Skip to content
  • Home
  • Rob Kehoe - Field Operations Manager

Rob Kehoe - Field Operations Manager

Tell us about the range of roles you’ve enjoyed in your varied career with TotalEnergies

I joined the company back in 2002, when Total Fina Elf had recently merged. I was a Senior Process Engineer specialising in dynamic modelling of the Dunbar multi-phase pumps and then worked in what was the Alwyn Area Site Support team, a precursor to today’s Smart Room (which bring together teams working offshore and onshore in real time).

In 2005 I was given a brilliant opportunity to move to Pau, France, as a Surface Leader for the Research & Development department for projects in Canada. This meant a good deal of travel as well as an opportunity to improve my French that I’d developed during an Erasmus year at INSA de Lyon when studying Chemical Engineering at Sheffield.

Through this role, I became conversant with patent law, managing projects in both our Exploration & Production and Refining & Marketing businesses, as well as Universities and Research Institutes.

I then took on three rotational posts, spending a couple of years in each one:

  • Head of Production Support for the Yemen Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) project during the very exciting period of pre-operation, start-up, and commissioning
  • Installation Supervisor RSES-D of the K5CC platform and adjacent Satellites in the Netherlands
  • Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) for the Amenam gas field in Nigeria

By 2017, it was time to come home to the UK both personally and professionally. I joined the Northern North Sea team at the time of the Maersk-Total merger, firstly as a Production and Site Support Leader then moving to Deputy Field Operations Manager.

In 2022, an opportunity arose for me to work with the Central North Sea team in analysing OPEX and developing a new operating roadmap. This led to my most recent position as Field Operations Manager; a role I’m delighted to hold.

What do you do in your current role as Field Operations Manager?

I’m responsible for leading the field operations teams offshore and onshore for the Central North Sea (CNS), ensuring we produce oil and gas from the field safely, with the minimum impact to the environment and cost effectively.

This involves working with various teams to anticipate and plan our work programme so that we’re operating as efficiently as possible and that we deliver on the field plan.

What is the most exciting part of your job?

I love the spread of my area’s work – from the morning calls with the operating installations to working with the development team on our long-term plans.

Every meeting and interaction has a different topic or challenge, and requires different thought processes. It’s rarely boring!

What is a particular career highlight when you look back at your time in the company?

Tough question! I loved my role in R&D with the travel and relative technical freedom to be curious. Preparing for the operations phase of an LNG project whilst the site is being built next to you and being on the tanker during first loading are some of the wonderful memories that will remain with me forever.

That said, being an OIM is a unique position. You learn a good deal about yourself and are regularly humbled by the depth of operational and technical knowhow that the crew have and their spirit to safely complete the work programme of the installation.

So, I think I’d have to say it was being OIM of Amenam in Nigeria. I was recently invited to a virtual leaving ceremony of one of the site’s longest serving members. It was an honour to attend and see the crew after all these years.

What advice would you give yourself if you were just starting at TotalEnergies?

So far it's gone fast, so enjoy each stage of your career. And build a strong foundation in one discipline before moving to a more general role.

Working for a global company, I think we’re extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity to learn the French language. I learned French at University and am lucky to have continued my fluency through work. I would strongly encourage people to take the opportunity to attend the classes on offer. Learning a language can be so helpful in so many aspects of your life – not just professionally.

What do you think differentiates TotalEnergies?

Quite simply, it’s the breadth and diversity of our talent and our ability to come together to tackle a challenge.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?

I love the open spaces of the world and enjoy travelling through them, whether that be walking (which I need to do more of!) or visiting by car. We recently bought a camper van so we can complete more overland trips!

Perhaps because of the open spaces the sport competes in, I have always followed the World Rally Championship and have spectated on Rally Stages in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Portugal, The French Alps, and the Welsh Forests.