On a flight to Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, Simon Hayton had the ideal opportunity to reflect on his career development so far.
The journey marked a landmark moment for him, as he travelled to the Far East to lead a petroleum economics training course for the first time.
The 26-year-old chemical engineer developed his specialist knowledge in petroleum economics in his role as exploration and production consultant at Dundas Consultants, having joined the company in May 2012.
He had first received the training himself, before advancing to being trained to deliver courses in this complex discipline to others in the industry.
With a first-class honours degree in chemical engineering from Newcastle University and a natural flair for mathematics, Simon was well-equipped to rise to the challenge of specialising in petroleum economics. In little over a year, he went from being a beginner in the subject to a qualified expert.
“It was a hugely rewarding experience,” Simon said. “I was nervous about delivering the course by myself, as I wanted to ensure it met the high standards required.
“It went really well and I got fantastic feedback from those who attended.”
Following his graduation from university in 2009, Simon joined Centrica as part of its graduate scheme. While there, he met and worked with Richard Woodhouse, one of the founders and directors of Dundas Consultants.
Richard recognised Simon’s potential and invited him to join the company in 2012. Richard said: “Simon has the ability and drive to succeed. He thrives on the variety of challenging work that we carry out at Dundas and is helping us to strengthen our track record for excellence in development engineering, project economics and subsurface consulting.”
Having moved from a multi-national energy firm to a small and relatively new consultancy, Simon has experienced the benefits of both types of business.
“When I finished university I wasn’t sure of the area I wanted to specialise in, so joining a graduate scheme in a large company seemed the ideal route to take.
“After getting a good grounding in engineering and project management, I wanted the opportunity to broaden my experience in other more business-focused disciplines.
“At Dundas, I’ve been able to do all of these things and have benefited from working closely with a team who have a wealth of knowledge and experience.
“I have more responsibility for projects than I would in a larger organisation and am given the chance to really prove myself. I like that no two projects I work on are ever the same, and I’m always being presented with new challenges.”
To others looking to join the industry, Simon recommends petroleum economics for its variety and the opportunities it provides for working with different disciplines across the oil sector.
“One of the best things about this field is that it combines elements of many disciplines and I get to work closely with specialists in geology, engineering, project management, health and safety, environmental science, accounting, contract law and business management.”
A qualified scuba-diving instructor and keen climber, Simon suggests that anyone seeking a role in the energy industry should take part in extra-curricular activities or part-time employment which demonstrates the ability to work with, train and teach others. He also insists that choosing the right degree subject is crucial.
He said: “Ensure you select a degree programme which will develop and demonstrate the right skills. It’s worth researching the individual modules you’ll take at your chosen university for their relevance to the energy sector, and, if possible, try to talk to someone already working in the industry about it.”