Ryan Bachoo
Lead Editor-Newsgathering
ryan.bachoo@cnc3.co.tt
From the classrooms of UTT, Christy Nandlal jumped into the international world of oil and gas. Some people creep locally before they take the leap internationally, but Nandlal took a deep breath and went for it.
For the last 19 years, she's had a career as a chief field geophysicist supporting geophysical operations globally in marine seismic exploration as well as geotechnical campaigns in the oil, gas, and wind farm industry.
It's a major accomplishment for a woman with small-town roots in Princes Town who went to St Stephen's College.
Nandlal works in the oil and gas and wind farm industries, managing the processing of geological and geophysical data collected from the seabed and underground layers. This data is analysed to identify key features and assess the suitability of locations for drilling, as well as for installing structures such as wind turbines, oil rigs, and production facilities.
She was the youngest chief field geophysicist in the WesternGeco fleet at age 27. Sometimes, areas also have to be cleared of such equipment, and that's where they come in. "Basically, it's like a snapshot of the earth," Nandlal said.
She graduated from UTT with a technician’s diploma in Petroleum Engineering Technology and started her career as an observer (acquisition specialist) at the age of 20 in WesternGeco—a geophysical services company headquartered in London.
What many would consider success was actually Nandlal's greatest challenge—and it wasn’t just because he was working in a male-dominated industry.
"I always say I had to overcome what is considered a triple threat, which is being from a third world country in the Caribbean, being a woman in the field, and being coloured," Nandal told WE Magazine this past week.
That wasn't all. She would encounter prejudice and racism in her journey. Nandlal said those jobs were dominated by European and American white men. Asian and African people, as well as those who looked like her, would encounter hurdles to function and achieve promotion. They would have to take their grievances to the HR department to seek justice.
She recalled, "It was strange for me because living in Trinidad you do see a little racism, but it is not on the same level as what you get internationally. It's bad. It's nasty. They literally tell you to your face that you are not good enough."
Nandlal said in such circumstances you have to hold your position and keep a strong face "because if you let them get to you, you will get frustrated and quit, which is what they want."
However, the challenges she and her coloured colleagues encountered would seem trivial compared to what was coming. In her third year on the job, Nandlal experienced first-hand the true risks of the industry.
One day, working in the Gulf of Mexico, they lost a man at sea. He fell overboard, couldn't swim, and the life jacket failed to inflate. Nandlal was the last person to see him. She tried her best to keep her eyes on him in the water but eventually lost sight, and he was swallowed up by the sea.
For days they searched for his body, but it was never found. It was such a traumatic experience that people on the vessel quit their jobs. The incident taught her a lesson she would carry with her for the rest of her career. Nandlal explained, "It dawned on us at that time how risky the job is, and people take for granted a lot of the time the risk of being in the job that we are in. It's very, very high, but because of all the safety measures and the drills, people get comfortable, but you could have all the safety practices in place, all the rules and regulations; sometimes there is that little hole in the safety net that something could always slip through."
Through prayer and counselling, Nandlal would make it through that horrifying experience, but the reports and investigations in the months that followed didn't make it easy to move on.
In December, when Rig 110 partially collapsed in the Gulf of Paria and Pete Phillip went missing, Nandlal was deeply emotional upon hearing the news. "Even though I work on vessels, it's still an extension of the industry. I felt disappointed, and I felt ashamed," Nandlal told WE Magazine.
Nandlal continues to advance academically. Recently, she completed her Master's in Oil and Gas in Energy Management at the University of East London. Her career has taken her to work in numerous areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico in the USA, Campos Basin in Brazil, Sarawak in Malaysia, the West Coast in Australia, Kara Sea in Russia, Campeche in Mexico, the ECMA Panorama Shell Campaign in the Gulf of Paria for DeNovo’s Zandolie Project in Trinidad, the North Sea in the UK, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium.
Last year, Nandlal started a scholarship programme with her alma mater where three Form Three students of St Stephen's College would be awarded financial assistance. She explained, "I noticed over the years there are children from disenfranchised homes, or their parents are not getting regular work, and they have multiple siblings to send to school, and they are just not able to make ends meet, and they are brilliant children, but they are just not able to go to school and at least write CXC."
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Nandlal noticed that it had become increasingly common for students to drop out of school after Form Three. She responded by establishing a scholarship to financially support three Form Three students each academic year, helping them continue their education through to Form Five and enabling them to sit the CXC exams.
"It is not necessarily for the brightest child but for a child in need who is doing well and needs the financial assistance," she added.
Part of her push is to promote women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Nandlal is encouraging the youth of this nation to stay persistent and consistent in their efforts. He emphasises that while you might not always be the best, maintaining a steady approach and putting in consistent work will ultimately lead to success.