Ivar Skjaerpe

Job: Geologist
Background: Master of Science & Technology, NTNU

"I graduated in 2004, wrote my diploma in ExxonMobil and was employed the same year. When employed I was offered to join a rotation system for new employees - New Hire Development Program. This program has a core syllabus of courses in which I may participate - most of these are 3 weeks' courses taking place in Houston - so I travel over there quite frequently. In addition, the program means that I have a rotation arrangement where I work 9 months in each of the big departments Exploration, Development, and Production. I have now recently finished 9 months in Development where I have worked with planning of new wells at the Ringhorne field.

I am now in Exploration and here I interprete seismology, work with well correlation and volumes estimate of a gas discovery, "Dagny", north of the Sleipner field. This field is still not developed, but is being assessed as a possible link to Sleipner. Two wells have been drilled in a complex structure with a lot of faults, so this is exciting work.

In each project I have an experienced colleague as my mentor. This person is supposed to devote 20 per cent of his/her time to training the newcomer, regardless of the latter's qualifications. ExxonMobil also focuses on practical learning. As a new employee, I was quickly given an important and substantial role in a multidisciplinary team and received both responsibility and trust. This has been both motivational and very instructive.

There are around 20 geologists at our Stavanger office. We're split between the exploration, development and production departments. It's fun to go to work, and that's how I feel it ought to be!"