Seasoned and Starting Out
Welcoming a graduate and an expert to the Perth team
The 2025 Pontem Christmas party is set to be a much more exciting affair than 2024 as we have grown from one person (Conor out on his own in the wilderness) to five engineers working hard to help support our growth in the region. As part of this, we would like to introduce our two newest members of the team, Lead Engineer Ceyhan Aydogan and our engineering intern Hanson Ling. The two new faces are opposites in terms of experience with Ceyhan having over 18 years in the energy industry and Hanson just cutting his teeth in his first engineering role. Read on to hear about their different perspectives on joining Pontem and how they ended up here!
Ceyhan Aydogan
I started out my career as a process engineer in Houston working within a multi-projects group, mostly in LNG import and export terminal projects for international clients. One of the best things from this role was the amount of exposure I was able to quickly rack up as a junior: exposure to the different engineering teams and client standards, all of the technical aspects and challenges, and all the project execution tasks. Shortly into this job, I was lucky to get to go overseas for 2 years as engineering expat working out of Seoul, South Korea and Manila, Philippines. These experiences greatly enhanced my worldview, gave me an appreciation of other customs and other ways of doing things, and are something I keep with me to this day.
The name: Ceyhan (pronounced Jayhan) is of Turkish origin, and it is primarily associated with a river and a town in southern Turkey. The Ceyhan River, which flows through the Adana province, is one of the major rivers in the region. The river itself is likely the origin of the name.
After 5 years as a process engineer I decided to come back to settle back in my hometown of Perth. I took the first job I received an offer for, a “flow assurance engineer” position which I never heard of before working on LNG projects. After the hiring manager explained what this branch of engineering did in the interview (he had me at “hydrates are a bit like ice and can plug up the lines”), I was all in! I’ve since enjoyed my time working in flow assurance with a number of companies in Perth.
The oil hub: The port city of Ceyhan serves as a major oil export terminal, handling crude oil shipments from these pipelines. It's also strategically located near international shipping routes, allowing oil to be transferred to large tankers and shipped to global markets, particularly in Europe and Asia.
After years of consulting I got my first real experience in an Operator company working at Woodside, being involved in managing engineering scopes and progressing subsea tie-back projects from the early design stages through to the commissioning and operating phases. Getting to be part of the decision making process and to contribute to the success of these projects was very satisfying, and I am grateful for my time with Woodside.
The pipeline: Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline is one of the most significant pipelines in the region with length of approximately 1768 km (1100 miles) and 42” diameter, primarily designed to transport crude oil from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. It starts in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, passes through Tbilisi in Georgia, and ends at the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan in Turkey. It currently transports 1.2 million barrels of oil per day.
Now with 18 years of experience under my belt, I’m happy to have come across Pontem Analytics and even more so that they have taken me onboard. It’s an incredibly talented and kind bunch of folks I get to work with here and I can’t wait to contribute as best I can to the team.
Han Cheng Ling (Hanson)
7 Miles off the coast of Western Australia, right after first light of dawn, a faint chill hung in the air, the boat rocked gently as we cruised past the fishing spot and the sound of diesel engine humming beneath the surface of the vast ocean. Standing on the bow, the captain sounded the horn which is a signal for anglers to cast their line into the strike zone. 45 seconds into the cast, the tension on my line grew, and I could feel the weight and power of the fish at the other end of the line, pealing off the line of the reel as I felt the surge of adrenaline rushing through my veins, a feeling all anglers dream of. The battle had begun, the fish fought with great strength and fury, twisting and thrashing beneath the surface, showcasing nature’s raw power. Every tug and pull was a reminder of how small we were compared to mother nature. The sea was unpredictable, where every cast had the potential for both triumph and failure, but that unpredictability was what made it so exhilarating. With a final pull, the fish broke the surface, a beautiful creature with scales that flashed in the golden light. The deckhand rushed over and net the fish before lifting it up into the boat as it flopped on the deck. Only then I realised I have caught my biggest pink snapper to date, a personal best, 900mm!
I grew up in a coastal state, a town in Malaysia called Kuching or cat city with direct translation, where the rhythm of the ocean became the soundtrack of my childhood. The coastline was a part of my daily existence, a place I found peace, unwind and find a deep connection to nature. My high school was a place of rigorous study, where long hours were spent in the classroom to study subjects like chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science. Although the workload was demanding, it was in those challenging moments where I discovered my passion towards science and mathematics which I believed have shaped my future ambitions.
After graduating from high school, I pursued Bachelors of Petroleum Engineering, where I gained the fundamental knowledge of the essential principles of the field. Through a combination of rigorous coursework, hands-on projects and technical labs, I learned the concepts of extracting hydrocarbons from the reservoir, drilling technology, and production processes.
After graduating as a Petroleum Engineer, due to the volatility in the market, I decided to further my education by pursuing a Masters of Laws in Natural Resources at University of Dundee, Scotland. Despite the breathtaking Scottish scenery, I ultimately decided to change path and return to Australia. After numerous interviews and countless applications, I was thrilled to finally land an internship as an Engineer with Pontem Analytics, based in Perth. It was a pivotal moment in my career, providing me invaluable hands-on experience to work in the energy industry.
Fast forward seven months since I caught my dream fish, I began working with Pontem Analytics as an intern. I was incredibly fortunate to be welcomed by an exceptional team, including Tommy, Conor, Asher and Ceyhan. Immersing me in real-world challenges and offering the chance to collaborate with such talented professionals. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and thankful that I never gave up on pursuing my dream. Joining Pontem Analytics has been a pivotal moment in my journey, and I look forward to continuing my growth with the company and of course, the countless journeys ahead chasing that trophy fish on the water.
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