Total Seeks More Deepwater Drilling Supervisors, Superintendents

If you're a drilling supervisor or superintendent with deepwater experience, Total wants to talk to you.

"Total has an ambitious deepwater exploration and development program in the next five years, and the number of worldwide senior competent staff is limited today," said Benoit Ludot, deputy vice president of Drilling and Wells at Total E&P.

Benoit Ludot

Total has 25 offshore rigs under contract for 2013, and the company plans to drill 70 subsea wells this year alone. Like other operators, the French supermajor is ramping up its drilling program -- particularly in deepwater areas.

Given the tight demand industrywide for drilling supervisors and superintendents with deepwater expertise, Total has launched a dedicated recruitment campaign for numerous career opportunities in both areas of specialization. Ludot emphasized that Total is taking a long-term view as it adds to its ranks of deepwater drilling supervisors and superintendents.

Three positions on an offshore drilling rig make up the chain of command for drilling activities: the drilling supervisor, the drilling superintendent and the drilling manager. The following bullet points highlight the major responsibilities of drilling supervisors and drilling superintendents.

• As the representative of the operating company onboard the drilling rig, the drilling supervisor executes the drilling program and implements any procedures to remediate unexpected events during operations. This individual is held accountable on the company's behalf for any action and decision relating to HSE.

•The drilling superintendent oversees drilling operations for one or more rigs, coordinating the work of different specialists.

"Our drilling activities are located in more than 35 countries, and ranging [in] a large variety of domains such as deep water, HP/HT [high pressure/high temperature], acid gas and also unconventional resources and extended reach," said Ludot. "Total proposes a comprehensive training program and a dedicated drilling competency management system in order to operate with state-of-the-art qualified personnel."

Ludot noted that Total ran a benchmark study and can offer qualified supervisors and superintendents "an attractive and competitive package." Also, he said the company exhibits "a true commitment to HSE [health, safety and environment]."

"Our standards are best in class in the oil and gas industry to provide our staff with the ultimate level of safety they deserve," Ludot said.

In addition, he said Total's Drilling and Well Division uses a "centralized resource management" system worldwide to guide employees' growth within the company.

"We will ensure that every individual will face different technical challenges during his career and will therefore develop his technological skills," said Ludot. "Every employee can rely on a strong high standard set of company rules and general specifications. These rules and specifications capitalize on our know-how and experience and every employee is asked to contribute to its improvement and enrichment."

Total welcomes applicants worldwide, but it is concentrating its quest to find deepwater talent by maintaining a physical presence in four key "recruiting hub" cities with strong ties to the offshore sector: Aberdeen, UK, Houston, Texas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Singapore.

"Recruiting hubs are an integrated approach allowing the potential candidates to meet all actors of the recruitment process and also to provide them with all the answers they could have," explained Laurent Stephane, Head of International Recruitment for Operation Development and HSE at Total E&P. "It is a unique opportunity for potential candidates to know more about Total. Our specificities allow us to be a technological leader and a precursor in career management."

Laurent Stephane

In addition, Total will maintain a strong recruitment presence at the upcoming Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston and on Rigzone.

"Proximity to potential candidates is one of the key points for recruitment success," said Stephane. "We need the opportunity to meet people to explain our difference and convince them to come onboard with us … We are developing our partnership with Rigzone, both for online events and specific events like OTC to help us."

 Source for all images: Total

Matthew V. Veazey has written about the upstream and downstream O&G sectors for more than a decade. Email Matthew at mveazey@downstreamtoday.com. Twitter: @Matthew_Veazey

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