Project Surveyor - Sam Hanton

Sam Hanton,
Aged 28

Qualifications
BSc (Hons) in Surveying and Mapping Science, Member of Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors, Member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
   
What do you do day-to-day?
I manage all the Survey activities that are attached to different projects, so I am in charge of working out how we undertake the survey project, the equipment that we will need and the personnel who will need to work on the project. I also travel offshore on particularly challenging parts of projects to supervise the work being carried out.

What have you been working on?
My most recent project is the laying of two 9km pipelines and one control umbilical in the North Sea. It is about 150km west of Bergen in Norway, in the North Sea and the water depth is 110 metres. The pipelines are now connected to an underwater structure which controls the flow of oil from the wells drilled beneath the sea bed. The other ends of the pipelines are connected to a platform where the oil is processed and pumped to shore along existing seabed pipelines.

What are the good bits about your job?
The challenges, often at short notice, which means I really need to know my stuff! The work is really interesting, I get to travel to places I otherwise might not visit and better still it's well paid. I also have the responsibility to make decisions without someone looking over my shoulder the whole time.

Why did you choose this career?
I was interested in following in my dad's footsteps and becoming a Land Surveyor, but was tempted by the prospects and salary offered in offshore construction surveying!