Si Wes Report
Si Wes Report
Si Wes Report
net/publication/363672669
CITATION READS
1 6,460
1 author:
Onyedikachi Ofordile
University of Lagos
4 PUBLICATIONS 2 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
All content following this page was uploaded by Onyedikachi Ofordile on 20 September 2022.
TECHNICAL REPORT
ON
UNDERTAKEN AT
BY
SUBMITTED TO
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DECEMBER 2021.
i
DECLARATION
I sincerely declare that: I am the sole writer of this report. The details of training and experience
contained in this report describe my involvement as a 6 months Student Industrial Work
Experience Scheme (SIWES) intern at Fortis Engineering Services Limited. All the
information contained in this report is certain and correct to me.
SIGNATURE:
ii
Fortis
:Engineering
Services
LETTER OF CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that Mr. Ofordile Onyedikachi Cyprian, a 400 level Student of the University
of Lagos, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department with Matric No: 170406516 has
successfully completed his 6 months Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES)
internship at Fortis Engineering Services Limited from the 24th of May to the 9th of November
2021.
He undertook a 5 agenda training plan that comprises of; Research and Development, Technical
Presentation, Field Experience, Technical Report writing and Bid preparation. As part of the
training plan, he actively participated in all the operations of the company, acquiring key
experience in our core areas of specialization.
During the internship he demonstrated good research and problem-solving skills with a self-
motivated attitude to learn new things. His performance exceeded expectations and was able to
complete the training plan successfully on time.
Warm regards,
Block 116, Plot 16A George Omonubi Street, Off Oniru New Market Road, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos State Nigeria
www.fortisengineering.net
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my sincere gratitude to God almighty, the University of Lagos and the Department
of Metallurgical and Material Engineering for the opportunity availed us in undergoing an
intensive 6 months Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). I also wish to
express my sincere gratitude to the Management and Staffs of Fortis Engineering Limited for
the priceless work experience I acquired in the duration of my internship.
iv
ABSTRACT
The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a program put in place by the
Federal Government to ensure that all Science and Engineering Students in their undergraduate
level obtain relevant industry experience by undergoing 6 months or 3-months internships in
industries relevant to their course of study.
I underwent my internship at Fortis Engineering Services Limited, an indigenous oil and gas
servicing company with head office in Lagos state and operational base in Warri. The company
utilizes a training plan which comprises of; Research and Development, Technical Presentation
Development, Field Experience, Technical Report Writing and Bid Preparation. The training
plan ensured that I obtained first-hand experience in many of the key areas peculiar to the
Nigerian oil and gas industry with key focus on Research and development of new
technologies, advanced field works and effective engineering business management.
This Technical Report aims to explain in detail the relevant experiences acquired during my
internship at Fortis Engineering and how they are related to my course of study. I highly
recommend that the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) be undergone twice
by Engineering Students in the Institution to ensure that the students incorporate intensively
the necessary skills and ability to work in the real world.
v
TABLE OF CONTENT
Page
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract vi
vi
2.7 Other Relevant Experience Gained 27
RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Conclusion 34
4.2 Limitations 34
4.3 Recommendations 34
REFERENCES 36
vii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Fig 2.13 images from the Heat Exchanger Tubes using Borescope RVI
Fig 3.2 ATEX rated Pneumatic grinding and coating removal tool.
viii
ABBREVIATIONS AND KEY WORDS
NCR Non-Conformance
PO Purchase Order
PR Purchase Requisition
ix
QMS Quality Management System
SE Service Entry
SO Service Order
UT Ultrasound Testing
x
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE SIWES TRAINING PROGRAM
1.1.1 OVERVIEW
The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), also known as Industrial Training
is a compulsory skills training programme designed to expose and prepare students of Nigerian
Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Colleges of Technology and Colleges of
Agriculture, for the industrial work situation they’re likely to meet after graduation.
The scheme also affords students the opportunity of familiarizing and exposing themselves to
the needed experience in handling equipment and machinery that are usually not available in
their institution.
SIWES was established by ITF (Industrial Training Funds) in the year 1973 to solve the
problem of lack of adequate proper skills for employment of tertiary institution graduates by
Nigerian Industries. The Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was founded
to be a skill training program to help expose and prepare students of universities, polytechnics
and colleges of education for the industrial work situation to be met after graduation. This
scheme serves as a smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work and further helps
in the application of knowledge. The scheme provides students with the opportunity of
acquainting and exposing themselves to the experience required in handling and managing of
equipment and machinery that are usually not made available in their institutions.
SIWES is a key factor required to inject and help keep alive industrialization and economic
development in the nation through the introduction and practical teaching of scientific and
technological skills to students. (Culled from Detailed Manual on SIWES Guidelines and
Operations for Tertiary Institutions). Objectives of the Students Industrial Work Experience
Scheme include:
1. Provide an avenue for students to acquire industrial skills for experience during their
course of study
2. Expose students to work methods and techniques that may not be available during their
course of study.
1
3. Bridging the gap between theory and practice by providing a platform to apply
knowledge learnt in school to real work situations
4. Enabling the easier and smoother transition from school by equipping students with
better contact for future work placement
5. Introduce students to real work atmosphere so that they know what they would most
likely meet once they graduate.
Fortis Engineering Services Limited is an ISO 19001;2015 certified indigenous oil and gas
servicing Company established in March 2018 with Head Office in Oniru-Lekki, Lagos and
Operational base in Port Harcourt. The company is a fully owned Nigerian oil and gas servicing
company. Their primary focus is to employ competent personnel and utilize specialized,
technical expertise to positively contribute to the Nigerian Petroleum and Energy industry.
They seek to constantly deploy highly effective technologies through creative, customer-
adapted solutions and their aim is to provide unrivalled problem-solving proficiencies within
the industry.
2
1.2.3 VALUE SYSTEM
The Organization’s Value System is built on the 3Cs and 3Ts as shown below.
The Organizations’ key services are focused on the following core areas;
I. Key Areas
• Vessel Inspection/Certification
3
V. Rotating Machinery
1.3.1 DEPARTMENTS
4
1.3.2 COMPANY ORGANOGRAM
My internship period at Fortis Engineering Services Limited was for a period of 6 months (May
24th 2021 to November 9th 2021), I was assigned to the Technical/Engineering department
under the supervision of Engineer Oamen Aletor (Engineer Operations), I also interned
concurrently in the Research and Development Department, Quality Management and Quality
Control Department as well as the Administrative Department
The key focus of the internship was to undergo a 5 agenda training plan that was put in place
by the Organization to ensure that all interns are exposed to the key areas of operations in the
industry while getting hands on experience. The Training Plan comprises of;
5
I. Research and Development,
V. Bid Preparation
I resumed by 8am and closed by 5pm on a daily basis, while undergoing the training plan I
was tasked with liaising closely with my supervisor, the Head of Technical operations and
other interns to carry out Engineering, Procurement, Installation and Construction Projects.
6
CHAPTER TWO
It is mandatory for every new intern to undergo an intensive 5 agenda training plan that runs
concurrently during their internship period at Fortis Engineering Services Limited, the training
plan is in line with the major activities of the company and their key area of specialization, the
aim of the training plan is to ensure that the interns fully understand the operations of oil and
gas servicing companies in the country as well as to build capacity and ensure employability
of the interns upon graduation. I was assigned to the Technical/Engineering Department and
the training plan was streamlined to ensure relevance to my course of study.
Research and Development (R&D) is a process intended to create new or improved technology
that can provide a competitive advantage at the business, industry, or national level. The goal
is typically to take new products and services to market and add to the company's bottom line.
Some key advantages of R&D include;
I. Unique selling point - R&D can help you develop unique products and services.
II. Income - unique products and services resulting from successful R&D projects can
generate new or enhanced income streams, but R&D can also attract potential new
investors/partners to your business.
III. Funding - for businesses to seek public-sector innovation, research and development
grants or even EU funding for innovation.
IV. Tax relief - you can claim R&D tax relief to reduce your company's tax bill
V. Competitive edge
VI. Collaboration - It allows for the transfer of skills and knowledge, and access to
facilities, expertise and potentially new ideas that would otherwise be out of reach of
your business.
VII. Reputation - engaging in R&D can help you strengthen your brand and reputation. If
you're collaborating with a trusted, reputable partner or a strong scientific institution,
the commercial success of resulting products and services can benefit from their
involvement.
7
The Basic R&D structure utilized by Fortis Engineering is show in the flow chart below.
During the period of my internship, I worked closely with my supervisor to scout for new
technologies that can be of economical benefit to the company. The process starts by first
identifying a problem or opportunity within the oil and gas industry, this ranges from
Equipment maintenance problems, pipeline integrity management like corrosion, pigging and
bunkering. After identification of a problem or an opportunity in the market, we proceed to
scout for novel technologies that meets the requirements for solving such problems A R&D
compilation spreadsheet is created where we store all the potential technologies discovered in
the team scouting session, at the Bi weekly R&D meeting which holds on Thursdays with the
entire Management in attendance, the novel technologies are presented to the Management for
scrutiny and critic, if the technology is satisfactory, we deploy a set of SMART actions which
includes further research on the technology and also initiate contact with the foreign company
with the aim of having an inquiry meeting to further understand the capabilities of the
technology and subsequently to discuss possible partnerships so as to make available these new
technologies to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
8
Some notable novel technologies discovered by the R&D team and is being currently being
deployed in the industry or undergoing possible partnership meetings are discussed below.
9
Fig. 2.3 SNI SmartPIMS Pipeline installation demonstration.
10
Fig 2.4a Fig 2.4b
11
Fig 2.5a Fig 2.5b
Fig 2.5a/b ATEX rated pneumatic grinder toolbox and demonstration
Aside from the technical know-how that every engineer must possess, it is important that they
are able to communicate clearly their ideas to potential clients and investors without being
misunderstood. The Technical Presentation plan ensured that I developed strong
communication skills, always being as descriptive as possible to ensure my ideas are
understood.
During my internship period, I was tasked with taking minutes and the weekly departmental
meetings as well as to anchor the bi weekly Research and Development Meeting, Business
Development meeting and dialogue with clients/partners during synchronization or inquiry
meetings between Fortis Engineering and a third-party company.
12
II. FORTIS POWER BUSINESS OPTIMIZATION ANALYSIS PRESENTATION
In the 5th month of my internship, I alongside the Head of Technical Operations
performed a business optimization analysis on Fortis Power, which is basically a
feasibility study to determine the profitability of the subsidiary. The BOA was
performed by determining the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) by summing the
nonrecurring cost of starting up the subsidiary and the Operational Expenditure (OPEX)
for different Annual Maintenance Contracts based on the sizes of the generators to be
serviced for a period of two years (2020 and 2021). This cost was then compared to the
net profit for these years to determine how profitable the subsidiary has been, based on
our results, a profit target was agreed upon for the year 2022 and this profit target was
used to develop a new price list for the different Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC)
of our Clients.
Upon conclusion of the BOA and successful collation of the necessary data, I developed
a PowerPoint slide detailing the result of our analysis and making relevant
recommendations.
III. A PRESENTATION ON FES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
Upon commencement of internship at the company, all interns are required to
thoroughly read the company’s Handbook containing all the policies and procedures
guiding the rules of engagement within the organization. After a successful completion
of the first 5 weeks as an intern I made a power point presentation on the policies and
procedures of the company, summarily explaining the key areas of the handbook and
making recommendations on what can be done better.
IV. ENGINEERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN NIGERIA
Starting up an engineering business is no easy task as there are many factors that come
to play in satisfying certain requirements in order to effectively operate in the business
world. The Head of Technical Operations organized a workshop on how to successfully
run an engineering business in the country, as such, he enlisted my help in developing
a power point presentation clearly explaining the challenges of engineering enterprise
in Nigeria, SWOT analysis for a successful engineering business, business regulatory
requirements as well as financial statutory requirements.
V. 21ST CENTURY ENGINEERS.
All interns being considered for placement in the company are required to make a
presentation on the 21st century Engineer to the HTO who then evaluates the
performance of the intern and draft out a personalized training plan.
13
2.4 FIELD EXPERIENCE
The most important agenda of the training plan was acquiring relevant field experience, as the
real-life application of the technologies being deployed while executing a project gives a full
us a full understanding of its operations. In the duration of my internship, I was opportune to
acquire hands on experience in deploying some of the technologies used in executing services.
Majority of the field experience obtained were in line with deploying Non-Destructive Testing
Technologies which includes;
14
I participated in a series of SNI smartPIMS installation Demostration, field deployment
as well as data collection and analysis using the webPIMS for some of our clients that
needed their critical assets monitored.
15
II. PHASED ARRAY ULTRASOUND TESTING
The ultrasonic Phased Array instrument is a multi-orientated Phased Array (PA)
inspection or Equivalent pulse echo type and is equipped with a calibrated dB gain or
attenuation control stepped in increments of 1dB or less. The system is capable of
generating and displaying linear scan & Sectorial scan images, which can be stored and
recalled for subsequent review. The instrument is also capable of operation at
frequencies over the range of 1 MHz to 27 MHz. The Phased Array system provides a
variety of analysis capabilities including A-scan display and parameter readout
associated with software UT studio Software which can be used for the post analysis.
During my internship Period, we performed wall thickness measurements on a 12,000
litres capacity diesel tank under construction using PAUT to verify that all sections of
the steel sheet used for the construction was 12mm.
We commenced activities by carrying out visual inspection on the tank and
identification of critical exposed sections to be tested. After successfully verifying the
thickness of the tank using PAUT we proceeded with coating and calibration processes.
16
The data is provided based on color mapping. The mapping (C-Scan) is assigned to
show the signals in Blue, Green, Yellow and Red, representing varying thickness
between 0.05 – 12mm. The white shaded strip in the C-scan image is due to uneven
surface, obstructions. The images might be magnified in the proprietary software for
analysis to give better visualization for sizing.
17
• A probe and cable suitable for the wall thickness of the object and distance from
probe to object.
• An Eddyfi Lyft PEC instrument, including pulsing electronics, batteries and a
computer for processing, displaying and storage of measurement results.
• Mass data storage unit.
Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) is an inspection technique for inspecting carbon steel
objects such as pipes and Pipelines, without the need for contact with the steel surface.
PEC can measure percentage variations in steel thickness through any non-conductive
a non-magnetic material between sensor and steel surface such as air, insulation
material, concrete, plastics, coatings, paint, sea water, marine growth, deposits, oil,
Fireproofing, Composite wraps, scab corrosion product etc.
18
Fortis team of inspectors performed NDT inspection at the Okoloma gas plant. The
purpose of the inspection was to serve as a predictive/regulatory scheduled maintenance
tool to assess the "health" and operability of the Air Cooler & Heat Exchanger at the
Gas Plant. RVI enables greater inspection coverage, inspection repeatability and data
comparison. Teslong NTS300 equipment was deployed to carry out the inspection.
This report covers the inspection of inside surface areas of the entire tube length of the
Heat Exchangers and fin fan coolers, usually inaccessible to the eye without
disassembling
surrounding structures and machinery. It has allowed for the assessment of hidden
discontinuities which may cause major problems, e.g., poor welding, surface defects,
dents,
crack, corrosion pits, general condition, degradation, blockages and foreign materials.
Fig 2.13 images from the Heat Exchanger Tubes using Borescope RVI
19
2.5 TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING
One of the main forms of communication in engineering is the technical report. In the
workplace, the report is a practical working document written by engineers for clients,
managers, and other engineers. A technical report is a formal report designed to convey
technical information in a clear and easily accessible format. It is divided into sections which
allow different readers to access different levels of information.
While reports vary in purpose and in the type of information they present (e.g., site visits,
environmental impact or assessments, industrial projects, investigative studies, or design
projects), all are based on a similar structure and follow similar presentation conventions.
I. TITLE PAGE
This page gives:
• The title of the report
• The authors' names and student IDs
• The course name and code, the department, and university
• The date of submission.
The title of the report should indicate exactly what the report is about. The reader should
know not only the general topic, but also the specific aspect of the topic addressed in
the report
II. ABSTRACT/EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Abstract is usually written last of all. It provides a brief overview of the substance
of the report. It is a stand-alone document generally used by busy managers who might
not have time to read the full report. That’s why it is usually referred to as the Executive
Summary in the workplace.
The abstract is not an introduction to the topic. It should focus on what you did, how
you did it, and the main outcomes and significance of your work.
The Abstracts:
• States the topic of the report
• Briefly outlines your approach to the task (if applicable)
• Focuses on the results or outcome of the project, the findings of your
investigation: or the key aspects of your design
• States the significance or implications of the results.
20
III. TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Contents page sets out the sections and subsections of the report and their
corresponding page numbers. It should clearly show the structural relationship between
the sections and subsections. A reader looking for specific information should be able
to locate the appropriate section easily from the table of contents.
Sections are numbered using the decimal point system. Section numbers appear on the
left margin, page numbers on the right.
IV. INTRODUCTION
The Introduction tells the reader what the report is about. It sets the project in its wider
context, and provides the background information the reader needs to understand the
report.
The Introduction:
• Introduces the topic of the report in context
• Explains the problem and/or motivation for the project
• States the aim/s of the project
• Indicates the purpose of the report
• Briefly outlines the report structure (not necessary in a short report).
In a short report, the technical background necessary to understand the problem may be
included in the Introduction. In longer reports this may be summarized in the
Introduction and presented in detail in a separate section.
21
• Figures and tables
• Bulleted or numbered lists
• Formatting to break up large slabs of text.
22
upon completion of every service order, it is mandatory that we develop a technical report that
gives in detail the work done, results obtained as well as make recommendations based on the
results. The developed result is then submitted to the client for review and subsequent
corrections/reviews are made to to report until it is deemed satisfactory. I was opportune to
participate in the development of two technical reports after successful completion of internal
rotary inspection system (IRIS) and Borescope inspection nondestructive testing services
A majority of the revenue gotten by oil and gas servicing companies are from EPIC projects
(procurement or services) that are competitively bided for. Due to the high profit yields of these
kind of project, a lot of work goes into the preparation of a very competitive bid to be submitted
to the company.
As earlier stated, the projects being bided for can be broadly grouped into two; Procurement
Projects and Services Project.
I. PROCUREMENT BID:
Most international/local oil companies require scheduled maintenance or repairs of
their critical assets, other times they are working on expanding their production capacity
by building new assets like factories, substations, flowlines etc. To achieve thus, they
need to purchase critical spares like pipes, flanges, elbows, rope access kits, NDT
equipment’s, specialized machineries and tools. The regulations in the country does not
permit these companies to make such purchases directly from the Original Equipment
Manufacturer, hence they have to go through a third-party oil and gas servicing
company for their Procurements.
The entire Procurement bidding process is explained below;
• INITIATION OF CONTACT: in this stage, the client reaches out to
participating companies who wish to bid competitively for the project, this is
usually done by sending emails containing instructions on how to undertake the
bidding process to all the participating companies registered in the client's
database. The most effect way of initiating contact however is through the use
of third-party online bidding platforms such as NIPEX, SHELL ARIBA,
SEPLAT E-TENDER platform etc. The client. Uploads all the required files
required for a successful bid submission and all companies registered in the
database of this bidding platforms are able to view the Request for Quotation
23
(RFQ) and can either decide to participate in the process or not. The online
bidding process ensures transparency and fairness so that all participating
companies have an equal chance of winning the contract.
All RFQs come in either a single envelope or double envelop format, for the
single envelope, the technical competency of the participating companies is
evaluated separately which is then followed by a commercial evaluation at a
later time. For a double envelope RFQ, both the technical and commercial
competence are evaluated together.
• TECHNICAL EVALUATION:
Most RFQs are accompanied with some technical criteria the participating
company must meet before being considered for the contract. The technical
requirements usually cover the following key areas; Company details,
Organization structure, Lens and claims, Key personnel, Project experience,
Quality management system, Health, safety and environment, Nigerian content
development plan
A submission of all the technical requirements is made using tender documents
containing details peculiar to the project, the client evaluates all the technical
submissions based on a set benchmark and all those who beat this benchmark
move to the commercial evaluation stage.
• COMMERCIAL EVALUATION:
All participating company that successfully passed the technical evaluation
stage are invited to submit a Quotation based on the RFQ sent by the clients.
The Quotation is usually gotten when the participating companies engage the
OEMs of the required products.
The client makes a final selection based on the most competitive price i.e., this
is usually but not necessarily the cheapest Quotation. The procurement team of
the client further engages the selected company for discounts and a possible
Contract. If satisfactory, a Purchase Requisition (PR) is generated internal by
the client and this marks the end of the bidding process and the beginning of the
project execution stage.
• CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER
After a successful deliberation between the client’s procurement team and the
selected company and the generation of a PR, a Contract is issued to the selected
24
company which has the lump sum of the project to be executed. As the client
deems fit, Purchase Orders are called out from the Contract which is an approval
from the client to proceed with the procurement of the said materials listed in
the PO.
• GOOD RECEIPT NOTE
The selected company then engages with the OEM for the procurement of the
materials based on an agreed INCO TERM, upon successful shipment and
delivery of the products to the client, a good receipt note (GMR) is issued to the
company which is attached to the PO and used un generating the invoice sent to
the client for payment.
II. SERVICES BID
Some of the largest revenues are from service contracts that are competitively bided
for, the services rendered could be;
• Non-Destructive Testing services such as Phased Array Ultrasound Testing
(PAUT), Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC), Borescope Remote visual inspection and
internal rotary inspection system.
• Engineering, Procurement, Installation and Commissioning Services such as the
construction of flowlines or bulkline manifolds.
• Recertification of equipment
The steps involved in bidding for Service Contracts are the same with that for
Procurement contract with some few deviations/additions after a Contract/PO has been
issued.
• EXECUTION OF THE PO
Upon successful receipt of the PO the selected company is mobilized on site to
carryout the project scope present in the PO. After completion of the scope of
work the company is demobilized.
• TECHNICAL REPORT SUBMISSION AND REVIEW
Every completed service contact must be accompanied by a technical report
submitted to the client, the technical report contains details on the work done,
the results obtained and recommendations based on these results. The report is
reviewed by the client and subsequently revised by the company until a final
and satisfactory Technical Report revision is obtained.
25
• SERVICE ENTRY
Once the Technical Report is submitted and deemed satisfactory, a Service
Entry (SE) is issued to the company which is attached to the PO for generating
the invoice for payment.
listed below are all the Bids I participated in during my internship at Fortis Engineering
Services Limited.
26
X. Shell Procurement {Flanges, Gasket and Pipelines) -UAR10062021dw
XI. Provision Of Valve Servicing/Repairs Services for Manual Valves and Control Valves
- Seplat/Lag/ITT/2019/Pd/117091
XII. Shell Procurement of Pipelines, Valves and Flanges – Quotation Number
SAN19032021a
XIII. UAR18082021 Pipes Fittings Flanges and Ropes
Aside from the 5 agenda training plan, I was also engaged in a series of workshops, trainings
and short courses that also contributed to the overall experience acquired during the course of
my internship. Some of these engagements include;
27
CHAPTER THREE
The major aim of the SIWES program is to avail students in tertiary institutions opportunity to
bridge the gap between the academia and the industry/labour market through intensive trainings
during the course of the program to acquire skills and experience relevant to their field of study
thus making them employable post-graduation.
Metallurgical Engineering deals with metals. It is a discipline that focus on the production of
metals, metallic parts by utilizing the properties of these materials. The interdisciplinary field
of Materials Science, also commonly termed as Materials Science and Engineering, is the
design and discovery of new materials, particularly solids. Materials Science still incorporates
elements of physics, chemistry, and engineering.
The 6 months internship experience made me understand the need for proper work ethics
through professional dressing and cordial relationship between employees and employers, the
induction process at the beginning helped me fully understand organizational structure and
hierarchy in the work place. Finally, I gained the following experience relevant to my courses
of study;
28
III. TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION (GEG 411)
Engineers are required to be able to effectively communicate problems, research and
solutions to their clients as taught in the course. During my internship, I consolidated
the technical reporting skills acquired in school by actively participating in preparing
Technical Reports for Services rendered, Technical Presentations for clients and in
house meetings as well as anchoring multiple synchronization meeting between Fortis
and other Organizations.
IV. ENTREPRENUERSHIP FOR MATERIALS ENGINEERS (MME415)
The knowledge on Engineering Supply Chain Management in rendering procurement
services for oil and gas companies, Quality management system in ensuring maximum
customer satisfaction and efficiency in the company’s processes, the entire process of
Engineering Bid preparation as well as workshops on the requirements for setting up
an engineering business in Nigeria are in line with what was taught in the course.
V. WELDING AND FABRICATION (MME 326)
I participated in the fabrication/weld inspection of two 12,000 liters capacity diesel tank
through visual examination and a subsequent weld assessment using Phased Array
Ultrasound Testing. This experience consolidated my knowledge on the types of
welding and welding defects to look out for in the constriction of pressure bearing
structures like the diesel tank.
VI. PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS (MME 324)
Many of the NDT services conducted on assets like flowlines and gas stations requires
for us to completely understand the properties of the materials to be tested so as to know
the specific requirements for the test such as the required surface preparation, coating
requirement post test as well as the nature of the test to be conducted
VII. The training experience will also ensure that I fully comprehend the 500 level courses
I will be taking this session like ENGINEERING ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT
FOR ENGINEERS and INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING CONTRACT.
29
3.2DESCRIPTION OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED
I. SNI SMARTPIMS
The smartPIMS is a non-intrusive ultrasound corrosion monitoring device that operates
by using a UT probe to take periodic thickness readings of low spots on which they are
placed on. These wall thickness readings are collected by a Modbus and analyzed over
time to obtain the wall thickness loss and corrosion data in m/yr.
30
Fig 3.2 ATEX rated Pneumatic grinding and coating removal tool.
III. HYDROFORM PHASED ARRAY SCANNER
The HydroForm Scanner consists of a specially designed carriage for inspecting pipes,
tanks and vessels using immersion technique. The measurements ascertain thickness
which is a function of probe positioning for the area scanned, and may be provided in
pure numerical form or as color coded maps.
IV. OLYMPUS OMNISCAN MX2
The Olympus OmniScan MX2 flaw detector is a complete phased array toolbox.
Powerful tools, like total focusing method (TFM) images and advanced visualization
capabilities, enable the inspector to complete your inspection with greater confidence.
The OmniScan flaw detectors provide powerful inspection capabilities for manual and
automated applications. They can be used with a full range of probes, scanners, and
accessories,
V. BORESCOPE PROBES
The Teslong NTS300 is a model of a borescope probe which is used in the remote visual
inspection of opening and holes that cannot be inspected with the eyes or other
techniques. It is comprised of a rotatory camera mounted on a flexible pole that is
inserted into the opening to be viewed. The imaging/video recording of the viewed
section is then displaced on a handheld screen.
31
Fig 3.3 Teslong NTS300 Borescope
VI. HANDHELD ULTRASOUND GAUAGE
The handheld ultrasound gauge is a wall thickness gauge that is used to verify the
nominal thickness of pipelines or sections that are to be monitored using the
smartPIMS. The gauge is usually first calibrated using a circular steel block of known
thickness and water as the means of propagation of the ultrasound wave.
3.3PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
My internship at Fortis Engineering Services Limited over the past 6 months has been a
worthwhile experience as I gained practical knowledge relevant to the labour market. The
32
duration of my internship was however riddled with some challenges that if properly looked
into will ensure a more fulfilling experience.
33
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1CONCLUSION
The SIWES program is a very good initiative by the Federal Government aimed at bridging
the gap between academic learning and industrial experience. This was fully achieved in my 6
months internship training at Fortis Engineering, while it had its shortcomings, I was able to
gain vital experience relevant to my course of study. Over the duration of the internship, I
gained experience on the operations of oil and gas servicing companies which includes but are
not limited to, Equipment Maintenance, Asset integrity, Quality Management System as well
as Engineering supply chain management. In addition, the internship program has greatly
influenced my oral and written communication skills through exposure to numerous
opportunities in technical report writing as well as presentations
4.2LIMITATIONS
While my internship role does not avail me access to numerous tools and equipment because
most of the equipment are deployed on sites that I do not have sufficient clearance to be present
in those environments (COMPEX, OSP, BOSIET etc.,). I had some difficulties in navigating
the operations of some of the equipment like the SNI smartPIMS, ATEX rated pneumatic
grinding machine and PAUT system due to their complexities, functionalities and being
required to be operated by specialized/skilled operators.
However, after sufficient in-house demonstrations between my supervisor and the interns on
the operation of these tools, I was able to easily navigate my way through.
4.2RECOMMENDATIONS
I. As securing internship placement is becoming difficult each year, I recommend that the
institution/department recommend students for internship opportunities in
organizations related to their course of study.
II. The institution and Department should liaise closely with the industries relating to the
study of the program to breach the gap between academic learnings and real-life
applications by organizing short internships, workshops and seminars on the operations
of the industry.
34
III. Research and Development is the bedrock on which ground breaking innovations and
technologies are built upon, I suggest that students be fully engaged in the ongoing
researches at the department/faculty level so as to help them obtain the skillset upon
graduation.
IV. The Industrial Training Fund should provide adequate and prompt means of fundings
to students during the period of internship to ensure that the work experience is
financially itch free.
35
REFERENCES
36