| Professional technical translation from English to Russian in Oil&Gas industry
For a few last years Russian companies worked up international oil and gas market. Oil production and processing, construction works, renovation and export of pipelines; supply of oil and gas and petrochemical equipment to world market; implementation and exploitation of advanced technologies of oil and equipment production – here is brief list of international projects in which Russian, Kazakh and Turkmen companies participate. In order to operate successfully in world market these companies require professional translation of documents into/from foreign languages, mainly English of course. In this article I will throw some light upon problems and peculiarities of English to Russian translation in this specific field of technical translation.
Translation in Oil and Gas industry is one of the most complicated branches of technical translation from English to Russian.
Usually this type of translation includes following aspects: exploring and processing oil and gas, construction of petroleum refineries, exploitation of oil and gas equipment, contracts and accompanying documentation for production process. Very often translator must be familiar with such specific fields of oil and gas industry as boring, finishing, pullout and maintenance of bores, production and transportation of oil and natural gas.
It is desirable that English to Russian translator knows which equipment shall be used in specific cases as well as what problems may occur during production and how production safety is provided. Very often translation in oil and gas industry concerns to failure-correction systems, strategy of equipment maintenance and production efficiency control.
Technical translation in oil and gas industry implies working with such documentation as:
• Preparation of tender documentation;
• Translation of oil and gas equipment drawings in different formats (AutoCAD, PowerPoint);
• Translation of documentation for gas and oil-field development;
• Translation of documentation related to well operation and methods of production efficiency increase;
• Translation of documentation related to collection, transportation and storage of oil and gas;
• Translation of documentation related to construction of compressors stations and pipelines;
• Translation of installation and maintenance manuals for oil and gas equipment;
• Translation of economic and legal documents for oil and gas industry.
One the most difficult and complicated aspects of translation from English to Russian in this specific area is translation of particular dedicated terminology. In order to perform perfect translation translators have to use not only dictionaries but also reference literature. Also conversion of metric units into imperial units (tons to barrels, etc) is very important for English to Russian translation in oil and gas industry.
Many difficulties present translation of measuring standards and specifications of O&G industry. The point is that Russian oil and gas standard differs from, for example, American one. In case when Russian document contains references to Russian standards, translation of these standards or regulations shall be attached.
As in any other field of translation activities or services most of work is performed by English to Russian freelance translators. These translators shall have vast experience in technical translation as well as deep understanding of oil production and processing technology that’s why when an agency employs translator for specific project related to oil and gas very strict requirements are applied for each candidate.
About the author –
Dima Garan –
2003-2008 Kharkov National University of Economics,
Dept. of International economic relations ,
Master’s degree in “Management of foreign-economic activity”.
For a long period of time I was working as a sales manager in big corporation. My duties in that corporation included work with translators who later offered me position of Executive Director in a new-coming project. The project was organization and marketing promotion of a group of linguists later named as Technical Translation Group.
Now the specialized English Russian technical translation group offers its services for technical document translation, website or software translation and proofreading services to the client who wish to expand their business globally and my work is to keep those clients satisfied with our service. |
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