Raphaël Poquet
Meet the Expert – Raphaël Poquet, Product Engineer, Trelleborg Oil & Marine
Raphaël Poquet joined Trelleborg’s Oil & Marine team in 2014 to support the development and testing of our Cryoline hose. A recent graduate of ECAM engineering school in Lyon, he brings a wealth of fresh ideas and enthusiasm for technical innovation. In this interview we talk to him about his experience so far and his thoughts on what the future holds for LNG as a marine fuel and a power source.
You were involved in the initial sea launch of the Universal Transfer System with Connect LNG last October. Can you tell us a bit about this experience?
The launch of the UTS last year was a great achievement and one that I am hugely proud of. Our Cryoline hoses are an integral element of the design, and I’ve been working on the qualification and testing since the day I joined. It’s been a long and challenging journey, so to actually see the UTS in service was big moment for me.
The project was a collaborative effort and involved working with teams across multiple Trelleborg verticals as well the Connect LNG and Natural Gas Fenosa. It was great to meet new people from across the industry, all of whom shared a common goal and a passion for problem solving.
Aside from Trelleborg’s Cryoline hose, what other projects are you currently working on?
While most of my time is spent working with James Hermary on the continuous development of our Cryoline hoses, I’ve also been working on a few other oil-related projects, as well as an FLNG project in Mozambique (Coral South), where the LNG-liquefaction process requires the intake of huge volumes of cold water.
What attracted you to Trelleborg as an employer?
The opportunity for progression that it offers and the innovation that it represents.
What are some of your favourite aspects of your role?
I really enjoy all of the technical aspects of my job – so really getting into the nitty gritty of how things work and finding new and better ways of doing things.
What are the main dynamics underpinning the LNG industry at the moment?
Lately there’s been a huge growth in the demand for LNG, particularly in Asia. I recently read that global LNG trade increased by almost 10% last year – this has had a huge impact on the industry. For us, we’re concentrating on what this means for LNG transfer and how we can innovate to meet the booming demand of supporting infrastructure. If this need isn’t met, this could have serious repercussions across the supply chain, including a continued reliance on diesel and coal, and a lack of potential for electrification and economics.
What do you think the future holds for the LNG industry?
It’s difficult to say what the future will be. Recent evolutions in Oil and Gas trade have taught us how quickly things can change. Small-scale LNG will be big trend in the next few years; when you see all the new ships that are being designed, a large number of these run, at least in part, on LNG. Responding to this will be the big challenge.
What’s your message to young people looking to start a career in the oil and gas industry?
My advice would be to do some research into the wide variety of jobs available; there’s a lot to explore in the sector. There’s a certain amount of stigma attached to the oil and gas industry with regards to the type of people it attracts. But that’s all changing. As the sector becomes more and more digitalized, the type of roles available are becoming increasingly diversified; now more than ever we need people with digital skills and experience using different technologies.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I’m a great fan of outdoor things like hiking and biking. I’m doing a trek in India this summer which I’m really looking forward to!
Contact Raphaël: raphael.poquet@trelleborg.com
Raphaël Poquet joined Trelleborg’s Oil & Marine team in 2014 to support the development and testing of our Cryoline hose. A recent graduate of ECAM engineering school in Lyon, he brings a wealth of fresh ideas and enthusiasm for technical innovation. In this interview we talk to him about his experience so far and his thoughts on what the future holds for LNG as a marine fuel and a power source.
You were involved in the initial sea launch of the Universal Transfer System with Connect LNG last October. Can you tell us a bit about this experience?
The launch of the UTS last year was a great achievement and one that I am hugely proud of. Our Cryoline hoses are an integral element of the design, and I’ve been working on the qualification and testing since the day I joined. It’s been a long and challenging journey, so to actually see the UTS in service was big moment for me.
The project was a collaborative effort and involved working with teams across multiple Trelleborg verticals as well the Connect LNG and Natural Gas Fenosa. It was great to meet new people from across the industry, all of whom shared a common goal and a passion for problem solving.
Aside from Trelleborg’s Cryoline hose, what other projects are you currently working on?
While most of my time is spent working with James Hermary on the continuous development of our Cryoline hoses, I’ve also been working on a few other oil-related projects, as well as an FLNG project in Mozambique (Coral South), where the LNG-liquefaction process requires the intake of huge volumes of cold water.
What attracted you to Trelleborg as an employer?
The opportunity for progression that it offers and the innovation that it represents.
What are some of your favourite aspects of your role?
I really enjoy all of the technical aspects of my job – so really getting into the nitty gritty of how things work and finding new and better ways of doing things.
What are the main dynamics underpinning the LNG industry at the moment?
Lately there’s been a huge growth in the demand for LNG, particularly in Asia. I recently read that global LNG trade increased by almost 10% last year – this has had a huge impact on the industry. For us, we’re concentrating on what this means for LNG transfer and how we can innovate to meet the booming demand of supporting infrastructure. If this need isn’t met, this could have serious repercussions across the supply chain, including a continued reliance on diesel and coal, and a lack of potential for electrification and economics.
What do you think the future holds for the LNG industry?
It’s difficult to say what the future will be. Recent evolutions in Oil and Gas trade have taught us how quickly things can change. Small-scale LNG will be big trend in the next few years; when you see all the new ships that are being designed, a large number of these run, at least in part, on LNG. Responding to this will be the big challenge.
What’s your message to young people looking to start a career in the oil and gas industry?
My advice would be to do some research into the wide variety of jobs available; there’s a lot to explore in the sector. There’s a certain amount of stigma attached to the oil and gas industry with regards to the type of people it attracts. But that’s all changing. As the sector becomes more and more digitalized, the type of roles available are becoming increasingly diversified; now more than ever we need people with digital skills and experience using different technologies.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I’m a great fan of outdoor things like hiking and biking. I’m doing a trek in India this summer which I’m really looking forward to!
Contact Raphaël: raphael.poquet@trelleborg.com