Repsol Sinopec is now recruiting for a number of positions within the decommissioning team. 

In this case study we hear from Decommissioning Manager Teresa Munro who transferred into the Repsol Sinopec Decommissioning department in 2015 following 20 years working in a variety of roles on oil and gas development projects and has rapidly advanced her career as part of the team…

“The department has evolved over the last six years and provided plenty of opportunity for growth and promotion. I was offered the opportunity to move into the Repsol Sinopec decommissioning department as a Senior Project Engineer in 2015. I then moved into the Technical and Support Lead for two years before being promoted to my current role as Decommissioning Manager. 

“I have responsibility for both technical support of post CoP assets and all decommissioning projects within the company. Given the volume and different types of decommissioning projects that we will complete over the next few years the organisation is growing and will result in interesting, challenging and varied work for the team.”

Teresa has a BEng Hons in Chemical and Process Engineering from Newcastle University and an MSc in Business Management and Economics from Aberdeen University. Married with two children Chloe (26) and Zach (8) Teresa started her family early so has combined parenthood with a career for over 20 years and is proud of the flexible working arrangements supported within her team. 

“We have several people within the team who are working on a part-time basis around family commitments. This allows the diversity of the team to be maintained and to progress careers where full-time does not currently suit their family commitments.”

Teresa has been given opportunities to enhance her leadership skills through development and training offered by the company. She also actively participates in a ‘women in leadership’ network.

Since joining the Repsol Sinopec decommissioning team Teresa has been involved in a wide range of projects from decommissioning programme approvals, concept selection of all aspects of the decommissioning life cycle, preparation of platforms for post operating status utilising innovative technologies, well plug and abandonment through to the installation of boat landings. 

“The range of day to day activities is extremely varied. Everyone within the team is motivated to achieve the best result for the company. This includes a cost-efficient solution with safety and environmental impacts being factored into the assessment. The size of the Repsol Sinopec portfolio and the timeline for the remaining assets mean that the decommissioning portfolio will increase over the coming years. The team needs to grow, and we are looking for adaptable, resilient, motivated people to join the team. The perception of decommissioning as a simple deconstruction project is slightly misleading as Repsol Sinopec have a large portfolio and therefore need to take a more holistic approach rather than concentrating on a single asset. The interfaces required between regulators, non-government stakeholders, shareholders and of course the general public also need to be addressed as part of the project.”

“I have had a really positive experience in the decommissioning team both from career progression and interesting, challenging work. If you have the motivation and drive it can be a great place to advance your career. The challenge and volume of decommissioning projects in the North Sea over the next 20 years needs a variety of skills and will provide excellent career options for a significant number of people”.

KeyFacts Energy: Repsol Sinopec UK country profile