As promised, here are some of my holiday snaps from my recent holiday in Austria. 
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Chem-eng Blogs
I've been looking for chemical engineering blogs to read as an opener to the MSc I'm due to start soon. I've looked quite a bit on various comparison webites listing blogs but I've not seen anything resembling a clear cut blog from a day to day engineer.
I've subscribed to a few PhD student blogs and have begun poring over those but I'd really like to see something from a professional engineer with experience in the field. That would be really inspiring to young people and it would help me as a budding engineer to see what I can expect ahead. Specifically I'd like to see something in the oil and gas arena because that's the area I'd like to take up work in.
I'll keep looking and perhaps start poring over company websites for something that fits the bill. I'll let you know if I hit paydirt and find an engineer sharing their experience.
I've subscribed to a few PhD student blogs and have begun poring over those but I'd really like to see something from a professional engineer with experience in the field. That would be really inspiring to young people and it would help me as a budding engineer to see what I can expect ahead. Specifically I'd like to see something in the oil and gas arena because that's the area I'd like to take up work in.
I'll keep looking and perhaps start poring over company websites for something that fits the bill. I'll let you know if I hit paydirt and find an engineer sharing their experience.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Getting Affiliated
Today I applied for membership with the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). As I'll start reading an MSc soon, I'll want the support they can bring while I undergo my studies.
Other memberships
While I studied chemistry at York, I was signed up to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and I had paid membership fees for the duration of my degree course. This allowed me to have undergraduate / student membership with the institution. This entitled me to the magazines RSC News and Chemistry World. Chemistry World is more of a trade magazine for the chemical sciences and it gives lots of summary articles based on cutting edge research from literature. RSC News keeps one abreast of the situation and happenings in the RSC and leans more toward the educational side of things.
New Beginnings
As I had been a member of the RSC during my first degree, I thought it a good idea to seek membership with the IChemE. If anything, the complimentary magazines are interesting and they can help direct your thinking toward the science as the articles are very focussed on the research / projects/ news they describe. There are many more benefits to being a member and as a young person starting out in their career, there is lots of support out there. There are discounts on course texts and discipline related books and there are opportunities to go to seminars, lectures and symposia too. These conferences are useful because one can hear what the captains of the industry are saying. This last part really excites me as it gives one the opportunity to talk to the people who are heavily involved in the field I want to move into. Certainly in the more social symposia and conferences, there will be the opportunity to network and meet people.
Reasonable Fees
As a member of the RSC, I pay £12 annually for my student membership and gain access to lots of resources and I think this is a reasonable price. For my RSC membership, the level of membership was easy to work out because I was an undergraduate student and so a student membership was appropriate. Because I was now a postgraduate, I was unsure on how to go forward. So I called the IChemE helpline to ask about the right membership for me. The service assistant on the other end advised me that given my previous experience in the chemical sciences, an affiliate membership would be right for me. An affiliate membership is for people who are out of their first degree or have a few years work experience in the chemical sciences. He said £20 would be the annual fee which, if I were to receive the same level of support as from the RSC, was pretty reasonable. He sent out the application form via email and I filled it in. I'm waiting to see if I get any shiny membership cards through the post.
Wholesome Character
Membership of an institution doesn't just give you access to great discounts and very readable 'trade magazines'. It can count as a part of a wholesome character from a professional perspective because being a member of an institution and maintaining that membership can be a sign that you're committed to your science. As a prospective employer, a maintained membership / active participation shows a love for what you do and can often be that extra cherry on the top of what employers expect from applicants. It's a small thing but it's important if you're trying to communicate you're passion for scientific industries in your CV.
Other memberships
While I studied chemistry at York, I was signed up to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and I had paid membership fees for the duration of my degree course. This allowed me to have undergraduate / student membership with the institution. This entitled me to the magazines RSC News and Chemistry World. Chemistry World is more of a trade magazine for the chemical sciences and it gives lots of summary articles based on cutting edge research from literature. RSC News keeps one abreast of the situation and happenings in the RSC and leans more toward the educational side of things.
New Beginnings
As I had been a member of the RSC during my first degree, I thought it a good idea to seek membership with the IChemE. If anything, the complimentary magazines are interesting and they can help direct your thinking toward the science as the articles are very focussed on the research / projects/ news they describe. There are many more benefits to being a member and as a young person starting out in their career, there is lots of support out there. There are discounts on course texts and discipline related books and there are opportunities to go to seminars, lectures and symposia too. These conferences are useful because one can hear what the captains of the industry are saying. This last part really excites me as it gives one the opportunity to talk to the people who are heavily involved in the field I want to move into. Certainly in the more social symposia and conferences, there will be the opportunity to network and meet people.
Reasonable Fees
As a member of the RSC, I pay £12 annually for my student membership and gain access to lots of resources and I think this is a reasonable price. For my RSC membership, the level of membership was easy to work out because I was an undergraduate student and so a student membership was appropriate. Because I was now a postgraduate, I was unsure on how to go forward. So I called the IChemE helpline to ask about the right membership for me. The service assistant on the other end advised me that given my previous experience in the chemical sciences, an affiliate membership would be right for me. An affiliate membership is for people who are out of their first degree or have a few years work experience in the chemical sciences. He said £20 would be the annual fee which, if I were to receive the same level of support as from the RSC, was pretty reasonable. He sent out the application form via email and I filled it in. I'm waiting to see if I get any shiny membership cards through the post.
Wholesome Character
Membership of an institution doesn't just give you access to great discounts and very readable 'trade magazines'. It can count as a part of a wholesome character from a professional perspective because being a member of an institution and maintaining that membership can be a sign that you're committed to your science. As a prospective employer, a maintained membership / active participation shows a love for what you do and can often be that extra cherry on the top of what employers expect from applicants. It's a small thing but it's important if you're trying to communicate you're passion for scientific industries in your CV.
Monday, 12 September 2011
FLNG
Not a video game abbreviation but a new age and very relevant acronym, FLNG stands for Floating Liquid Natural Gas. It is the one of the new ways that energy companies can exploit gas and petrochemical deposits with less risk and cost than traditional fixed platforms and rigs. The concept of a floating platform is new and currently, there are only 8 FLNG platforms in the whole world though more are due to come online in due course as the rush to capitalise on the new idea takes hold.
Natural gas has been used for decades as a means to heat and power homes. Now, the high demand for low-carbon resources to heat and power to homes is encouraging the uptake of natural gas. This in turn requires more gas and as a result, the production of gas has to increase. Traditionally, natural gas is reinjected into oil wells to increase the pressure and extend the life of the oil field. Alternatively, the gas is flared, simply burned through a boom hanging off the side of the facility. Now, the need for gas means that this 'waste-gas' needs to be harnessed for consumer use.
This is where FLNG comes in: the traditional rig is replaced with a giant tanker-style vessel with the topside incorporating a rig system with processing and refining facilities and the hold containting massive gas storage tanks. This allows the gas reserves to be safely tapped and processed at sea. The sheer size of the vessel means that they are less susceptible to storm damage and their inherent mobility means that they can be moved in the event of an impending natural disaster. Traditional gas tankers are moored next to the FLNG facility and filled with LNG. This can be shipped to buyers from the facility.
The main attractive point about FLNG is that the there is no need for fixed onshore facilities to process the gas and the LNG is obtained on the site of the gas field.
There is the expectation for many more of these floating behemoths cruising the seas in the next 5 - 10 years as more oil and gas companies weigh off the benefits against costs of FLNG and the rising need for clean energy. There is already heavy investment from Royal Dutch Shell in the technology as they have placed orders at Samsung Heavy Industries for 10 vessels of varying types to expand into the FLNG arena. The order included a few of the giant FLNGs and various support vessels and LNG transport vessels. From an environmental point of view, the FLNG represents a large step in the direction of clean energy provision and from a supply point of view, it's exactly the kind of technological development needed to ensure that the lights stay on in a world of ever increasing energy consumption.
Natural gas has been used for decades as a means to heat and power homes. Now, the high demand for low-carbon resources to heat and power to homes is encouraging the uptake of natural gas. This in turn requires more gas and as a result, the production of gas has to increase. Traditionally, natural gas is reinjected into oil wells to increase the pressure and extend the life of the oil field. Alternatively, the gas is flared, simply burned through a boom hanging off the side of the facility. Now, the need for gas means that this 'waste-gas' needs to be harnessed for consumer use.
This is where FLNG comes in: the traditional rig is replaced with a giant tanker-style vessel with the topside incorporating a rig system with processing and refining facilities and the hold containting massive gas storage tanks. This allows the gas reserves to be safely tapped and processed at sea. The sheer size of the vessel means that they are less susceptible to storm damage and their inherent mobility means that they can be moved in the event of an impending natural disaster. Traditional gas tankers are moored next to the FLNG facility and filled with LNG. This can be shipped to buyers from the facility.
The main attractive point about FLNG is that the there is no need for fixed onshore facilities to process the gas and the LNG is obtained on the site of the gas field.
There is the expectation for many more of these floating behemoths cruising the seas in the next 5 - 10 years as more oil and gas companies weigh off the benefits against costs of FLNG and the rising need for clean energy. There is already heavy investment from Royal Dutch Shell in the technology as they have placed orders at Samsung Heavy Industries for 10 vessels of varying types to expand into the FLNG arena. The order included a few of the giant FLNGs and various support vessels and LNG transport vessels. From an environmental point of view, the FLNG represents a large step in the direction of clean energy provision and from a supply point of view, it's exactly the kind of technological development needed to ensure that the lights stay on in a world of ever increasing energy consumption.
London Calling
I've just finalised my arrangements for accomodation for my year in London. I found a place in Haringey district and I've signed the contract, paid the deposit and first installment of rent. I'm so glad that the search is over, a - because it's getting quite close to the start of my course ( first orientation session is 26th of September) and b - it removes the need to look for a room. It has been a pretty easy find actually. I didn't have to put much work into it beyond posting an online ad about who I was and what I wanted then sifting through the automated emails I received from the site. It wasn't too dissimilar to the search for accomodation I did with my girlfriend to find a house for our third year accommodation in York. Though then we posted ads and also looked for ourselves. I was confident the same approach could be applied to London which would have more house shares so I used it.
The people I'll be living with seem to be friendly and my main point of contact, Jose, has been really helpful in ensuring that he and I and the agency who handles the property are on the same page. The house, as I've said in previous posts, is great for my needs and the fact that my housemates are all workers who care for their house means that I should have a nice place to live and won't be plagued by mouldy plates like I have in previous student houses I've lived in.
I'm looking forward to living in London and studying engineering. I'm feeling positive about my choice to specialise in engineering and look to work as a chemical engineer with a view to gaining chartered status. The house I'll be living in should provide favourable conditions and help me achieve my potential.
The people I'll be living with seem to be friendly and my main point of contact, Jose, has been really helpful in ensuring that he and I and the agency who handles the property are on the same page. The house, as I've said in previous posts, is great for my needs and the fact that my housemates are all workers who care for their house means that I should have a nice place to live and won't be plagued by mouldy plates like I have in previous student houses I've lived in.
I'm looking forward to living in London and studying engineering. I'm feeling positive about my choice to specialise in engineering and look to work as a chemical engineer with a view to gaining chartered status. The house I'll be living in should provide favourable conditions and help me achieve my potential.
Kitzbuhel
Hi guys, its been a while. I recently returned from my holiday to Austria. My girlfriend, myself and her parents went on a walking holiday to a little place called Kitzbuhel in the low mountains. It's a small town, very picturesque and quaint. The still employ a lot of the traditional dress and music and it seems that it's what they do rather than a show for paying tourists. It was a great visit and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Pictures to follow.
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