Education: LTS (Local Vocational Technical School) / MTS (Technical
Secondary School) and H.P.S Mechanical Engineering
Age: 63

What does a lead piping designer do?
Briefly, I do calculations for pipelines. These could be pipelines for offshore and onshore platforms, but also pipes intended for the storage of oil or gas. With the aid of 3D computer programmes we do the designs, taking into account factors such as high temperatures (from 500 to 600 °C), sea depth and volume. Sometimes I work on large projects and coordinate the work of an entire team. At other times I work on smaller projects and I create the designs myself.  

How do you look back on your career at Iv-Groep?
I’ve worked on fantastic projects at Iv-Groep, mostly abroad. When I look back, the technical challenges spring first to mind, but I have also benefited a great deal from a social perspective. The people you meet, the languages and cultures; these are added factors that make the work on the one hand complex, but on the other very interesting. You could say that my life has acquired an extra dimension. And, just to let you know, I have no plans of stopping after I retire. I enjoy my work far too much to give it up!

What has been your favourite project?
That was a gas lift compression plant in Libya, the As Sarah Phase IV Project. Iv-Oil & Gas was the main contractor and had the overall responsibility for the project. In a gas field in the middle of the desert there were 19 wells and we had to draw pipelines 30 km long. The location made the job very difficult, but at the same time unique. In the desert we had to make do with little or no facilities, and with temperatures of 50 to 55 °C the working conditions were very difficult.

Would you recommend Iv-Groep as an employer?
Yes, from my experience I would definitely say that Iv-Groep is an excellent choice. This applies not only to young people who have recently graduated, but also to technicians who are taking the next step in their career. Iv-Groep is an attractive company for them because of the wide range of interesting and complex projects and because the level of expertise here is so high. In addition, Iv-Groep is expanding rapidly and there is a huge demand for people who are knowledgeable and skilled in the field of project management.

“You could say that my life has acquired an extra dimension.”