Irina's Story
Working in the Fossil Fuel Industry
I grew up surrounded by nature and initially dreamed of becoming a herbal pharmacist. However, my path changed early when I was exposed to the oil and gas industry through my father’s work. One defining moment came when I was 11 years old, during his assignment in Western Siberia. I saw a flare burning in the forest and raised an alarm, believing it to be a fire. That experience left a lasting impression on me about the scale and risks associated with energy production.
In 1994, I graduated from the Oil and Gas Academy with a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection. My professional journey began in earnest in 1998 when I moved to the United Kingdom to join UOP in Guildford. By the age of 29, I had progressed into a managerial role in Business Technology, overseeing the Iberian sector. During this time, I managed a project involving the CEO of UOP, who later expressed surprise upon discovering I was a development engineer rather than a senior executive.
In 2000, I relocated to the United States to work at UOP’s headquarters in Des Plaines, Illinois. I started as a hydrocracking pilot plant operator working shifts, before progressing into Technical Services. After completing UOP’s “Road School,” I joined the global startup and commissioning team, working on refinery startups across Venezuela, China, and Spain.
In 2004, I joined ExxonMobil to work on the Sakhalin-1 project in the Russian Far East. I later returned to the United States, where I focused on regulatory and compliance strategy for offshore and onshore operations in Russia. My work involved securing permits, developing emergency and oil spill response plans, and ensuring compliance with complex regulatory frameworks.
Between 2009 and 2011, I worked with TNK-BP in Eastern Siberia as Deputy Engineering Manager and HSE Approvals Manager, contributing to a major infrastructure project involving production facilities and pipelines, as well as negotiations on gas exports to China.
I later moved back to the UK to join Aker Solutions as Principal HSE Engineer, leading safety and engineering design for offshore facilities. In 2011, my husband and I relocated to South Korea, where I joined Samsung Heavy Industries as Senior Process Safety Manager, overseeing safety during the fabrication of offshore production systems.
In 2019, I joined Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited in London. My role covered technical safety engineering, risk management, auditing, and due diligence across global offshore developments. In 2021, I was accredited as a Corporate Technical Authority.
That same year, I raised concerns internally about deficiencies in safety and asset integrity frameworks. Shortly afterwards, I experienced retaliation from my line management. On 2 December 2021, a fire on the Prelude Floating Production Facility in Australia reinforced the seriousness of the risks I had identified.
When I realised it was time to leave
In July 2021, after raising concerns about compliance with safety standards, I was placed on an informal performance improvement plan and instructed to stop raising those concerns.
The fire on the Prelude facility later that year confirmed to me that the issues were real and serious. In June 2022, I brought my first whistleblowing and discrimination claim to the Employment Tribunal.
In April 2023, my employer escalated matters into a formal disciplinary process, and I was dismissed on 5 May 2023, shortly before my first preliminary hearing. I subsequently filed a second claim for unfair dismissal and sought Interim Relief, which was refused.
The Tribunal’s judgment in July 2023 was published online, effectively making my case public and bringing my career in the oil and gas industry to an end. In September 2023, I filed a third claim covering discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and wrongful dismissal.
For nearly four years, I have represented myself against a multinational corporation supported by an international law firm. After numerous preliminary hearings, the final hearing is currently scheduled for October 2027, with ongoing delays.
What I'm doing today
Today, my work has moved beyond the corporate environment. I now operate as an independent advisor, applying my technical safety expertise to support legal cases, including consulting with law firms on environmental and safety matters.
I am also an associate of WhistleblowersUK and contribute to policy discussions aimed at strengthening whistleblowing protections. I have submitted written evidence to the House of Lords Constitution Committee as part of its inquiry into the Rule of Law.
My case is no longer just about me. I am focused on improving protections for professionals responsible for health and safety, ensuring they can raise concerns in the public interest without fear of retaliation. I believe the current Employment Tribunal system is not well equipped to handle whistleblowing cases, particularly given increasing backlogs.
The most transferable skills from my career—disciplined risk analysis, evidence-based reasoning, and the courage to challenge unsafe practices—continue to guide my work today. I now apply them not only in technical contexts but also in broader discussions around accountability, human rights, and the rule of law.
Parting Reflections
Although leaving the industry came at significant personal and professional cost, my work today remains closely aligned with the principles that led me to speak up in the first place: protecting lives, safeguarding the environment, and upholding the integrity of safety systems.
While I now work outside the corporate structure, the mission remains unchanged—to defend the right of those responsible for safety to raise concerns in the public interest.
I also believe that every experience happens for a reason, and that even the most difficult situations can bring opportunity and growth. This perspective continues to guide me forward.