Industrial Chemistry Internship and Seismic Operations

Posted on May 11, 2026 in Architecture

My Industrial Chemistry Internship at Enagás

My name is Yraya, and I am an Industrial Chemistry student. I completed my internship at Enagás, a gas storage facility in Palos de la Frontera, Huelva.

I worked from February 19th to April 20th, Monday to Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The commute took 30 minutes, and I was paid 100 euros per month.

My main tasks included taking equipment readings, assisting with loading ships and tankers, and observing ship connections for gas operations. I also learned how to start up equipment such as vaporizers and compressors.

I enjoyed watching the ships load and unload gas. The most challenging part was understanding the technical data and the piping. I improved my sense of responsibility and my ability to work as part of a team. I recommend asking questions and making the most of the experience.

Technical Equipment Specifications

  • How many channels does it have?
  • How big is it?
  • How heavy is it?
  • What colour is it?
  • What material is it made of?
  • How far can it reach?
  • How long is the battery life?
  • Is it water resistant?
  • Is it shock resistant?
  • Is it sand and dust resistant?
  • Does it have a separate clip-on microphone?
  • Does it have a display screen?
  • What are its controls?

Drilling and Seismic Terminology

Drilling Components

  1. Drill bit
  2. Drilling string
  3. Pipe rack
  4. Derrick
  5. Rotary table (rotates the drilling string)
  6. Drilling fluid
  7. Mud tank
  8. Rock cutting
  9. Derrick (must support the weight of a very long drill string)

Mud System

  1. Mud pump
  2. Mud tank
  3. Drill string
  4. Bit
  5. Rock cuttings
  6. Mud screen
  7. Mud tank

Comparative Adjectives and Examples

  • Thick-thin, long-short, heavy-light, wide-narrow, noisy-quiet, big-small, deep-shallow, high-low, strong-weak, hot-cold, difficult-easy, important-unimportant, dangerous-safe, exact-approximate

Example: A small wrench

  • This wrench is too small.
  • This wrench isn’t big enough.
  • We need a bigger wrench.

Geological and Technical Vocabulary

  • Non-porous rock: Piedra no porosa
  • Gas in porous rock: Gas en roca porosa
  • Layers of rock: Capas de petróleo
  • Porous rock: Bolsa de petróleo
  • Surface: Superficie
  • Vibrator truck: Camión vibrador
  • Recording truck: Camión de grabación
  • Reflecting seismic wave (coming up): Ondas sísmicas reflectadas (subiendo)
  • Seismic wave (going down): Ondas sísmicas (bajando)

Pipeline Components

  • Flanged joint (1)
  • Tee (2)
  • Valve (6)
  • Elbow (4)
  • Pipe support (5)
  • Flow meter (8)
  • Underground pipeline (3)
  • Section of pipe (7)

Working in a Seismic Crew

I work in a seismic crew placing geophones. We place them before the vibrator and recording crews arrive. Once they finish their work, we remove the geophones.

We must place geophones accurately using a GPS unit—a handheld electronic gadget similar to a car’s sat nav. The GPS provides our exact position, which we read carefully. The recording truck operator coordinates the vibrator crews via radio to record seismic data. This job requires physical fitness, as it involves walking and carrying heavy equipment in challenging environments like mountains and deserts. I enjoy the work for the outdoor environment, the travel, and the teamwork.

GPS Navigation Procedures

A GPS (Global Positioning System) is used to find your exact position on Earth and to navigate to waypoints. To navigate:

  1. Enter and save the coordinates of your waypoints before the trip.
  2. Turn on the GPS and wait for signals from at least three satellites.
  3. Once the coordinates appear, select your target waypoint.
  4. Select GOTO and follow the pointer (bearing) on the screen to reach your destination.