might be involved in  when working in the Oil  & Gas industry.

One of the specialist areas that a Mechanical Engineer may be involved in when working in the Oil and Gas industry is the design, installation and maintenance of subsea submersible seawater lift pumps (SLP) on fixed platforms and FPSOs.

Submersible Seawater lift pumps are key to the safe and efficient running of production facilities offshore. The seawater lift pump supplies utility water with the pump lying approximately 10 metres below the deck and under the surface of the sea water. There are two main types of seawater lift pump, the conventional vertical line shaft pump which uses a diesel engine and 90 degree gearbox which the diesel engine drives. The other type is the ESPs which stands for Electrically Submersible Pump (and not Extra Sensory Perception!) The ESP helps to free up deck space and weighs less, other benefits include less noise and vibration and reduced, and less maintenance and capital expenditure. Both pumps can be used on fixed offshore platforms and FPSOs.  Vibration analysis, reliability and condition monitoring of such equipment is another specialist area you might choose to work in.  This work would be involved with ongoing assessment of the condition and operation of the equipment which has many moving and rotating parts, in order to ensure regular maintenance would prevent unnecessary and costly breakdowns.  Analysis of rotating equipment often uses high-tec methods such as laser alignment to check that vibration and movement out of alignment is not causing wear on the moving parts.

If you are thinking of following a career as a Mechanical Engineer you may choose to take a path which leads you to this interesting and lucrative area of oil and gas production engineering. The design and maintenance of the moving parts in this piece of mechanical rotating equipment would be within the remit of a mechanical engineer, and your work would be integral to the safe and efficient working of the oil rig.

We are currently seeking a Mechanical Engineer with specific SLP experience in UK waters, for a job description of this work go to our live vacancies page

http://www.girafferecruitment.co.uk/jobs/index.php/component/option,com_neorecruit/Itemid,158/id,298/task,offer_view/