Meet

Gauthier Decriem: From the control room at the terminal to the lawn of the Armbouts-Cappel football stadium

24/04/17

Gauthier Decriem, a panelboard worker at the LNG terminal, is also a football aficionado. In fact, he plays for his village's club. Between his shifts at the terminal and his football practice and games, this young 35-year-old resident of Armbouts-Cappel has a busy life. In addition, he is also a young father, a role that is crucial for him. Let's meet him.

Gauthier Decriem was hired by Gaz-Opale in 2015 as a panelboard worker. The young man, who studied to become an electrical engineer, performed this function for a long time at the SRD refinery in Dunkirk. "I had been working for this company during my whole career," he states. "I was hired just after I finished school as an outside operator for the steam plant. Then, after three-and-a-half years, I had the opportunity to become a panelboard worker, first in the control room for the steam plant units, then for the oil and bitumen refinery units. I loved the job right away." After six years of practice, he was promoted to zone manager, a position he held for a few years, until the first social plan darkened his prospect for professional development at SRD. "I knew I could be dismissed, so I started to look at employment opportunities, and that is how I found the ad for panelboard workers at Gaz-Opale. Given my professional experience, I applied right away," explains Gauthier Decriem. The interviews went well, and in 2015, the young man was hired. "I was really happy, since at the time, the terminal was still under construction. I was aware that it was a rare experience in one's professional life to be able to participate in the launch of such a significant industrial project," he recognizes. 

At first, he received training directly in the field, as the construction work was progressing. Gauthier and his colleagues participated in the trial runs for the equipment. He also attended a training at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal in Belgium. "In March 2016, we were able to use the control room. We already had a solid theoretical training base. Our hands-on training, working in pairs with the TS LNG personnel, therefore went very well. We were fully ready to start commercial operations at the terminal on 1 January this year," he explains. Since then, the young panelboard worker joined a team which also comprises two field operators and a shift supervisor, and works in shifts. "I really love this job. The automated system is similar to the one I worked with at SRD. However, the process is completely different. I was used to working with a ‘very hot' product, now I work with a ‘very cold' one," he says, smiling. The job of a panelboard worker involves managing the terminal's functioning: checking the flow, the pressure, and the level, constantly being ready to supply more gas to the network according to customers' needs, etc. "This is a job with responsibilities which requires good stress management and a lot of precision, but it suits me. Also, you cannot be afraid of solitude. At night, for example, I am often alone during my shift," comments the young man, who, in spite of this, is far from being a loner. This PACSed father is a winger at the Armbouts-Cappel football club. "It's a small team. We are only in an amateur division 1 district league, but I feel good there. With practice twice a week and games on Sundays, this activity takes up a lot of time, but I need it to relax and clear my head. I am very athletic. In fact, I also play tennis. But just for fun. I stopped competing because I didn't have the time," he concludes. 

Article présenté sur la lettre d'information : Avril 2017