The significance of the Oil and Gas Industry can be illustrated by the fact that about sixty percent of the world’s energy needs are met by Oil and Gas, the magnitude of investment in this sector runs in billions of dollars, the demand for energy is on a continuous rise, countries rich in oil and gas deposits yield pivotal control on the world economy and the scramble for power and control over these reserves is a never-ending conflict resulting in events that often cause major upheavals in the world economy. The translation requirement in the Oil and Gas Sector is highly technical in nature and entails sound understanding of documents related to various processes, namely mining and exploration of oil and gas fields, drilling and well operation, oil and gas recovery, transportation and storage, building of pipelines, equipment description, safety manuals covering all critical areas of operation as well various contracts, tenders, insurance documents and licenses. Apart from these technical know-how’s, the translator also needs to be well versed with the related topics of insurance and economical aspects of the field. A professional translator in this field will always maintain and refer to a glossary of industry-specific terms and terminologies, and keep updating the same periodically.
It is obvious that if technology is upgraded or old processes are replaced by new ones, the language and related glossary will undergo similar changes, and therefore, one of the primary translation challenges that one would face in this field is the dynamic nature of the whole sector that necessitates one to remain updated at all times using online resources like blogs and e-journals. The second challenge relates to the sheer vastness of the entire field, which makes it nearly impossible for a translator to be well-versed with the entire field, and therefore calls for translators who specialize in particular areas of the industry. By focusing on and specializing in a specific area, a translator increases his chances of rendering high quality, efficient and error-free translation services. Localization is another challenge that is faced by Oil and Gas Companies, who look for translation services that will help them connect with indigenous populations, abide by cultural and regional sensitivities and enable them to communicate correctly with foreign bodies for obtaining licenses and other necessary permits. Another distinct feature of the Oil and Gas Industry related terms and terminologies is that apart from being subject to periodic change, they also vary from organization to organization, as each one devises its own set of products, techniques and machinery. Hence it is necessary for the translator to do seek necessary clarifications by referring to various references and glossaries before embarking upon the translation process. It might happen so that despite the high level of expertise and experience of the translator, he or she might still need to seek clarifications from time to time from the client. Therefore Client Approachability is necessary at all times and this should be agreed upon during the process of undertaking projects for highly effective and seamless translation.
