Positively Impacting Qatar: Junior Field Operator at Pearl GTL

Having acquired basic knowledge of the industry, Al Senaidi joined the College of the North Atlantic Qatar School of Engineering, where he was required to undertake one year of practical training within the oil and gas sector.

“I chose to undertake my practical training at Qatar Shell because it was highly recommended to me by friends and family already working in the industry,” he said. “Having learned about all the different types of equipment and elements involved in process engineering at college, at Qatar Shell I was slowly able to put my theory into practice, which enhanced by understanding tremendously.”

Having completed his studies and practical experience, Al Senaidi now 24 years old , was offered the opportunity to become employed by Qatar Shell and joined the company as a Junior Field Operator through the Technical Preparation Programme in 2013.

“I was proud to join Qatar Shell because I wanted to continue my development in order to make a greater contribution to the future of Qatar through the energy industry,” said Al Senaidi.

“It is important to me to give back to my country and I find that on a professional level there is no better way to achieve that than working at the Pearl Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) plant, the world’s largest GTL plant built in partnership with QatarEnergy,” he added.

In his role as a Junior Field Operator at Pearl GTL, Al Senaidi shadows and assists Field Operators who are essentially his mentors. “I find my job very interesting because every day I am learning about how the plant functions from an engineering perspective. At first, I found the plant and the safety procedures a little overwhelming,” he said.

“The job seemed so technical and I thought everything would be so difficult to learn. However, one of the best things about working at Qatar Shell, is its mentorship system, and from a Junior Field Officer perspective I learn about various techniques including how to switch and replace equipment, and controlling manual equipment valves.”

In his role Al Senaidi, through the nature of his work, is exposed to dangerous materials and high risk operations on a daily basis, but credits Qatar Shell for its ‘Goal Zero’ mindset which aims to ensure that nobody comes to any harm while working for Pearl GTL.

“Qatar Shell takes safety very seriously and upholds it standards by adhering to processes and procedures, which is a philosophy that I have learned from and adopted in my personal life,” he said. “Qatar Shell not only teaches you about safety in the workplace but also in life, which has had such a positive impact on me as a person – because now things like taking a minute to think before I act, wearing a seatbelt and spreading the culture of safety among friends and family have become second nature to me, where as they were not something I ever considered before.”

“For that reason and many others I’m proud to be part of Qatar Shell because it is an organisation that cares about my safety and the safety of my country,” said Al Senaidi. “I am proud to be part of an organisation that nurtures Qatari talent and supports its growth, while making real contributions to my country, because at Qatar Shell we impact Qatar together.”

With about 300 Qataris within Qatar Shell, holding technical and commercial positions across the organisation, Al Senaidi is just one example of how Qatar Shell seeks to support the Human Development Pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030 through Qatarization.