I’ve never limited my mobility. I’ve always ranked in the middle to higher. Last several years ranked O. I still can’t seem to get an expat assignment. I express interest every year. What does it take to get on the expat circuit? Seems like the same people get the expat opportunities over and over again. How do you break in? I joined this company for expat work. Maybe I should have joined the military.
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Sorry to break the news but what few expat assignments there are will be filled by the BTC. Just look at the announcement board. Search on Rotterdam or Singapore and you will see what I mean.
Making my own plans. I have never found S&D to be helpful. I don’t have a sponsor so from what I’ve seen my assignments have been just plugging holes that were available when they needed to reassign me. There is no rhyme or reason or thought out into it unless you are a HiPo. Even outstanding doesn’t get you onto the list of the chosen few for which S&D actually has succession plans for. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar.
OP talk to your S&D Manager asap. Map out a plan. If you're not getting anywhere, do not stagnate. Make your own plan.
Yes it's a global project role. Unfortunately, covid/cost cutting ki---d all those roles and they're being run out of Houston now.
You would probably end up rotating with any of the traditional rotating jobs for example drilling or completions company (wo)man.
Rotating sounds pretty good. Would be amazing to have every other month off. That could be life changing. What is an Upstream field development engineer? Is that a Global Projects role? I am in upstream engineering.
You have to ask yourself if it's worth it. As others have stated here the benefits have really sh-t the bed.
Is it worth distrupting your entire life for 5% uplift? Housing and all those additional monies aren't adequate for what the real costs are.
Even if you are the person who likes to travel there's a huge difference between vacationing and living/working in the middle of nowhere for 3 years.
There is always the Permian for no premium if you're American or peanuts if not. Hahaha. Have fun with that.
If anyone is offered an expat assignment, ask to look at the compensation sheet before you accept. Benefits have greatly reduced. Biggest benefit is expat premium in a country with a high percentage.
Unfortunately, what Company is doing now is having people go to Guyana on extended trips and/or commissioning on Business Travel basis. Game is if you want to get a decent ranking you'll play along. F n cheep b@sterds
Really, those days when you could rent the Taj Mahal for a couple years are Gone.
Now - in Guyana - with all the added security needs - paid for by you - not even like Chad a decade ago, when both my limo drivers had kalash-nick-offs 24-7.
Funny post, though. Ha-ha.
Targeting 10-12% expat positions from US globally down from 25%. Good luck.
OP if you are EMHC then it will be very difficult at this point to get an expat assignment, at least in the short term. I'm well into the RE stage and still going strong as Upstream MPT expat, but, the focus has shifted toward training BTC and affiliate engineers. The days of EMHC younger people getting on the circuit and getting training are gone. BTW, the comments about being worked like a dog as an expat are BS for MPT. We attend a lot of high level outings and functions and get extra time off not on the books even. Unfortunately, it's coming to an end. Rotating for highly skilled people is where it's at.
Why eould OP get an expat position when the company can send someone from Asia or South America for a fraction of the cost. Besides, as someone mentioned, the benefits suck. No way am I uprooting the family to somewhere for 5 or 10% premium. The old days are gone. Get over it.
Rotator is best, but, expat is pretty cool too. I've done much of both in all my years. Had great experiences living in Asia, Europe and Africa. The worst assignments were always hanging around in Greenspoint and Spring at times. That's only for Corporate support types and low skill employees.
Going to agree with the second reply here. Being an expat is like being a slave to the company. You can be called on 24/7 for whatever the company needs. Living a life and your family are an after though. You'll be asked to do the work of 10 locals and each year the benefits shrink. The support from the company throughout your assignment is run out of thr gbc and is frustrating at best.
Where its at is rotator....You have a back to back that handles your job while you're gone and it's their responsibility. You are OFF. The pay is better and you still have easy access to the first world.
Upstream field development engineer here.
Get yourself hooked up to an upstream ops position. But forget expat, rotate instead.
The first 10 years of my career we lived as an expat (family of 4) in 3 locations: London, Aberdeen and Muscat, Oman. After that I settled the family in The Woodlands and for the next 25 years as i rotated world-wide, month on month off.
As an expat, the EM money was good but they could work you endless hours, weekends and sometimes holidays.
As a rotator, the EM money was even better but I only had to work every other month to get it. When I was at home, on days off, I was never called to work, ever.
Being on a scheduled, formal rotation (with a proper back- to- back) is the best deal in the oilfield. I’d recommend that you select a rotational schedule instead of an expat.
What function? GP and Upstream tend to have the most expats. GSC/Controllers fuhgeddaboutit