Suzannah showcases new tech’s potential for age-old problems

Suzannah recalls: “I clearly remember being in awe of the hugely complex facilities that operate 24/7 to deliver energy to the world – and I still am!” Some high school buddies joined Woodside when they left school (and many are still here). Years later, Suzannah became a Woodsider, too.

She had many addresses growing up, including in India, but she’s called Perth home since the late 1990s. Some 14 years ago, she came to Woodside as an Information Management Coordinator, leading a team in the Browse Project.

Since then, she’s worked in most parts of IT/Digital, leading teams numbering as many as 100, as well as roles in the North West Shelf Business Unit.

Today, she’s Woodside’s Technology Facilities Manager and wears several different hats – often in the same day. “At Technology, we mainly focus on those engineering problems faced by our operating facilities,” she explains.

"We might be using advanced materials science to manage corrosion or novel inspection technologies like drones and robots to take people out of harm’s way."

“Or it might be a bespoke solution developed in our prototyping and testing facility, Karda, which we trial up on site with support from our Digital friends; or showcase for our customers on our operating facilities.”

Suzannah is also responsible for Woodside’s partnership with NASA under the Space Act Agreement which gives us access to advanced engineering capabilities, including NASA’s humanoid robot, Valkyrie.

Valkyrie’s mission at Woodside is to help the company develop remote mobile dexterous manipulation capabilities to remote caretaking of uncrewed and offshore assets. The aim is to improve efficiency, while simultaneously improving safety for personnel and the environment.

But the greatest impact from the partnership, Suzannah believes, is NASA’s innovative engineering practice that can be put to great use in solving complex problems our ageing assets face with obsolete equipment. “The NASA team love working with us as they get to see their ideas translate into real outcomes quickly that help Woodsiders work more safely,” she reports.

Suzannah also led the recent renovations at Karda that have implemented new ways to showcase the really complex problems which the Technology team is solving. “Something I’m particularly proud of is our Splash Zone Inspection display which tackles the problem of inspections and removing people from this activity in the pursuit of improved safety.”

Then there’s the constant stream of inquisitive visitors to Karda that needs to be managed. “I get the pleasure of bringing in our very passionate team together to talk about what they love,” she says.  And there’s still more hosted during investor briefing days at Pluto which leverage the Technology Showcase service. Led by Suzannah, this service enables Woodside to demonstrate how we use novel tech to solve real business problems.

Plus, there’s external events such as the forthcoming Resources Technology Showcase in Perth where WA’s biggest resource companies will again show off their latest advances and technology to their peers, schoolchildren and the wider public to encourage engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Suzannah confesses: “I never expected when I started my Bachelor of Arts that one day I would get opportunities like this!”

So, out of all the hats she wears, which is her favourite?

“My absolute best days are those I get to spend with my team up onsite either at KGP, Pluto or with our Digital friends – I don’t think I will ever get over my sense of awe at the way we keep our facilities humming so consistently and seemingly neverendingly. What I love the most about my current role is the awesome people I get to work with and helping them set up for success. I feel like for the first time in my career, I am using a bit of all my diverse experience and strengths together.”