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Job
overview
The Group has interests in some thirty refineries
worldwide and operates refineries that achieve
outstanding performances in Europe, where
Total is Number One in refining.
In refining, the professions of Process
Engineer and Production Engineer are closely
related.
The Process Engineer is in charge of several
units at the refinery, for which he assumes
different responsibilities:
he monitors technical aspects, giving instructions
for adjustments and settings and controlling
their proper application,
he diagnoses any incidents there may be
and follows up corrective action that is
implemented,
he ensures technical upgrades to optimize
the unit's efficiency and safety. The Process
Engineer works hand in hand with the Production
Engineer.
First steps
At Total, junior engineers start out with
a six-month training program as Instrument
Panel Operator on a shift schedule. Once
they have become acquainted with the installations,
equipment and processes as well as the work
methods at the refinery, they join the Technical
Department as Process Engineers.
Career options
After their first assignment in the Technical
Department, Process Engineers may move on
to Production, as Production Engineers.
In this position, they head a team whose
responsibility is to ensure the production
of the quantities defined by Production
Planning. They may also choose development
in the field of Instrumentation, Maintenance
or Production Planning. Other options are
to join the research and development teams
at the Group's different research centers.
Our recruitment
criteria
. Degree in general or chemical engineering.
. A technical mind, precision, tenacity,
aptitudes for teamwork and team management.
. English, fluent French.
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Testimonial
Raphaël L. - Age : 29
Process Engineer, Hydrotreatment and Hydrocracking
(Refining) at the Harfleur Research Center
in Normandy (France)
Degrees from ESCOM (Ecole Supérieure
de Chimie Organique et Minérale,
Cergy-Pontoise) and ENSPM.
Joined Total in 1997 after a 2-month internship
with Repsol and a 16-month CSNS* assignment
for Total in Belgium.
* CSNS = Voluntary International Service
Abroad program for French nationals
What does a Process
Engineer do ?
My job is to provide support to our refineries
in my two areas of specialization, hydrotreatment
and hydrocracking, which are transformation
processes using hydrogen. Hydrotreatment
serves to remove atoms of sulfur, nitrogen,
etc. to purify gasoline, diesel, and other
products, while hydrocracking is used to
make heavy oil fractions lighter.
In actual practice,
what does that involve ?
One part of my work is technical assistance
for the Group's 13 refineries in Europe.
They often contact us for particular problems,
and there are only two of us working on
these methods. The other part of my work
is to carry out more long-term projects.
The purpose of some of these, among others,
is to get prepared for new official requirements
and specifications. For example, by 2005,
gasoline will have to contain even less
sulfur than it does today.
What's a typical
day in your job ?
With two foremen, one for each field of
specialization, we talk about the processes
to be studied and supervise the experiments
in progress, which are run by refinery operators.
We work on " pilots ", which are
scale models of the major refinery units
that we keep running 24 hours a day. On
average, studies take 3 to 4 weeks. I go
through all the results and write up a report.
Now and then I visit a refinery to start
up a new unit or to deal with a particular
problem.
What are the upsides
of this profession - what do you like about
it ?
First of all, the contact with the people
I work with. It's important to teach the
operators, to really involve them in the
tests. And I like working on a key refining
process. Apart from the stimulus of the
technical challenges and the scale of the
investments committed for these methods,
there are legal and environmental pressures
that constantly make this job exciting.
What are the downsides
- what don't you like about it ?
Sometimes I wish we could take a little
time out from the action to think up new
ideas, to do more conceptual research. Due
to the pressures I mentioned before, there
are always urgent priorities, and we have
to come up with solutions, always within
a reasonable budget.
What qualities
do you need for this job ?
High motivation and commitment. It's scientific
work, research work, which calls for strict
discipline in managing and organizing your
day-to-day work to meet schedules and deadlines.
You also have to be good at team coordination
and motivation.
How do you see
your career developing in the future ?
I've been in this job for nearly four years
now, and it will take me another year to
wrap up the studies we're working on. After
that I'd like to stay on here at the Harfleur
Center, but move into the Engineering division,
whose work is to define specifications for
new units to be built and modifications
for units already in operation. At this
point I already provide information to that
division which helps them make decisions
for industrial development, so that will
be a natural development. I also think that
one day I might want to give up research
to get more involved in operations, to tackle
the everyday reality of a refinery.
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Testimonial
Bruno P. - Age : 34
Process Engineer at the Feyzin refinery
(south of Lyon in France)
Studied Chemical Engineering in Marseille.
Joined Elf in 1999 after first work experience
at two engineering firms (Litwin and Foster-Wheeler).
What does a Process
Engineer do ?
He primarily provides technical support
for plant operations, in response to requests
from the teams operating the different units.
In my job, I also take part in the development
of new projects, but for larger projects,
this work is centralized more and more at
the CERT, the Group's research and technical
center.
In actual practice,
what does that involve ?
The main part of my work is technical assistance,
and that means talking with the unit operators.
We talk about techniques and methods, risks,
irregular functioning, the modification
of parameters like pressure and temperature,
the performance of the catalyzers, and so
on. The aim is always to optimize the efficiency
of the units. I'm the troubleshooter, so
I try to understand whatever problems there
may be to make the best recommendations.
I also draw up specifications when we have
calls for tenders for material and equipment.
What's a typical
day in your job ?
In my job, there really is no "typical"
day. You deal with whatever problems come
up. Different people have different styles,
but I personally prefer informal talks with
people at any time of the day rather than
big meetings scheduled weeks in advance.
We're at the service of the unit managers
who rely on us for technical assistance,
but in terms of line organization, we're
not under their authority.
What are the upsides
of this profession - what do you like about
it ?
My educational background and previous work
experience were centered on theory, putting
things down on paper. Here, it's actual
practice, hands-on experience right in the
field. That goes together perfectly. I also
like the contact with people in my work.
You meet people with all kinds of skills
and experience - in electricity, maintenance,
instrumentation - and you get to share different
ideas and opinions. That's very stimulating.
What are the downsides
- what don't you like about it ?
It's not that I don't like it, but what's
rather difficult is to acquire all the knowledge
you need of the whole range of operations,
to make sure you're talking the same language.
Actually, that's an advantage, because it
gives you excellent experience in the refining
business.
What qualities
do you need for this job ?
The most important is to be a good listener,
to understand what others are talking about,
and what problems and worries they may have.
You also have to know how to get the right
information from the right place and from
the right person. That's not always easy.
Apart from that, of course, you have to
be a good engineer.
How do you see
your career developing in the future ?
As I see it, everything's coming up roses
! This job opens a lot of doors, especially
in a group the size of Total. There's a
big choice, but I haven't decided on anything
yet. Time will tell !
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