Nina Darbyshire, 25, who works for Maxoil Solutions, explains what a day in the life of a graduate production chemist looks like
My morning
I usually get up at around 6am and quickly get myself organised and ready to catch my bus to work at 6.40am. Travelling on the bus is a nice, gentle way to start the day, as it gives me the chance to wake up properly before I arrive at the office. I usually use the journey to catch up on the latest news headlines, LinkedIn updates and chat with my friends (if they are up and about at that time) on my phone.
Once I am at my desk, I read through any emails received overnight from overseas colleagues and clients, before planning out what I am going to focus on during the day ahead. If I am involved in a project that requires input from my colleagues in our Houston base, I like to complete that first so that I can submit any work before they arrive at the office (about 2pm UK time). This then gives them the time to review my work, while still allowing for a phone call or video conference chat before I leave at the end of the day.
My lunch
I have lunch at about 12pm and usually take food into the office. I tend to eat at my desk but do like to get a break from staring at the computer screen, so sometimes I’ll head off for a walk, or to the gym for a workout. Our office is in the centre of Aberdeen and it’s easy to pop to the shops (sometimes too easy) or catch up with friends or colleagues over lunch.
Maxoil are quite flexible so if, for example, I have a lunch appointment or want to go to the gym for a bit longer, I am able to take more time and then make up that time by starting work earlier or staying later, depending on what suits best.
My afternoon
I often use the afternoon to liaise with clients and colleagues in the States, as it’s the only overlapping time we have. We usually speak with clients weekly or fortnightly to give them a project update. This way we keep on track with the project and have the chance to ask questions of the client and vice versa
As Maxoil Solutions is a consultancy, we get exposed to a range of diverse projects and work with a lot of different people. We specialise in combining production chemistry with process engineering to provide a wider perspective for projects, which in turn means that for some projects I work closely with engineers, whilst for others our project team consists mainly of chemists.
Either way, it’s a great learning opportunity, as many of our consultants have been in the oil and gas industry for 30 years and more. Project wise, one week I can be carrying out computer simulations and writing reports, and the next I can be jetting offshore to Mexico to take samples from separators. I never know what’s round the corner, which always keeps the job very interesting.
My evenings
I usually get home at around 6.30pm. I’m busy planning my wedding right now and that takes up a lot of my time. I enjoy going out for dinner with friends or meeting up with them to go for a walk if it’s a nice evening.
I am a member of the Energy Institute and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) which means that throughout the year I attend a few evening or all-day events (such as conferences, seminars and dinners) to make sure I stay up-to-