Diary Post # 1. Visit to a Drilling Rig. 2nd Sept to 4th Sept

It was decided by drilling dept that a facilities engineer shall witness the chirstmas tree  installations. So here it started although I'm not a facilities engr. my boss asked me to go to witness it.

Let me clear my self here, I have never been offshore, I have never been on a Drilling rig and most importantly I don't know any thing abt Christmas tree installation.  

So this is the challenge for me now. A big challenge. So many things that will happen first time, like

Going to east malaysia

Going offshore

Going on drilling rig

Travelling in a chopper

Experiencing drilling

Honestly I was worried, scared and confused.  What if I make any mistake, my job and reputation was at stack, since out there people don't know im new to company. 

I flew to miri on Sunday 1st Sept (**amir came to Klsentral), checked in meritz hotel and went out to have lunch in a mall next to hotel. Tried Marry Brown. Slept a while after lunch to complete my sleeping cycle.  At night when I was going for dinner, I met Najib, my utp buddy.  I did not meet him for almost 2 years now.  He is working in Ranhill Wolley. We had dinner together and Chit chat about all the times in utp. I realised people improve alot when they enter practical life. 

Next day woke up a 5, got ready, wore overall and went to airport to catch chopper at 8. 

Checked in at 6.30, had my boarding Pass, and since I was traveling for first time, I had to attach First Time Flying sticker on my arm so that every one knows and takes special care of me. At 7.15 we went to briefing room where in they showed a presentation on helicopter we will be flying. Its safety features and what to do if there is any Ditching or emergency. It was a safety briefing.  After wards we went to helibase by bus. Waited for a while there, until they signaled to go for chopper. We were given ear muffs and life jacket and we're directed to helicopter in a que.  

Helicopter ride is not that pleasent, you don't have beautiful air hostess to serve you food or drinks, no music, no news paper to read, no gadgets to enjoy. It is rather noisy, by noisy I mean hell of noisy, u can't remove ear muffs or it might destroy your hearing. I fled in AW319. which is 12 seater and had wheels so it could drive to runway before flying. The journey was 1 hour. I was wondering will I be able to see platforms below. But Infact you are flying just above the clouds so all you see is blue sea and small dots (ships). I landed at Aqua Marine Driller Rig at 9.00 am.

Had briefing on rig safety, facilities and rules regulations, VOC card, stop work policy. 

Later met with company man Mr. Chris (British). I need a complete blog to talk about that person, but in summary, that guy was 6.5 ++ feet tall, wearing a small shorts in his office with heavy voice.  People said he is perfectionist and he was very Stern, strict and un predictable.  Moment he is happy,other he is out of his mind.  There was no sentence out of his mouth that didn't have the F word.  He had good memory and was technically sound. But with his good management skills, though tough, abusive and high expectation behavior, he was managing things well. The problem was I was not drilling engr. So there was nothing I could impress him with.  His jokes, his talk about how much he like to drink bear, his talks about family, all were just reflecting his Stern behaviour. I realised British English is hard to understand as well. This rig is owned by Vantage company and its chattered by Petronas. It was a new rig so the facilities were new, clean and had sound rules to keep them like that. I liked no coverall in galley policy.  A room was given to me with a double deck bed. 

The job for which I arrived to rig was already completed even before I arrived so I went to site to have a look if things were done in a right way. 

Since job is done and next chopper was on Wednesday I had two days to know about drilling and rig, a valuable experience.

A rig is a costly place to be at, every second of it is very expensive, which means work goes on 24 hours a day and there is no rest, no sleep.  It always goes on. Which means if I have to learn about the things i needed to Disturb people and request them to teach me. First time I met Chris,I knew he is not the right guy to ask that for, so I asked the drilling engineer and thanks to him he showed me around both days and I realised how the things are done.  Next day another job came up. so lucky I was ther at rig,I could do preperations for that now.  

The food at rig was nice as well, but not that much as I was expecting due to stories from friends. There was gym, snooker table and recreation room for relaxation purposes but I realised If you have things to do, u just work, eat and sleep. Most of them slept for few hours as the activities continues for hours and days. 

Wednesday I fled back to miri. Just had 3 days of offshore experience but felt like a week. Was feeling happy to land safely back to land. Indeed it is tough job, which not only requires physical toughness but mental toughness. One small mistake and it shall cost millions of dollars and probably many lives. 

Planning for another trip to offshore trip for my work before project is completed.
That is it for today. Diary to be continued later.....
Cheers.