Russian experience
Sergey Evgenievich Zubov,
Chief Operations Officer, PARKNEFT, LLC
My education specialty is a radio engineer. In 1997 I graduated from the most prestigious university of this specialty in Russia - Ryazan State Radio Engineering Academy. After the Academy I worked according to my basic specialty – as an engineer-designer in the closed design office at Bryansk Electromechanical Plant. Then I worked at the customs, where I was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief Officer of the Information Technology Department. At that time I got no job offers from the construction industry. At present I have a vast experience in the construction industry and I’m not going to change my choice.
Reboot
Since 2003 I worked for the representative office of JSC Project Management Ñenter “Stroineft”, Bryansk (a subsidiary of OJSC “JSC “Transneft”) as an engineer supporting capital repairs projects and technical re-equipment of the facilities of JSC “Svyaztransneft”. Although initially my main functions in the new company were related to electronic equipment (telephone stations, microwave transmission lines, multiplexing equipment, cable communication lines, radio stations), this period is the starting point for my work experience related to construction. I began with the basics and then went up in ascending order. I studied the process of formation and implementation of programs of modernization and overhaul of OJSC “JSC “Transneft” system: from issue of design and estimate documentation to commissioning facilities, including cost estimates and project economics.
Further on, as I was getting more and more involved in implementation of programs in JSC “Project Management Ñenter “Stroineft”, I dealt with supporting facilities in the system of pipelines and pumping stations. In 2007 I quitted my work in this company as Deputy Chief Officer of the Capital Construction Department. The next four years I worked in the pipeline system of OJSC “JSC “Transneft” – JSC “Main Pipeline “Druzhba”: Senior Engineer in the Capital Projects Department, Deputy Chief Officer in the Capital Projects Department, Chief Officer in the Capital Projects Division. As the Chief Officer in the Capital Projects Division I also acted as Deputy Director General in charge of Construction.
So when I joined PARKNEFT in 2011, I had already become an experienced builder.
Nevertheless, notwithstanding this vast practical experience, if it is possible, and, what is more important, if I have time, I would like to get further education. Perhaps it will be the faculty of “industrial and civil construction”. And after that I may even think about getting a post-graduate degree.
Sense of responsibility
In my opinion, a successful builder, focused on work at the facilities of the Russian fuel and energy complex, in addition to sufficient qualification must have a heightened sense of responsibility. Enthusiasm for their work, complete dedication to the construction site – these are ingredients of success of a real builder. In this regard, I was lucky - 12-14 hour working days, solving problems “on the fly” and many other construction nuances made me stronger.
Among the most interesting projects where I personally participated I would name, perhaps, modernization and transfer of technological communication on FOCL using multiplexing Siemens equipment in “PMC “Stroineft”. Many important projects were implemented working at JSC “MP “Friendship, such as the construction of Vertical Steel Tank with floating roof (VSTFR) of 50,000m3 at linear operating dispatcher station (LODS) “Klin”, LODS “Nikolskoye”, LODS “Unecha”; technical re-equipment of reinforced concrete tank of 30,000m3 at LODS “Lopatino”, LODS “Unecha”; technical re-equipment of the main pump LODS “Lopatino”, LODS “Nikolskoye”, LODS “Unecha”, Oil Pump Station “Stanovaya”; technical re-equipment involving replacement of parts of line pipes of main pipelines; technical re-equipment involving replacement of parts of line pipes of trunk line underwater passage; construction of pipelines bypassing the city of Orel.
It’s worth paying special attention to construction projects of PARKNEFT, LLC. They are difficult to implement because of both remote geographical location and constructing in conditions of functioning enterprises of increased danger, short technological corridors of stopping workshops at work, tight deadlines to perform work, a large number of intersections with third-party utilities. Take, for example, the construction of tank farm consisting of 8 vertical stainless steel tanks of 10,000m3 each at Prirazlomnoye oil field, consisting of 4 vertical stainless steel tanks at of 10,000m3 each at South Balyksky field in the Khanty -Mansi Autonomous District, construction of a booster pump station equipped with preliminary water removal unit at Malo-Balyksky field, construction of the tank farm of 10 vertical stainless steel tanks at the Tuapse refinery.
We solved and are solving problems of no inferior complexity at the Kuibyshev, Novokuibyshev and Syzran refineries. Thus at the Kuibyshev and Syzran refineries we are building plants processing elemental sulfur, which are rather ambitious and technically complex facilities. At Novokuibyshev refinery we are building intermediary and commodity parks of vertical stainless steel tanks ranging from 1,000m3 to 10,000m3 .
There is room for changes
Construction of facilities for fuel and energy sector is no easy task and work of hundreds of experts in various fields. It is impossible to succeed here without a well-coordinated teamwork.
For builders the biggest problem impeding their work is the low quality of the obtained design specifications and estimates. In order to save funds the design is often made based on obsolete survey results without any pre-project survey. As a result design solutions are not consistent with the actual location of existing facilities and communications. It causes downtime required for renegotiation, extending the time for construction, and, as consequence, extra costs.
It is also not uncommon when the supplied equipment is not in conformity with the design solutions. Sometimes equipment is delivered to the wrong places and wrong piping. It also results in redesigning and delays.
In addition, there are objects the projects regarding which are delivered by stages and at the beginning of construction the design and estimate documentation does not cover the entire facility. Therefore it is impossible to plan work for the entire period of construction such a facility. Sometimes we are given the design solution but the process time for manufacturing and supplying equipment delays its implementation for months. This also causes delays and re-planning of work.
In general, there is room for changes in the work of a number of organizations.
Back to the roots
I have dozens of construction projects under my belt. As for today, I cannot single out any individual object that I would like to build. I get the greatest interest in and satisfaction from implementing tough projects. It's not easy, but the results achieved here are of more significance and value. Almost all objects that PARKNEFT, LLC is implementing are assigned the status of complex ones, being built on functioning enterprises of increased danger. Successful completion of these projects is also my target.
My career shows that a person can find himself and realize his/her abilities in an entirely new field. Yesterday's radio engineer left his footprints on construction sites in almost all corners of Russia. Our company builds energy sector objects across the country, in different climates and time zones. For example, it’s 10 a.m. in the head office in Moscow and in Komsomolsk -on-Amur it is evening already and they are discussing the results of the working day at the shift meeting. At our facility in Nefteyugansk the temperature is - 35 and on the other construction site of PARKNEFT in Tuapse it is +10. And the work is humming everywhere. And it is also an experience.
It is this vast experience that I am ready to apply at energy facilities abroad. Especially because PARKNEFT, LLC employs professionals with experience of working in many countries in Europe, the Middle East. Yes, the roots of our Company are in Europe. Therefore, I believe that in the current economic environment our company should expand its geographic presence and master its international experience at energy facilities in other countries. There is a mobile team of specialists available for such labor voyage in PARKNEFT, LLC.
Promising future
No doubt, the future holds a long and interesting life as well as complex and significant projects for our Company. I believe that the experience that employees PARKNEFT, LLC are gaining and improving day after day will be in demand both in Russia and abroad.
Maybe our children will follow our footsteps. If my son tells me - I want to build and construct – I won’t intervene. Yes, this profession is difficult, but it is interesting, in demand and honorable. To be a builder means to have a character of a man, to have skilful hands and, therefore, the possibility to provide for your family well.
That's what I tell my son, showing him pictures of the facilities. It will be up to him to choose. And the fact that the boy is interested in such things strengthens my belief that his choice is right – the choice of a profession for a real man.
