Petroleum Engineering Intern Review

My role consisted on developing a project to quantify the loss of productivity of an oil well due to operating issues. On a day-to-day basis, my work was basically reviewing literature, participating at presentation and technical sharing sessions, applying the theory using a commercial multiphase flow numerical simulator and writing and presenting to the other members of my team what will be the final report of my internship. I also participated to a lot of seminars and sessions to improve my personal skills such as agility, learning method, presenting ability...

To be honest the work was really confident with what I studied during my university career but the way to do it is totally different. In my opinion, the possibility to compare your thoughts with people who work in this sector from decades is the best way to strength technical skills. Furthermore, about personal skills, it was quite challenging, mostly at the beginning of my internship, to adapt at the working pace and I think I made enormous steps forward in my personal time managing and efficiency. Overall, to answer this question, I would say that I both learnt new skills and interests I did not consider before and strongly enforced my existing skills by applying them to real cases.

The project I have been assigned is a lot demanding. The responsibility I felt was mostly in the fact that this work I have done will be used by the team members in future developments and features of their work and this aspect put a good amount of pressure on me. On the other hand, I felt that my team was supporting me for all the time, so I could accomplish the demands without being submersed by the responsibility pressure.

A LOT. At first, moving from a foreign country, I received a lot of help from the HR to do all the necessary things to start the work (Visa, travels...). During the internship, HR team was always available in case of necessity and they provided us a lot of opportunities to better integrate in the company such as social events, common activities... In the technical part of the work, the support I received was even bigger: a supervisor was reviewing the work step by step with me and a buddy was always available in case I needed anything (technical support but not only). Furthermore, also my line manager and other members of my team was always available for support.

bp invests lot of energies and time in supporting culture. I would say that being kind and inclusive is the first rule here! I particularly appreciated presentations about neurodiversity which I found a key point to how I now relate to other people, trying to understand that their points of view and opinions may be different from mine. I never felt in the wrong place, always welcome and all the colleagues I have met seemed to share the company culture and guidelines.

10/10. I expected to approach this internship as a must point of my career, I was sure it meant investing a lot of energy and 'consume' myself for two months in order to put a great experience on my CV. I was totally wrong, I enjoyed at all my internship experience and I did not want it to finish so soon. The energy that my senior colleagues shared with me was priceless, it made me love this placement.

Yes

LIVE THE DREAM. If you are doing an internship, try to participate at how many activities you can because otherwise you will regret it. Even if the colleagues are really kind and not demanding, try to outburst their demands and expectations, it will make them really impressed. Do not be nervous if someday things are not working, take a break (you can participate to some online course in the meanwhile you calm down) and get back to your challenging work once you are relaxed again.