THE MAGAZINE FOR MALAYSIAN PETROLEUM CLUB MEMBERS (MALAYSIA)

VOLUME 19 NO. 3

KDN: PP 7878/12/2012 (031611)

A place to call

home
by fiza salim

Foreigners in Malaysia
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Canadian Ross Burnstad reflects on his unconventional career path, travelling the world with Talisman Energy and his feelings about Malaysia.

With his family

R
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oss Burnstad took an unusual route to his career in Oil and Gas, but it proved to be serendipitous. As a young man fresh out of school, with his strongest subjects being math and physics, he was expected to embark on a technical university degree. But Ross had other ideas and opted to study economics and business, supplemented with a wide range of elective studies. He put himself through university by working two jobs until, one day, a friend and rowing teammate introduced him to a way of earning much more. The friend worked for a rig company in Alberta during the summer, and had decided to take additional time off university to make some money. Ross accepted the offer to join him and began working on one of the largest oilfields in Canada located in Drayton Valley, Alberta. Once there, he enrolled to study at the University of Alberta, where he also met his wife, Robin. The young couple decided to get married while they were still students, and this spurred Ross to look for a full-time job in order to be more established. That was when he joined British Petroleum. It was a choice well made and he hasnt looked back since. I met some incredible people at BP, he says of those early years. I became really interested in the field...although my university studies were mainly focused on business, I had studied some engineering, and at BP I had great mentors. The guidance really helped, and the technical education I received through BP was combined with a wide range of practical experience.

Today, Ross has over 30 years of international experience across the spectrum of the O&G industry. He started out as a Derrickman at Hi West Well Servicing in Drayton Valley, moved to Talisman Energy (BP Canada) as Operator in 1985 and has been with the company ever since. He is now the Subsurface and Development Manager, and has been based in Malaysia for the last six years. What makes Ross career interesting is the fact that he has worked at all levels in Talisman, and his knowledge of the intricacies of oil facilities is neither just theoretical nor superficial. He has experience of working on the field, and supplementing his arson of technical knowledge are his managerial and leadership skills. He has led subsurface, well and operation teams on numerous land and offshore-based projects, and possesses varied experience in both mature and new oil and gas fields. When asked about his experiences working on mature projects versus new ones, he says though each comes with its own distinct sets of challenges, green fields offer greater flexibility, as well as possibilities for innovation. Brown fields in comparison, require a reliance on historical data, which is crucial to moving forward, and there are greater constraints to work within. In Malaysia, he has overseen the multidisciplinary project teams for the complex mature oil and gas fields offshore PM-3 CAA South and Vietnams Block 46 Cai Nuoc. He is responsible for all aspects of subsurface and development projects totalling more than USD1 billion, and

ABOUT ROSS BURNSTAD

Ross Burnstad began his career in Oil and Gas in 1981 as a Derrickman with Hi West Well Drilling in Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada. In 1985, he moved to BP Canada as an Operator and worked his way up the ranks within the company. He was then Production Technologist for the operations in Canada, before being promoted to Completions Supervisor in 1993, overseeing Western Canada, Ontario and Indonesia. Subsequently, Ross took up a posting in Sudan in 1998 as Production Engineering Superintendent for Talisman Energy Inc. In 2001, he moved to Jakarta as Head of Engineering Operations, and then to Aberdeen, Scottland as Senior Operations Reservoir Engineer. He has been in Malaysia since 2006 as the Subsurface & Development Manager for Talisman Malaysia Ltd.

has facilitated external reporting and approvals between project partners and the governments of Malaysia and Vietnam. In addition, Ross provides support as acting Vice President of Talisman Energy in Malaysia. His formula for success has been recognising the importance of good leadership and mentorship. Also, he believes that it is vital to have the right people in key leadership positions. Its all about developing a vision and making sure you can communicate that vision. You have to be able delegate to people, and empower them, he says. He describes himself as a loyal team player, and says this is best evidenced by his 27-year-long marriage. Incidentally, he joined BP/Talisman two weeks after his wedding, and just like in a marriage, says he has had many more good days than bad with the company! He is grateful for the incredible opportunities he has been given for growth and the freedom to implement good ideas, and he has also relished the opportunity to work in a number of countries including Indonesia, Sudan, China, the UK, Norway, Vietnam and Malaysia. The first country I was sent to for international work was Indonesia. While working in the middle of the jungle in Borneo, I resolved that if I have the opportunity, I will show my family the world. Working with Talisman has enabled me to do that. Ive been able to secure great education for my kids, and have been fortunate to be able to live in all these countries, and travel to many more, Ross says.

Needless to say, the family was thrilled when his job brought him to Malaysia. Ive always had an affinity to Asia, and I like Malaysia particularly because its very easy for us to live here. Were very comfortableand I love the people, the weather, the food, the golf, and the fact that Kuala Lumpur has great hubs such as KLIA and Subang which provide easy connectivity. In the time hes been here, the Burnstad family has travelled around the country quite extensively, and a particular island off the West coast has come to find a special place in their hearts. My wife and I celebrated out 25th wedding anniversary in August 2010 in Langkawi. It was beautiful, and it was a very memorable experience for us, he says. However, with his busy work schedule, he is quick to add My family has seen more of Malaysia than I have. The kids spend a lot of time in the jungle. I have to say that Kuala Lumpur remains my favorite. I love the city life, and I love the fact that it is not a long drive away from the country. I like having various, beautiful golf-courses within reach! Ross is obviously a family man and openly enjoys talking about his brood, all three of whom he is immensely proud of. His children seem to have gained the best traits from both mum and dad they get their artistic inspiration from their mother who is a talented jewellery designer, and their technical expertise from their father. His 21 year old daughte, Teghan, is in her final year of university in Canada, pursuing a degree in fine arts with a specialisation in photography. His second daughter, McKayla, who is 17, has a good head not only for business and economics, but has added to her merit two summer programmes in film, which she intends to pursue as a undergraduate degree in the US, if she gets her way. She is in the final year of her International Baccalaureate at an international school in Kuala Lumpur. Still in the sixth grade, his 11-year-old son Liam, who is also a student at an international school here, has plenty of time to figure out what he wants to do and excellent role models to follow.

Foreigners in Malaysia
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While Ross has made good of his plan to show his family the world, it is clear that for the moment, they are happy to call Malaysia home and he readily says that they would love to continue living here. So far, I have determined the course of my career. I chose where I wanted to move, and steered my career accordingly. Now I want to live in Malaysia for as long as possible. I love this place, its home, and my favorite amongst all the countries I have lived in. My children love it here, too. My eldest daughter eagerly awaits coming back here for her holidays. We have been able to afford a very good standard of living and a good quality of life. He adds, There was a downside to moving around so much, especially for the kids in their formative years, and when they had to leave their friends behind. But there has also been an upside to all that globetrotting his children have enjoyed mixing with people from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. It has given them an interesting perspective on life. This, coupled with the fact that they have moved around so much, has made my children a lot more accommodating, he says. Ross love for Asia, and Malaysia, runs much deeper than the lifestyle he has been able to enjoy. He seems to revel in the challenges presented by the Oil and Gas industry in this region. He credits a great part of his success to the guidance and mentorship he has received from people with years of knowledge and experience, which has enabled him to be a more successful engineer than most degree holders. Ross talks about the VP recognition awards he has received with obvious pride, and says those he was given at the beginning of his career are the most meaningful. He won his first award at BP within three years of joining the company, for his specialisation in Well Operations Optimisation. He had developed a computerised van to monitor the oil fields, which proved to be hugely successful. The second followed in 1994 from the Executive VP of Canadian Operations for successfully completing the first sandstone horizontal well in Canada, which set the standard for all subsequent horizontal wells in sandstone reservoirs in BP/Talismans Pembina fields. Remembering the excruciating conditions he had to work under, he says, it was a very stressful job, but it felt great to be recognised for it. The third, in 1996, was awarded by the VP of Drilling, Completions, and Facilities, for Best in Class for Completions for Canadian Operations for outstanding performance in Well Completions. Ross awards of recognition are certainly testament to the fact that apart from good fortune, great teamwork and inspiring mentors, copious amounts of hard work, dedication and passion also played a very significant role in getting him to the top of his game.
fiza salim is in search of la dolce vita, and spends her time talking about books, music and travel.

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From top: His daughter, Teghan, at the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. His son, Liam, on a hike at Bukit Tabur Barat. His wife and son enjoying the KL F1.