This forum posting is soon turning into oil field thrash get-together place for people like us, LOL! North Africa region is nice, I mean the weather but my last encounter with Egypt was pretty bad, especially their traffic chaos in Cairo is just simply traumatic! Haven't been to the rest, i.e. Algeria, Libya et al.

I am LWD, with Qatar's Baker Hughes INTEQ. Was a good deal for me to get their contract instead of one offered in Malaysia, because with their contract, I pay no tax to Qatar and I am not liable to pay any tax to Malaysia too!

How about you, which company you're representing? I heard the bonus coefficient is pretty good in Kazahkstan, good for you (laughing all the way to the bank)...

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Added on January 2, 2008, 4:27 pm

It's good to see that you have already set your goals. But in reality, do get prepared that one might have to go along with the flow and whatever that get on your way. Sales & Marketing for oil service companies like HAL, SLB and BHI usually all have field experience, and hence they really know what they are talking about when they are giving sales pitch to the client. Not to worry too much on classes and qualification for sales and marketing for the time being, in due time when you get the post, they will provide all necessary training. However, I cannot stress enough on business networking when you're in the field. This is because, sooner or later, those guys that you know, especially those representing Big Oil - you'll meet them again in office. Only this time around, you'll be begging them for a contract. Then there's all that glamour of securing multi-million dollar contracts for your company, and getting a fat bonus out of it.

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Added on January 2, 2008, 4:50 pm

Yeah, the pay is good. I am from Baker Hughes INTEQ. I hope I do not offend anybody here, but from answers I get by asking around, those who come from BHI to SLB, they want better pay. Those on the reverse, they want better lives! Hahaha...

Try Murphy, Talisman, TechNip, Chiyoda... It all depends on which segment you want in, downstream, midstream or upstream. Anyway, wish you luck...

hey kslee, i'm an m/lwd too...just got transferred to qatar too but with slb.

anyway christine85, service companies like hal, slb, bhi are known to offer very intense training but very specific to their own proprietary technologies.

But for operators like shell, petronas, you'll get to see the bigger picture. so there are pros and cons to it. also, you're more likely to have a normal kinda life with operators.

as for dylan, you're kinda right with the career progression with slb which they call the fixed-step engineer program which lasts about 3-4 years. But there are also ways to branch out to other segments. I've personally seen some guys who managed to jump straight to a very technical role within 2 years (i.e. same paygrade as management). It all depends on your luck, determination and attitude.

You want to be an engineer for life? 

In oil n gas industry, do all engineers have to go offshore to earn big bucks?
I don't wanna go offshore because I'm a girl (will they let girls go offshore?) and because I don't wanna sunburn....

Do I have to wait long to be called if shortlisted? I've tried to apply for 1 or 2 companies...

Christine, read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baker_Hughes

EMBO is a method SLB uses to distribute the taxes they operate all around the world. so wherever you go in the world, you only pay EMBO tax. so that's 19% of your salary + bonuses. In US & Europe, it'll be slightly different.

Christine, read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baker_Hughes

EMBO is a method SLB uses to distribute the taxes they operate all around the world. so wherever you go in the world, you only pay EMBO tax. so that's 19% of your salary + bonuses. In US & Europe, it'll be slightly different.

The only thing I know about BASF is they are having this partnership with PETRONAS. That's all.

Care to elaborate more, ataris?

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Added on February 12, 2008, 11:39 am

Christine, did u apply thru BH website?

Am dying to work in BH, but sadly the opportunity still didn't come. 

You grad from what discipline? Thanks

I remember it is 12 months while for SLB, 24 months.

Shell internship interview was just about "tell me about yourself, how you reach against conflict and a question regarding common issue".
It was fun anyway.

Ouh,ok..i did the same thing..how long did u wait before getting their phone call?

Sorry,i've no idea about geotechnicians..but I think it's more on the finding/discovering potential spots for drilling...you might try to google to get more info..

christine, how was the interview?

honestly, it depends on the offer. i'm sure you can ask to hold the offer?

international contracts are much better than local ones. and also depends on what position you get in slb.

haha, my friend is working in slb, she said once you masuk you dont come out.......

oops, WildChai, thought u worked with BHI...lol, got u confused with another guy. Was referring to your salary descriptions...=P!

and christine, what do you mean by best? salary? career advancement? job scope? etc?

very hard to say like that, need to work in all those companies then only can know and they are all different areas.

baker atlas' wireline, i'm not too sure, but should be comparable to slb wireline, pretty good money for fresh grad since you get a % of the job ticket (so largely dependent on location as well, pricing is not standard). but crazy hours sometimes.

western geco, you get to travel everywhere on seismic ships, or seismic trucks, but you get kinda like a regular rotation. I think 1 guy here in the forum can tell u more.

exxon-mobil, huge company, depends on which position you get. but i heard good benefits.

i don't really know what a geotechnician does, but geoscientist sounds way better...lol