5 mins until my telephone interview for BP.... Wish me luck!
- Thread starter Shep_Cobain
- Start date
Soldato
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- 4 Feb 2003
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- Birmingham
Good luck OP, my Grandfather was a Marine Engineer for BP for 42 years and ended up as Chief Engineer on the Super Tankers (and on a few occasions in the 70's saved them hundreds of thousands of pounds getting tankers to port when they shouldn't have been able too) and he saw huge amounts of the world, it also enabled him to be an accident inspecter for Lloyds of London.
It certainly isn't a bad choice for a career, try to grab it with both hands and hold on to it tight
It certainly isn't a bad choice for a career, try to grab it with both hands and hold on to it tight
- Joined
- 26 Feb 2007
- Posts
- 3,322
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- Blackpool
Ive put this together, im going to nit pick and revise it hard tonight and tomorrow morning - does anyone else have anything to add:
The role of an engineering officer
Hot and a hive of activity, the engine room is the heart of any ship. The engineer officer's skills are its lifeblood and your responsibilities will include:
• the ship's main engines; marine diesel electric or steam turbines
• running and maintaining all mechanical equipment, including the operation and maintenance of pumps and fuel systems, electrical generating and distribution equipment, refrigeration, air conditioning plant, lifts, cranes, etc.
BP Shipping's modern fleet of ships are highly automated, sophisticated pieces of engineering; in fact they're often designed so that the engine room operates without continuous manning. Nevertheless, as an engineering officer you'll still be expected to turn out at a moment’s notice, day or night.
Upon successful completion of your initial training you will qualify with a nationally recognised qualification and in addition, an Engineer Watchkeeping Officer First Certificate of Competency. You'll be ready to take up an appointment as an engineering officer on one of BP Shipping's ships, but that doesn't mean you stop learning. As a serving officer you'll continue to develop your knowledge and experience up to Chief Engineer's certification.
BP has a leading position in the global shipping sector. We operate a modern and technically sophisticated international fleet of oil tankers and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carriers. Reflecting our commitment to maintaining our position as industry leaders in health, safety and environmental integrity, our fleet is constantly being renewed and updated.
BP Maritime Services (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. employs around 1,000 seafarers who crew BP Shipping's ships. To maintain our success, ambitious and intelligent people are needed, along with a commitment to the annual recruitment of trainee officers.
Engineer Responsibility
Engineer officers are responsible for all aspects of the running and maintenance of the ship's main propulsion machinery and other equipment. This includes boilers, electrical power generation, mechanical equipment and a range of instrumentation.
Most of this equipment is electronically controlled or automated to varying degrees.
Officers control and monitor the performance of plant and machinery, carry out planned maintenance, diagnose and rectify faults, replace damaged parts, participate in some cargo operations, maintain safety equipment and supervise the work of engine-room ratings.
Some engineer officers specialise in maintaining and repairing ships' computer, communication and navigation systems. They are known as systems engineering officers or electro-technical officers.
Maintaining the cleanliness of communal accommodation and their own quarters may be shared by all crew members on board. On ships with small crews, everyone may take a turn cooking in the galley (kitchen).
Engineer officers mostly work indoors, sometimes in hot and dirty surroundings. They also take their turn working on deck, often in wet and stormy conditions. They spend long periods of time away from family and friends.
BP is the employer of choice for more than 96,000 people.
Here are just a few of the reasons why:
Different people, common goals – that sums up our group. All over the world we look for people who share our ambition to be competitive, successful and a force for good.
We are committed to equality and diversity and we welcome applications from people who meet our selection criteria, regardless of sex, race or disability.
The idea of being 'a force for good' underlines all our activities worldwide. So the way we work is guided by values – integrity, honest dealing, treating everyone with respect and dignity, striving for mutual advantage, transparency and contributing to human progress.
And these values are more than just words: they are enshrined in practical policies and standards that govern areas of our activity, including health, safety, security, environment, ethical conduct and business relationships.
Oil and gas exploration
Over the past 150 years, oil companies and prospectors have drilled more than two million wells around the world in hopes of striking oil. Many of the early wells turned out to be dry
We use sophisticated technologies and tried-and-true techniques to find oil and gas under the earth’s surface.
More recently, scientific techniques and new technologies have greatly improved the odds.
Before we put drill to soil or the seabed, we use typographical maps, aerial photography, sound waves, 3D projections and other tools to help us form an educated guess about the size, shape and consistency of the oil or natural gas that lies underneath.
Why are oil and natural gas so difficult to locate? The best way to answer this is to look at how oil and gas came into being in the first place.
Extracting oil and gas
We build large and resilient production platforms and use new technologies to reach as much oil and gas as possible
After we’ve established that there are large quantities of oil or gas (or both) at a drilling location, this site is known as a field. The next step is to plan and build a production facility, taking environmental, social and logistical factors into account.
Out at sea, we build oil or gas platforms which are strong and steady enough to cope with the amounts of oil and gas to be extracted, the depth of the water and the harshness of the climate or underwater environment.
Over the decades-long lifespan of most production facilities, chances are new technologies will help us reach deeper and deeper into reservoirs, helping us to extract more of the resources within it.
Moving oil and gas
We build and maintain pipelines and operate a fleet of large tankers and ships that transport oil and gas worldwide
Most of the world’s known oil and natural gas supplies are a long way away from the places where these resources are the most in demand. Even land-based production facilities may be many kilometres from the closest refinery or distribution terminal.
We transport crude oil in two main ways: pipelines and shipping. The choice depends on each project’s logistics, economics and location, as well as environmental considerations. Meanwhile, arranging to get large amounts of oil, gas and energy products to all the places where they are needed is a steady and demanding job in itself.
BP Values
BP wants to be recognised as a great company – competitively successful and a force for progress. We have a fundamental belief that we can make a difference in the world.
We help the world meet its growing need for heat, light and mobility. We strive to do that by producing energy that is affordable, secure and doesn’t damage the environment.
BP is progressive, responsible, innovative and performance driven.
Progressive
We believe in the principle of mutual advantage and build productive relationships with each other, our partners and our customers.
Responsible
We are committed to the safety and development of our people and the communities and societies in which we operate. We aim for no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment.
Innovative
We push boundaries today and create tomorrow´s breakthroughs through our people and technology.
Performance driven
We deliver on our promises through continuous improvement and safe, reliable operations.
Where BP operate
The BP group operates across six continents, and our products and services are available in more than 100 countries
• Africa
• Asia
• Australasia
• Europe
• North America
• South America
Diesel Engines vs. Gasoline Engines
In theory, diesel engines and gasoline engines are quite similar. They are both internal combus¬tion engines designed to convert the chemical energy available in fuel into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy moves pistons up and down inside cylinders. The pistons are connected to a crankshaft, and the up-and-down motion of the pistons, known as linear motion, creates the rotary motion needed to turn the wheels of a car forward.
Both diesel engines and gasoline engines covert fuel into energy through a series of small explosions or combustions. The major difference between diesel and gasoline is the way these explosions happen. In a gasoline engine, fuel is mixed with air, compressed by pistons and ignited by sparks from spark plugs. In a diesel engine, however, the air is compressed first, and then the fuel is injected. Because air heats up when it's compressed, the fuel ignites.
The following animation shows the diesel cycle in action. You can compare it to the animation of the gasoline engine to see the differences:
The diesel engine uses a four-stroke combustion cycle just like a gasoline engine. The four strokes are:
Intake stroke -- The intake valve opens up, letting in air and moving the piston down.
Compression stroke -- The piston moves back up and compresses the air.
Combustion stroke -- As the piston reaches the top, fuel is injected at just the right moment and ignited, forcing the piston back down.
Exhaust stroke -- The piston moves back to the top, pushing out the exhaust created from the combustion out of the exhaust valve.
Remember that the diesel engine has no spark plug, that it intakes air and compresses it, and that it then injects the fuel directly into the combustion chamber (direct injection). It is the heat of the compressed air that lights the fuel in a diesel engine. In the next section, we'll examine the diesel injection process.
Compression
When working on his calculations, Rudolf Diesel theorized that higher compression leads to higher efficiency and more power. This happens because when the piston squeezes air with the cylinder, the air becomes concentrated. Diesel fuel has a high energy content, so the likelihood of diesel reacting with the concentrated air is greater. Another way to think of it is when air molecules are packed so close together, fuel has a better chance of reacting with as many oxygen molecules as possible. Rudolf turned out to be right -- a gasoline engine compresses at a ratio of 8:1 to 12:1, while a diesel engine compresses at a ratio of 14:1 to as high as 25:1.
Petro engines mix fuel and gas to create an explosion. Diesel engines takes in air, compresses it and injects fuel into it, and the heat of the compressed air ignites it. Diesels are more efficient and have a lot more torque.
The role of an engineering officer
Hot and a hive of activity, the engine room is the heart of any ship. The engineer officer's skills are its lifeblood and your responsibilities will include:
• the ship's main engines; marine diesel electric or steam turbines
• running and maintaining all mechanical equipment, including the operation and maintenance of pumps and fuel systems, electrical generating and distribution equipment, refrigeration, air conditioning plant, lifts, cranes, etc.
BP Shipping's modern fleet of ships are highly automated, sophisticated pieces of engineering; in fact they're often designed so that the engine room operates without continuous manning. Nevertheless, as an engineering officer you'll still be expected to turn out at a moment’s notice, day or night.
Upon successful completion of your initial training you will qualify with a nationally recognised qualification and in addition, an Engineer Watchkeeping Officer First Certificate of Competency. You'll be ready to take up an appointment as an engineering officer on one of BP Shipping's ships, but that doesn't mean you stop learning. As a serving officer you'll continue to develop your knowledge and experience up to Chief Engineer's certification.
BP has a leading position in the global shipping sector. We operate a modern and technically sophisticated international fleet of oil tankers and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carriers. Reflecting our commitment to maintaining our position as industry leaders in health, safety and environmental integrity, our fleet is constantly being renewed and updated.
BP Maritime Services (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. employs around 1,000 seafarers who crew BP Shipping's ships. To maintain our success, ambitious and intelligent people are needed, along with a commitment to the annual recruitment of trainee officers.
Engineer Responsibility
Engineer officers are responsible for all aspects of the running and maintenance of the ship's main propulsion machinery and other equipment. This includes boilers, electrical power generation, mechanical equipment and a range of instrumentation.
Most of this equipment is electronically controlled or automated to varying degrees.
Officers control and monitor the performance of plant and machinery, carry out planned maintenance, diagnose and rectify faults, replace damaged parts, participate in some cargo operations, maintain safety equipment and supervise the work of engine-room ratings.
Some engineer officers specialise in maintaining and repairing ships' computer, communication and navigation systems. They are known as systems engineering officers or electro-technical officers.
Maintaining the cleanliness of communal accommodation and their own quarters may be shared by all crew members on board. On ships with small crews, everyone may take a turn cooking in the galley (kitchen).
Engineer officers mostly work indoors, sometimes in hot and dirty surroundings. They also take their turn working on deck, often in wet and stormy conditions. They spend long periods of time away from family and friends.
BP is the employer of choice for more than 96,000 people.
Here are just a few of the reasons why:
Different people, common goals – that sums up our group. All over the world we look for people who share our ambition to be competitive, successful and a force for good.
We are committed to equality and diversity and we welcome applications from people who meet our selection criteria, regardless of sex, race or disability.
The idea of being 'a force for good' underlines all our activities worldwide. So the way we work is guided by values – integrity, honest dealing, treating everyone with respect and dignity, striving for mutual advantage, transparency and contributing to human progress.
And these values are more than just words: they are enshrined in practical policies and standards that govern areas of our activity, including health, safety, security, environment, ethical conduct and business relationships.
Oil and gas exploration
Over the past 150 years, oil companies and prospectors have drilled more than two million wells around the world in hopes of striking oil. Many of the early wells turned out to be dry
We use sophisticated technologies and tried-and-true techniques to find oil and gas under the earth’s surface.
More recently, scientific techniques and new technologies have greatly improved the odds.
Before we put drill to soil or the seabed, we use typographical maps, aerial photography, sound waves, 3D projections and other tools to help us form an educated guess about the size, shape and consistency of the oil or natural gas that lies underneath.
Why are oil and natural gas so difficult to locate? The best way to answer this is to look at how oil and gas came into being in the first place.
Extracting oil and gas
We build large and resilient production platforms and use new technologies to reach as much oil and gas as possible
After we’ve established that there are large quantities of oil or gas (or both) at a drilling location, this site is known as a field. The next step is to plan and build a production facility, taking environmental, social and logistical factors into account.
Out at sea, we build oil or gas platforms which are strong and steady enough to cope with the amounts of oil and gas to be extracted, the depth of the water and the harshness of the climate or underwater environment.
Over the decades-long lifespan of most production facilities, chances are new technologies will help us reach deeper and deeper into reservoirs, helping us to extract more of the resources within it.
Moving oil and gas
We build and maintain pipelines and operate a fleet of large tankers and ships that transport oil and gas worldwide
Most of the world’s known oil and natural gas supplies are a long way away from the places where these resources are the most in demand. Even land-based production facilities may be many kilometres from the closest refinery or distribution terminal.
We transport crude oil in two main ways: pipelines and shipping. The choice depends on each project’s logistics, economics and location, as well as environmental considerations. Meanwhile, arranging to get large amounts of oil, gas and energy products to all the places where they are needed is a steady and demanding job in itself.
BP Values
BP wants to be recognised as a great company – competitively successful and a force for progress. We have a fundamental belief that we can make a difference in the world.
We help the world meet its growing need for heat, light and mobility. We strive to do that by producing energy that is affordable, secure and doesn’t damage the environment.
BP is progressive, responsible, innovative and performance driven.
Progressive
We believe in the principle of mutual advantage and build productive relationships with each other, our partners and our customers.
Responsible
We are committed to the safety and development of our people and the communities and societies in which we operate. We aim for no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment.
Innovative
We push boundaries today and create tomorrow´s breakthroughs through our people and technology.
Performance driven
We deliver on our promises through continuous improvement and safe, reliable operations.
Where BP operate
The BP group operates across six continents, and our products and services are available in more than 100 countries
• Africa
• Asia
• Australasia
• Europe
• North America
• South America
Diesel Engines vs. Gasoline Engines
In theory, diesel engines and gasoline engines are quite similar. They are both internal combus¬tion engines designed to convert the chemical energy available in fuel into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy moves pistons up and down inside cylinders. The pistons are connected to a crankshaft, and the up-and-down motion of the pistons, known as linear motion, creates the rotary motion needed to turn the wheels of a car forward.
Both diesel engines and gasoline engines covert fuel into energy through a series of small explosions or combustions. The major difference between diesel and gasoline is the way these explosions happen. In a gasoline engine, fuel is mixed with air, compressed by pistons and ignited by sparks from spark plugs. In a diesel engine, however, the air is compressed first, and then the fuel is injected. Because air heats up when it's compressed, the fuel ignites.
The following animation shows the diesel cycle in action. You can compare it to the animation of the gasoline engine to see the differences:
The diesel engine uses a four-stroke combustion cycle just like a gasoline engine. The four strokes are:
Intake stroke -- The intake valve opens up, letting in air and moving the piston down.
Compression stroke -- The piston moves back up and compresses the air.
Combustion stroke -- As the piston reaches the top, fuel is injected at just the right moment and ignited, forcing the piston back down.
Exhaust stroke -- The piston moves back to the top, pushing out the exhaust created from the combustion out of the exhaust valve.
Remember that the diesel engine has no spark plug, that it intakes air and compresses it, and that it then injects the fuel directly into the combustion chamber (direct injection). It is the heat of the compressed air that lights the fuel in a diesel engine. In the next section, we'll examine the diesel injection process.
Compression
When working on his calculations, Rudolf Diesel theorized that higher compression leads to higher efficiency and more power. This happens because when the piston squeezes air with the cylinder, the air becomes concentrated. Diesel fuel has a high energy content, so the likelihood of diesel reacting with the concentrated air is greater. Another way to think of it is when air molecules are packed so close together, fuel has a better chance of reacting with as many oxygen molecules as possible. Rudolf turned out to be right -- a gasoline engine compresses at a ratio of 8:1 to 12:1, while a diesel engine compresses at a ratio of 14:1 to as high as 25:1.
Petro engines mix fuel and gas to create an explosion. Diesel engines takes in air, compresses it and injects fuel into it, and the heat of the compressed air ignites it. Diesels are more efficient and have a lot more torque.
Last edited:
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I know, its a 3 years course.
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Pioneer corps?
Associate
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I did a huge amount of research for an interview last week and learnt it all off by heart. It was pretty good stuff and they didnt ask me about any of it 
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put it together from their info... i meant. Looks like the relevant info i should know.
Soldato
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- Bath
Remember: BP is Beyond Petroleum..... an energy company not just an oil company, and one that incorporates solar energy in its portfolio and is willing to move away from oil ....... BP's "commitment to the environment and solar power" and "the supermajor of choice for the environmentally-aware motorist."
That should score you some points in the corporate'ness department
That should score you some points in the corporate'ness department
Cool, I start submarine solutions in September.
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Manchester.
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I'm off to the BP garage for a chicken and mushroom slice.
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merchant navy. Engineer cadet.
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do this
You will face an evidence based interview.
It is not designed to catch you out or make you feel under pressure - it is there so the interviewer can give you the best chance of showing/demonstrating skills. You will be asked to provide examples of required competencies and explain what YOU did. I emphasise the you as you need to talk about everything in terms of 'I did this..' rather than 'we did this...'
You may face some technical questions, however these won't be specific to the line of work, infact they will be very different and will be purely used to gauge your understanding and thought process. I got asked how a central heating system worked for example and what I would do if I wanted to change certain things. This wasn't a test on heating system, instead it was to check my understanding of engineering fundamentals - they dont want people who have learnt to pass exams, they want people who understand the subjects.
The questions will often start with:
- Tell me about a time when you....
- Give an example of a situation where....
- Describe a scenario....
Try to think of answers to example answers too - Tell me about a time where you demostrated leadership
Anyway good luck and remember 'I' and not 'We'. Even if you talk about group or team examples, make sure you talk about what you and only you did. They don't care for what the rest of the team did.