Ryan Watson

When did you join Atkins?

I joined Atkins in Aberdeen after the company I had worked for since graduating, Boreas Consultants, was acquired by Atkins in 2006.

What did you do before you joined Atkins?

I joined Atkins, previously Boreas, as a pipeline engineer after graduating from the University of Aberdeen. During this time, I had exposure to a wide variety of projects across most disciplines of pipeline engineering.

How would you describe your role and responsibilities?

I’m a senior consultant, currently acting as operations manager for the subsea group in Houston. I manage our existing projects and provide technical support to our local clients.

How do you describe what you do to friends and family?

I usually say that my primary role is to support the major oil & gas operators manage risk and minimize downtime in their subsea producing systems.

Do you have any professional accreditations?

I have a Masters (Hons) in mechanical engineering (University of Aberdeen) and a Diploma in Business Management. I am a Member of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology.

What key projects have you worked on?

• Block 18 Greater Plutonio Development offshore Angola – BP’s first operated development offshore Angola.
• Thunder Horse Gulf of Mexico – Largest semi-submersible production facility in the world so far.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently project managing the technical support we provide to the BP Gulf of Mexico in-water integrity management team for all their deepwater flowline systems.

What achievement are you most proud of?

Shortly after joining Atkins I transferred to the Houston office to establish a subsea presence. As the only person with a focus on subsea it was quite daunting, but I was able to rely on technical support from the group in Aberdeen.

What’s the most technically challenging project you’ve worked on at Atkins?

A recent project for a major operator required one of the most challenging pipeline designs in the industry to date. A light wet insulated system susceptible to lateral buckling, slugging, liquid holdup and sour service conditions made the design very difficult.

How has your career developed at Atkins?

I’ve been involved in a wide variety of projects across most disciplines of pipeline engineering, which has helped define both my technical and business skills. From senior engineer in the subsea team located in Aberdeen to acting as operations manager for the team in Houston.

How have you been supported during your career development?

I have been fortunate to attend a number of internal and external training courses ranging from communication and team building to offshore survival and software training. In addition to this, Atkins encourages staff to participate in professional societies and rewards publications of technical papers at industry conferences.

How would you describe the culture at Atkins?

For me, the culture at Atkins is about the shared behaviour. Atkins is a very diverse company; we all come from different backgrounds, however, wherever you go within the Group you get the feeling everyone is doing their best and delivering quality support to their clients.