When Mariana Almeyda was just a kid, she loved visiting her father at work. He was an engineer who worked at Ciudad del Carmen in Campeche, Mexico. “Whenever we visited him, I saw the oil platforms where he worked and from that moment, that world caught my attention."
Almeyda became the first female field services technician in the marine region for Tenaris’s operations in Veracruz, Mexico, providing technical assistance and supervision during the introduction of pipes in different offshore operations.
In 2018, while finishing her studies in petroleum engineering, Almeyda was looking for a job and joined Tenaris as an intern in the commercial team. “It was then that I started learning the trade and eventually had the opportunity to become a field services technician.” She recognizes this job changed her life.
"I like having a challenging job and being part of big projects. Being on the platform makes me appreciate everything I have."
Mariana Almeyda, Field Services Representative at Tenaris.
Today, she spends almost half her days onboard drilling rigs in the middle of the ocean. “I am in charge of managing the torques of the pipe, indicating what is the optimal torque in each running,” she explains, and remembers the first time she was in charge of an operation. “I had been on board before, but the first time I was in charge of a platform, it was kind of shocking. The boat arrived and I saw that the platform was huge. I was paralyzed and began to tremble, but I said to myself, ‘Mariana, relax, you can do it.’ Once I felt my feet firmly on the platform, I knew that I was safe and sound and everything was flowing,” she recalls. Almeyda loves being on the platform, though she admits it means spending less time with her family and friends. “When I find myself missing my people, I think about how I am fulfilling one of my personal goals, something I have always dreamed of.”
When asked about life on a platform, she assures it’s not so different from her everyday life. “During the day, we are focused on work, managing the pipes and taking care of the connections. And, although there is a lot of activity, there is also down time to read books, watch a movie or just watch the sunset with magnificent views. You get to experience how the sea and the sky change into every color all through the day and night.” She assures that being on board you have everything you need, “It’s almost as if you were at home: you have a gym, a dining area with kitchen staff who prepare every meal, doctors, etc.” And she reveals one of the perks of life at sea are the visits from sea animals: turtles, whales, different kinds of fish.
Almeyda also notes the challenges that come with this lifestyle. “If there is a problem or a need for additional supplies, the transportation of materials or equipment takes longer. There are also risks associated with this line of work as well as those linked to severe weather conditions: rain, wind, and hurricanes. I once experienced the ground shaking. Sometimes we have to stop the operation to follow safety regulations,” she explains.
Almeyda is proud of her pioneering role on the platforms for Tenaris in Mexico. “I like having a challenging job and being part of big projects. Being on the platform makes me appreciate everything I have,” she says.
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