On the ground with our Emirati engineers

To get a feel for the day-to-day workings of our flagship projects in Abu Dhabi, and the steady progress being made, we spoke with three of our young Emirati engineers.

Three recent graduates from the UAE—Jawahir Alhammadi, Nujood Alkaabi, and Mariam Alhosani—share their experiences as they embark on their engineering careers at Petrofac.

Each brings a unique perspective to their roles, highlighting the supportive environment and the impactful projects they are involved in. Together, their stories illustrate a vibrant new generation of engineers poised to make significant contributions to the UAE’s energy landscape and its ambitious sustainability goals.

Jawahir Alhammadi

Interface Engineer

I graduated in 2023 with a degree in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering from Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah. I always wanted to be an engineer but wasn’t sure what discipline. It was like a game of Eeny Meeny Miney Mo, but I opted for Electrical Engineering, and it was a good choice – I loved it. 

I joined Petrofac in December 2023, and immediately liked the environment and the team. We had a good introduction to what every department does, and how they work together. And I’m now working on ADNOC CCUS project.

As an Interface Engineer, I’m focussed on all the tie-ins between the new facility and the existing Habshan complex. Because the purpose is to capture CO2 from across the processing facility, there are many of these tie-ins and they are very complex. So, we communicate with engineers, with the clients and with third parties, to understand and overcome the complexities.

3D modelling is well underway, the next stage is construction, and the teams are already onsite and getting trained.

I would encourage any young engineer to join Petrofac. My advice is simple: don’t be shy or afraid of asking anything. Petrofac is a very welcoming place. Colleagues will gladly answer any question. And, whenever you want support or advice, every door is always open.

The is a landmark project, and working on it is a real source of pride. It’s a good opportunity for me as an Emirati, for the country, and for the environment.

Nujood Alkaabi

Procurement Engineer

I studied Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering at the University of Sharjah, so I already knew a lot about Petrofac, and was very interested to pursue the opportunity here – it was a good match for me and my degree. 

I am a Procurement Engineer on the gas compressor project. This means I’m involved in finalising the list of vendors, and ensuring the right ones are considered. Then we issue the Request for Quotation, answer any questions from the bidders, shortlist them, and work with the contracts team to finalise the terms and conditions. We need to ensure every detail is in place – ultimately, it’s about ensuring the right things, are available in the right quantities, in the right place, at the right time.

Local delivery is important both to Petrofac and ADNOC. The contract stipulates that at least of 65% of the project value must be reinvested into the UAE economy. Therefore, many of our orders are placed with UAE-based vendors. We even aim to give local suppliers orders for subcontracts.

The project is progressing well. All the ordering is nearly done, with our current focus shifting to handling and receiving orders, with the heart of the plant.

Petrofac is a huge and high-profile company in the UAE with a good reputation. It’s a great work environment and everyone here is very friendly and supportive. The training is also very thorough, helping us to understand the many dimensions of a major project like this, and how they all integrate.

Mariam Alhosani

Project Engineer

I have a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering technology from Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah. 

As a Project Engineer, I work in post-order management with the delivery team for the gas compressor project. I’m handling some key mechanical and piping packages, including the air compressor packs. This means I’m communicating with the vendors, making sure they will deliver the package on time and liaising with the wider engineering team. 

I’m also visiting the vendors, seeing their factories, and beginning to spend more and more time at the Habshan site. 

I joined Petrofac in September 2023 and was one of several locals to join on the same day. So far, 80 other UAE nationals have been recruited to work on the gas compressor project, so it has been very busy and there’s a strong cohort of other people in my position.

Because the focus of my studies was sustainability, it’s great to be working on a project that’s so strategically significant to our client and the UAE. ADNOC has a goal to be carbon neutral by 2045. And the UAE wants to become sustainable and self-sufficient in terms of gas supply. Through the projects, we are making a big contribution to these goals.