Lisa Westbrook, operations manager for our Sites Operations team, has more than 20 years’ experience in operations and project support for Energy projects.
Her team provide a tailored support service to clients providing specialist experts to represent clients’ technical needs and interests during geophysical and geotechnical surveys.
In this interview, Lisa shares how strong relationships are a key part of delivering a seamless and efficient service to clients, effectively navigating change, and ensuring we can get the right technical experts to where they are needed quickly.
What does the Sites Operations team do?
We supply independent specialists to support our clients’ technical needs and interests during geophysical and geotechnical surveys for both onshore and offshore energy projects. Our representatives are highly experienced in renewables and oil and gas, supporting a range of large majors, small firms and government agencies.
A site survey operation is a crucial step in any energy project, collecting and analysing data to ensure informed decisions are made. Our clients need a technical expert on the ground to represent their interests and ensure planned work is carried out successfully and safely on vessels and for onshore activity.
Our service is tailored to client needs, and we provide round-the-clock operational support to make sure everything runs seamlessly.
Why are relationships so important in sites operations, offshore development and the energy industry?
Our industry centres on complex projects requiring deep technical knowledge, and delivered over significant timescales. Continuity is key to delivery for projects at this scale.
Our team have been with us since the early stages of their careers. This means we offer clients a level of consistency, experience, service and delivery that is highly valued in the energy industry—especially during periods of change. It also means we get to know clients well. More than 80 percent of our clients work with us over multiple projects and for many years. This gives us a deep understanding of their needs, so we can respond effectively
Our team has the experience and knowledge to supply people with the right skills, but we also get to know the representatives we provide to our clients well. They aren’t just names on a list. The quality relationships we build result in good communication and trust on both sides. This makes it easier for representatives to raise queries and for the team to facilitate a smooth deployment for the technical expert.
There are many moving parts, such as travel arrangements, work permits, visas and troubleshooting. We have even offered to organise for an expert’s pet to go into a boarding facility, so they can be deployed at short notice!
Your team is highly regarded in the industry. How have you achieved this?
We work hard to create a streamlined, joined-up experience for both clients and the technical representatives we work with. Our team combines long experience in our field with an emphasis on accessibility, connectivity and relationship-building.
Some of the projects we work on are located in unstable regions or areas of political conflict. This can throw up unexpected last minute issues. Any delay can mean major costs to clients, especially if it means delaying a vessel going out to sea, so clients need to get issues resolved quickly. Our team is available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to resolve problems in real time. This isn’t standard in our industry and we know our clients really value this aspect of our service.
We also set high standards for client satisfaction, requesting feedback after every project so we can continually improve our service. The fact that the majority of our clients choose to work with us on project after project over many years is a clear demonstration of the high regard they have for the team.
Our team combines long experience in our field with an emphasis on accessibility, connectivity and relationship-building.
How does your team manage change and maintain the excellent service and delivery that they are known for?
Our team’s reputation is built on the efforts of successive leaders who have established robust systems and ways of working that allow us to provide consistently high levels of service and support for clients and representatives.
When I took on the role of leading the team in 2023, I drew on everything I’d learnt from my predecessor Julie Sneath, and other role models over the years. Julie worked for the company for 33 years and was highly valued by clients for her dedication.
Around this time, our business became part of Tetra Tech, and the team were able to seamlessly transition to new systems and align ways of working without impacting our service. Good communication was key to the team’s ability to manage change and enables us to remain flexible.
The energy industry is going through a period of evolution. How is Tetra Tech supporting clients through this?
Given our length of experience, we are no strangers to change. For example, during COVID-19 lockdowns we were able to adapt successfully to support operations when travel restrictions created significant challenges for ongoing projects.
Our team is highly experienced in project types that support the energy transition and responsible development of conventional energy. The transferable skills we bring can be used across different parts of the energy and offshore infrastructure portfolio. Alongside our geoscience survey support, we work on rig moves and metocean (meteorological and oceanographic) studies.
The other great strength of Tetra Tech is the connectedness of our technical teams across the business. Being part of the wider organisation means that a wealth of advice, specialist knowledge and years of industry experience is just a phone call away.