bizkitgto

Good day all,

I've been looking into Shell's Pearl GTL in Qatar (engineering) - just curious if anyone is or has been working there. I understand the living compound for Shell is located in Doha.

I have a few standard questions: how's life at the compound? How's the work environment? What's life like after work hours (social scene)? How is the single-life for men in early 30's?

All responses are welcome!

Thanks!

co durham boy

Shell's compound is next to the one i'm in . A pretty bog standard compound with all the facilities you'd expect to have in the Gulf.

I can't comment on working for them as i'm in a different field but i would have thought they'd do well , most of the guys i know here who work in that field are very well looked after as expected.

Life in Qatar is boring , dull , mundane and generally shite . I can get by as i'm married and have a big group of friends and i travel a lot . Only come here for the money there's no other point it's a shit hole .

For the social side try www.qatarhappening.com www.timeoutdoha.com and if you want in depth info buy The Explorer book on Qatar , it will be available in any decent UK bookstore.

If anyone tells you that Qatar is what Dubai was like 20 years ago just stop them and say " Try a hundred and twenty years ago and you might get close !"

bizkitgto

That's too bad about the compound. I thought they were keeping their people in Doha?

co durham boy

It is in Doha , slam bang in the middle , it's opposite Doha Collage / Doha Rugby Club . They bus and transport their guys to and from work .

bizkitgto

I heard some of the guys are in the Pearl towers, is it any better there - being closer to the water?

Cynical Scot

Depends which entity and where you'll be working
Shell are keeping their camp in Pearl Village and sharing with the Barzan Project until at least 1st Qrt next year. My understanding was that personnel that are currently housed in PV will be moved to Al Khor and bussed in from their. Shell also have some select compunds in Doha, the most prominent being at Golf Gardens but i am not aware of how long these villas are being leased for. The project itself is undergoing transfer from 'Construction' stage to 'Start Up', with hand over to permenant Ops continueing well into next year.

co durham boy

The compounds called 9 Pearls , it's opposite where i live in Al Waab , it's exclusively for the Shell boys and girls

bizkitgto

With all the expats working there it's still shite? No fun anywhere? I guess you're close enough to take-off to Bahrain/Dubai for long weekends :sunglasses:

co durham boy

Yeah mate Qatar's a crap town compared to Dubai , Abu Dhabi and Bahrain it just does not come close.

You can live a decent life here , if it was that bad then we wouldn't be here it's just that it could be very very good but it just won't happen here the attitude is too conservative and there's too much influence from K.S.A.

I play golf on a championship course every week can eat at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant and take a speed boat across the bay to The Pearl but it's still a very dull city.

I only ever come to these places for the money , i have no affection for any Gulf state whatsoever , if i can have a nice life then great if not then ill adapt to whatever is in front of me.

It's just a means to an end for me , every single day i spend in places like Qatar means i'm a day closer to hanging up the boots

bizkitgto

I can imagine life in Qatar would improve for expat's once the causeway is completed (if that ever happens) to Bahrain, make weekend jaunts a lot more accessible.

co durham boy

Life in Qatar improves when you have your exit visa in your passport

bizkitgto

Ya that's a downer, how long are they planning on keeping that in place?

co durham boy

Can't see it changing anytime soon , i have a multiple exit visa so i come and go at leisure , it's online and very easy to obtain by your employer at a very low cost per year

A must for anyone thinking about coming here to work