Pipeline or Flow Assurance Engineering

[sean77]

Hello all,

I have a Mechanical Engineering background. Judging from the current development in deepwater exploration, i reckon that subsea engineering will be a hot prospect in the next few years.

I'm currently thinking of applying for a job as either Pipeline Engineer or Flow Assurance Engineer. Therefore, I would like to ask my engineering brothers here which one between the two has better prospect in terms of remuneration and job opportunities? Is Pipeline Eng. better or Flow Assurance better?

Or is it safer to stick to more common jobs like Piping Engineer???

I would appreciate if any seniors here can enlighten me and give my some guidance.

Thank you very much.

Cheers,
Sean77

[thaihy]

Mechanical engineer ------> pipeline job is ok
Chemical engineering -----> Flow assurance job

[sean77]

Thank you for your reply...

Hmm, because i was told that Mechanical background can work as Flow Assurance engineer as well..

Do you think it's not good for Mechanical Engineer to do flow assurance??

Actually, the reason i have Flow Assurance in mind is because i plan to do a Masters in Petroleum Eng in the future and go to the Petroleum side. I thought Flow Assurance is more related to the Petroleum side and that's why i'm interested in it.

Please correct me if my thinking is wrong.

Thank you again.

Cheers.

[sathyanril]

Hi Sean...

Nice to meet u.. I am sathyan (chem eng) working for Subsea operations and as a flow assurance engineer...

To my knowledge.. Flow assurance is a Hot cake in today's market provided u know OLGA and Pipesim....

If u want to work as subsea engineer, u would be basically involved in construction jobs...

For further queries u can mail me.. to sathyanril1@gmail.com

[sean77]

Hi Sathyan,

Many thanks for you reply..yea, that was what i thought as well.

I will send you a personal message as i have many queries regarding this interesting field.

Thank you.

Kind regards,
Sean

[sean77]

Hello Sathyan,

First of all, since i'm from a Mechanical Engineering background, people have been telling me to go into the main fields of Mechanical such as Static (Piping, Pressure Vessels etc) and Rotating (Turbines, Pump ,Compressors). However, I find that although there many jobs for these fields, i believe the market is too saturated as many people are going into these fields.

I see the future in subsea engineering. The questions i would like to ask are as follows:

1. First of all, can a Mechanical Engineer work as Flow Assurance engineer? Will my educational background be a limiting factor to how far i can achieve in FA? i have seen job advertisements for FA engineers stating requirement as Mechanical/Chemical/Petroleum.

2. I learnt that there are two different sides of Flow Assurance engineering. There are FA engineers in consultants/EPC contractors which deal with subsea pipeline construction such as TECHNIP etc. On the other hand, there are also FA engineers in upstream service companies such as Schlumberger, SPT Group etc. Are they all the same?

3. Are there many jobs for FA engineers as compared to other fields like pipeline/piping?

4. Lastly, is it advisable for a Mechanical Engineer to go into FA engineering instead of the main Mechanical field??

Thank you very much for taking time to guide me on this.

Cheers,
Sean

[sathyanril]

Hi sean...

I thought replying in the forum will help others also...


Firstly,, my personal feeling is tht you being from mechanical background, it may not be good to concentrate on FA.. as it deals with all process/petroleum related...

But I have seen guys with mechanical background working on simulation... building models and running simulations in OLGA, pipesim,, etc...

It would be a excellent choice for you to choose subsea as it mostly(98%) related to mechanical engineering..

Subsea engineering deals with subsea/ROV tooling, installation of subsea structures, pipelines, fixing of seals, etc...

If you go into design side of subsea also, you have a wide opportunity...

Flow assurance deals with , Hydrate formation, waxing, slugs, study on pressure, temperature data, well performance analysis, etc...

Further any details... pls post your query...

[sean77]

Thanks for the reply sathyanril.....

Hmm, looks like I'll have to go into Subsea Engineering based on your comments



Thanks alot

[melvin_magbanua]

Most of the companies working on sybsea pipeline employ engineers with at least 3 years experience in on-shore pipeline and train them.

Flow assurance engineer normally depends on the company you are working with. Pipeline facility operators normally have their pipeline engineers work on checking with pieline flow assurance. Consulting firms has an engineer working separately on pipeline and flow assurance.

Like me, I worked before with "Chevron" with one of their business unit in the meddle east and I worked on the same pipeline and flow assurance. I visited an EPC COMPANY they have separate engineeres working on pipeline and flow assurance.

[Roseladay123]

I'm glad this thread is made where I can gain a lot of useful and informative input.

[link Point to another website Only the registered members can access] - simulation assurance vie ! Les sites de simulation assurance vie

[link Point to another website Only the registered members can access]

[sean77]

Yea, it's very true...i'm currently working as a Subsea Pipeline Engineer in an engineering consultant firm. They have Pipeline Engineers for pipeline design and Flow Assurance Engineer doing flow assurance analysis.

I would say both are rare or "niche" skillpool as you don't find many of them around. However, bear in mind that Flow Assurance Engineer is even more rare or specialized and it's like hot cake once you know the stuff. I think FA Engineers are people that the company will retain no matter how much $$ it takes! No joke...

[sean77]

By the way, melvin_magbanua ...are you a pipeline engineer?? Are you working for a consultant, installation contractor or operator?

Do you what it's like to work for installation companies like Saipem? I heard they are a good place to work....