Surya completed a double degree with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Western Australia in 2016. He then began his journey within the oil and gas industry as a graduate process engineer at EDG Australia. Within the oil and gas industry laid immense potential for personal and professional development due to the dynamic and growing industry.
EDG Australia, a company specializing in upstream oil & gas brownfield solutions, was a great place to get this experience with their exposure to Chevron’s Gorgon LNG project, Wheatstone’s offshore platform and onshore LNG facility, as well as the WA Oil asset on Barrow Island. An inclusive company culture alongside strong professional mentors created an environment for Surya to truly develop his skills as an engineer.
Surya’s primary role within the company is to provide process engineering support, working within teams to execute deliverables for the client. He’s also got a strong passion for technology, and the potential that lays in using software tools to drastically increase the efficiency of conventional processes. He’s been able to apply this passion in his work by integrating computer programming solutions to problems faced by the company. Secondment opportunities to Chevron have also been a strong avenue for growth and exposure to the industry.
To increase his knowledge of the oil and gas industry and get involved in the broader community of industry professionals, Surya joined the Petroleum Club of WA in August last year.
Full of praise for the PCWA, Surya said that “There’s such a great community of people who are so forthcoming in sharing their knowledge and expertise and it allows me to develop my understanding of the industry beyond just what I am exposed to in my job.”.
When not working, Surya likes to be involved in a myriad of hobbies. What takes up most of his free time is training in the martial art of Muay Thai, which he’s been consistently doing for more than 4 years.
“Getting involved in a martial art has been great for my physical and mental health, and allows me to maintain an active lifestyle,” Surya said.
Apart from this, Surya goes for Yoga classes in the city after work, plays badminton on the weekends with friends, and goes on the occasional bicycle ride or kayak along Swan River. His other hobbies include playing the guitar and reading books on self-improvement or behavioural psychology.
Surya enjoys spending time with his family and travelling during the Christmas break. “Over the past 10 years, I’ve spent New Year’s Eve in 10 different cities!” he said.
His favourite holiday destination was Sri Lanka when he went on a trip with his high school friends from Singapore. “The hikes were amazing, with breathtaking views from the top, coupled with incredible food; and we even got to camp in a hut that was shaped like an elephant in the middle of a national forest!” Surya said.
As his method of contributing back to the community, Surya has been a part of the UWA Career Mentor Program for the past 2 years, where he mentors chemical engineering students, assisting them with queries about the industry and entering the workforce.