Meet Shaima Al-Lawati, Environmental Advisor, Oman

Mother, engineer, chef, explorer, shopping expert and environmental advisor. Shaima Al-Lawati’s impressive skills span a wide spectrum and she’s a big advocate of trying new things to expand your knowledge and find your calling.

“My background is in petroleum engineering, but as I developed in my career and learned more about the energy industry, I become interested in working in safety, how to protect our people and the environment too. And as an environmental advisor in Oman, I get to do just that and I find it very fulfilling,” Shaima says.

“Day to day I work with my team to meet environmental requirements, regulations and customer and government targets. I submit reports, communicate with ministries and industry bodies and carry out environmental audits of our rig sites, ensuring we stay compliant and meet all necessary standards.”

“My knowledge of exploration, extraction, and production of hydrocarbons has helped me transfer my skills to a role I’m passionate about. Now I get to support our drilling operations and optimise production rates, all while working to minimise environmental impact. Which is something that’s so prevalent in supporting today’s energy demands.”

Supporting innovation, research and investment

Shaima is passionate about the vital role our industry plays in supporting essential aspects of daily life and is committed to driving positive change in the energy sector.

“Our industry powers so many others that are paramount to our lives and overall wellbeing like food, heat, clothing and housing. But we know it’s undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the urgent need to reduce emissions, enhance energy security, and be affordable for all,” she says.

“We’ll need a diverse energy mix that reduces dependency on any single source and includes both renewable and non-renewable sources like fossil fuels, nuclear, wind, solar and geothermal to name a few.”

“And implementing policies and regulations that encourage the adoption of new technologies to decarbonise hard to abate industries like ours is crucial if we want to achieve net zero goals,” she explains.

“My role supports this by gathering environmental data from our operations and using it to make informed decisions. This could be for our own decarbonisation efforts or for providing our customers and governments with transparent information to figure out where to invest in research and innovation as we navigate our journey through the energy transition.”

Embracing transferable skills in a dynamic energy landscape

Knowing the work that she does is important and makes a difference keeps Shaima motivated.

“I love that with the ever-evolving energy landscape, every day brings something new in my role. Whatever I learn at work, I can apply it at home too and I can teach my children more about our planet, the environment and how to live more sustainable lives,” Shaima says.

“I didn’t think when I started my engineering degree I would end up working in health, safety and the environment but I’m so glad I’ve followed this path. Working at KCA Deutag has opened doors for me and has given me the confidence to branch out and try a new path. I’d encourage anyone thinking about pursuing a career in energy to take the leap, no matter your skills or experience. The opportunities are vast, and the impact you can make is incredibly rewarding.”

Are you curious about where your skills could take you? Learn more and open up to new possibilities with a career at KCA Deutag.