Name:

Iffat Abdullah Mahmood Al-Hamdani

Job Title:
IP / Process Conceptual Engineer

Academic Profile:
University Of Nottingham

Iffat, 24, belonged to the first batch of Omani scholars sponsored by PDO to complete
their A-levels at The Advance Learning Centre in Muscat, Oman. She won a scholarship
from PDO at the University of Nottingham (UK) where she gained a BEng in Chemical
Engineering with Honors. She joined PDO in January 2006.

Background Career
My eldest brother Imad al-Hamdani, a chemical engineer who also works in PDO, gave
me the idea to consider process engineering as a career since he knows the job prospects
for this profession in Oman and elsewhere.

The summer before graduating from university, I attended a six-week training course in
PDO, working with the Oil South Engineering (OSE) team. This gave me a flavour of the
working environment in the company and the spirit and value of team work. I also
attended courses on Health, Safety and Environment, and on H2S Awareness. This period
actually helped me define a career path as I was not sure what to work on upon
graduation.

Reason for Joining PDO

A combination of reasons, both professional and personal, motivated me to join PDO.
PDO is the premier hydrocarbon exploration and production company in Oman and every
graduate in this field dreams to be a part of it. PDO not only accepts the crème de le
crème based on academic performance but they also take into account intangibles such as
personality, team work and vision in order to build a contemporary organization with an
acceptable culture for all.

On a personal level, I would like to give something back to PDO for sponsoring my
studies by using the knowledge and skills I have for the company’s benefit.

As an IP/Process Conceptual Engineer

My work involves developing studies and reports for any new projects that are initiated to
give it a clear direction and help choose the best option for its implementation. My
colleagues and I optimise the existing facilities to clear any bottlenecks that might arise in
later years. What is exciting about this job is that we deal with problems in industrial
plants and get involved in all stages of manufacturing, from the design and construction
of processes and equipment to the daily delivery of products, the maintenance of facilities
and the enhancement of processes.

Rewards and Challenges

I learned right from the start that what they teach you at university does not completely
prepare you for the real working world! However, the friendly and supportive
environment in PDO has made this transition much easier. I value the diversity of
nationalities and cultures within the company, the professional training we get and, quite
important for me, the flexibility in working hours --- the aim is to deliver the assigned job
on time. As days pass, I feel that what they say is true: We are all ONE PDO!

I admit that delivering the job on time can be a stress point and I have to work hard to
achieve that goal. My work is based on inputs and working with different departments
and people from various disciplines. Coordinating schedules and coming up with a study
that is acceptable to all within the given time frame can be a real challenge.

The Future
PDO is quite flexible in allowing its employees to move around and change disciplines in
order to gain experience in other areas. In the short term, I would like stay in the same
career as a Chemical Engineer, then move on to another discipline within PDO, such as
Project Engineering, further down the road.

Words to Fresh Graduates

I strongly recommend fresh graduates to join PDO as it offers many opportunities for
both career and self development. Working for PDO puts you on the right career path!