They did not include sleep in the job description for a good reason.
Night of logging ahead, already surviving only on strong Turkish coffees...
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Celebrity teddies
Cheburashka and Mishka in the car are becoming celebrities in their own right around here.
The photo I posted below got passed on to Gilles, who circulated it to everyone with the Daily Report. He apparently has also printed it out with a "Safety First in SSFT" caption!
Here is a video of Cheburashka on my youtube account.
The photo I posted below got passed on to Gilles, who circulated it to everyone with the Daily Report. He apparently has also printed it out with a "Safety First in SSFT" caption!
Here is a video of Cheburashka on my youtube account.
Awake?
I went to bed at 9.30am and got up about 2 hours ago, a bit after 3pm. All getting a bit confusing but I'm sure sleeping tonight won't be a problem ;-)
They are still changing the bit and the gamma ray so it will be quite long before we actually go back down and see some more data to help resolve our geological disputes...
They are still changing the bit and the gamma ray so it will be quite long before we actually go back down and see some more data to help resolve our geological disputes...
Monday, February 26, 2007
YouTube
I have finally got myself a YouTube account so I should be able to post links to videos. Now I just need to take some...
Spoilt brat
is exactly what I am becoming thanks to all my new friends here :-)
The drive to Basecamp was really amazing; as it was such a beautiful day and I was on my own I could savour every minute of it.
In basecamp it was nice catching up with Anna, Alexey and Sergey R (who is doing end-of-well reporting). They were going to organise a trip out to Salym village for the whole of SSFT and use it as an excuse for team building but they couldn't find a cafe that could take more than 10 people!! So we had cake and tea in the main caravan and all the PTs joined us and wished me a happy birthday :-)
Then I hopped back into the car and drove back just in time before dark. It was just really nice to turn up just for a cake party and go "home" again!
Apparently the cooks had been looking for me at lunchtime as they wanted to wish me a happy birthday so I thanked them for the cake over dinner. Then I went to bed as I was feeling really tired and the interesting geology started coming in at midnight, so I got up at 11:30.
In half an hour I can celebrate my real birthday based on central European time!
Apart from all of the above, I really feel like a spoilt 5-year-old because today I have eaten:
-omelet for breakfast
-chocolate
-ice cream
-cake
-more cake
-even more cake
-a bit o' dinner
-cake again
AND I received:
-a large box of chocolates from Sasha
-a packet of French biscuits I like from Gilles
-a Cheburashka soft toy (it speaks too!!) from Pasha
-a Teddy Bear (Mishka, really cuddly and soft) from Anna
the latter two kept me company on the way home :-)
Thanks for all the messages and wishes, I have just had such a nice, memorable day :-)
Just one person missing to make it 100% perfect.
The drive to Basecamp was really amazing; as it was such a beautiful day and I was on my own I could savour every minute of it.
In basecamp it was nice catching up with Anna, Alexey and Sergey R (who is doing end-of-well reporting). They were going to organise a trip out to Salym village for the whole of SSFT and use it as an excuse for team building but they couldn't find a cafe that could take more than 10 people!! So we had cake and tea in the main caravan and all the PTs joined us and wished me a happy birthday :-)
Then I hopped back into the car and drove back just in time before dark. It was just really nice to turn up just for a cake party and go "home" again!
Apparently the cooks had been looking for me at lunchtime as they wanted to wish me a happy birthday so I thanked them for the cake over dinner. Then I went to bed as I was feeling really tired and the interesting geology started coming in at midnight, so I got up at 11:30.
In half an hour I can celebrate my real birthday based on central European time!
Apart from all of the above, I really feel like a spoilt 5-year-old because today I have eaten:
-omelet for breakfast
-chocolate
-ice cream
-cake
-more cake
-even more cake
-a bit o' dinner
-cake again
AND I received:
-a large box of chocolates from Sasha
-a packet of French biscuits I like from Gilles
-a Cheburashka soft toy (it speaks too!!) from Pasha
-a Teddy Bear (Mishka, really cuddly and soft) from Anna
the latter two kept me company on the way home :-)
Thanks for all the messages and wishes, I have just had such a nice, memorable day :-)
Just one person missing to make it 100% perfect.
Birthday Girl
My day started really well today.
I got up at 6.30 just to check on the well and realised it was going to be a lovely day...no clouds anywhere in sight. It was also -37 degrees :-)
I then decided to not do the georeport and have a nice shower instead. As we were getting ready in the living caravan, I got an early morning phone call from Sergey R, Anna and Gilles wishing me a happy birthday :-) After breakfast, I headed over to the morning meeting and was presented with a cake and everybody's best wishes :-))
After which I was invited to basecamp by the guys there, so I will be leaving shortly. Back in time for 5pm I hope, as I have invited everyone for cake and tea in our caravan.
Till then...
I got up at 6.30 just to check on the well and realised it was going to be a lovely day...no clouds anywhere in sight. It was also -37 degrees :-)
I then decided to not do the georeport and have a nice shower instead. As we were getting ready in the living caravan, I got an early morning phone call from Sergey R, Anna and Gilles wishing me a happy birthday :-) After breakfast, I headed over to the morning meeting and was presented with a cake and everybody's best wishes :-))
After which I was invited to basecamp by the guys there, so I will be leaving shortly. Back in time for 5pm I hope, as I have invited everyone for cake and tea in our caravan.
Till then...
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Still nothing
Just had the best night's sleep...it was really quiet withno activity on the rig.
In fact it was so nice I am going to go back now that I have done the paperwork...
In fact it was so nice I am going to go back now that I have done the paperwork...
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Operations
I love operations.
There is the theory and the rules governing how things should work.
And then there is real life, where nothing goes according to plan.
This morning, the top drive, which is effectively the giant drill which drives the bit into the ground during drilling, broke.
This meant having to pull all the way out and working out how to mend the thing. There have been a few interesting exchanges on the rig radio, including an recruitment announcement for a "superman mechanic"...(it is nice to have Sasha as I understand about 3% of what goes on on that radio normally and really hate missing out on the operational info and banter).
Been busy here though, preparing for the special drilling, when it happens...(probably on my birthday...somehow better than logging though :-)
There is the theory and the rules governing how things should work.
And then there is real life, where nothing goes according to plan.
This morning, the top drive, which is effectively the giant drill which drives the bit into the ground during drilling, broke.
This meant having to pull all the way out and working out how to mend the thing. There have been a few interesting exchanges on the rig radio, including an recruitment announcement for a "superman mechanic"...(it is nice to have Sasha as I understand about 3% of what goes on on that radio normally and really hate missing out on the operational info and banter).
Been busy here though, preparing for the special drilling, when it happens...(probably on my birthday...somehow better than logging though :-)
Temperatures
Just a small comment on this front...I have now broken my temperature record by 10 degrees...which means...yes, that's right, -40 degrees!!
As we landed in Surgut on Tuesday night, I was half listening to the landing announcement when I distinctly heard "minus sorak" (minus forty) and sat up in shock, to the alarm of my neighbour.
The following day, it was -38 and since then it has got a lot warmer-it is now -20 (easy peasy).
The cold was an interesting experience...didn't stay out long but could really feel the sting on my nose and cheeks, and even the Russians made an effort to wrap up and keep moving.
So there you go. Real winter at last!
As we landed in Surgut on Tuesday night, I was half listening to the landing announcement when I distinctly heard "minus sorak" (minus forty) and sat up in shock, to the alarm of my neighbour.
The following day, it was -38 and since then it has got a lot warmer-it is now -20 (easy peasy).
The cold was an interesting experience...didn't stay out long but could really feel the sting on my nose and cheeks, and even the Russians made an effort to wrap up and keep moving.
So there you go. Real winter at last!
Typical morning
I realised this morning that there is something else I am learning here, and that is how to deal with/manage a very stressed and stressful lead geologist on the phone. Now that I have the experience and related confidence I find I can deal with the crazy phone calls a lot better.
Yesterday I was discussing the situation with one of the Sperry Sun boys, and when I mentioned the stressed GE-A he just asked "why?". This morning as I woke up, I found myself wondering, indeed, why. And I realised that so long as I sent everything in on time and stayed informed and calm I could deal with (almost) anything!
As there is nothing too much going on I wouldn't expect any queries but I now know better so I wasn't surprised to find new-Sasha (this is not Sasha A but the one who arrived last time from our more easterly Siberian venture-I will now call him Sasha K. He is working on pad 3 but it is not up and running yet so him and Andrey are doing CBLs in pad 54. They seek refuge here during the day) on the phone looking very tense when I arrived back from the morning meeting.
Instead of getting involved I left immediately for a chat, a cuppa and a few questions with the Sperry Sun guys (who are also dealing with the Gamma Ray(GR)). Sure enough, five minutes later a breathless Sasha came bursting in needing data I had already sent an hour ago. I told him not to worry, to go back to the caravan and do his own work and not answer the phone :-)
I took my time getting the latest update and being showered in chocolate (again) and made my way back. Apparently there had been 2 angry and confused phone calls in those 10 minutes, all about non-existent problems. So I sent the latest update just as the phone rang, and I picked it up calmly, answered all of Alexey's questions whilst conveniently forgetting to mention that Simon was asleep, and then as he started berating me for not sending any data I suggested he check his inbox for emails from 1 1/2 hours ago. It was an unusually short phone call.
And that, I have decided, is my Thought of the Day. Dear reader, WHY are you so stressed? Is it really necessary? Has reading my blog really been that hard on your blood pressure?
Yesterday I was discussing the situation with one of the Sperry Sun boys, and when I mentioned the stressed GE-A he just asked "why?". This morning as I woke up, I found myself wondering, indeed, why. And I realised that so long as I sent everything in on time and stayed informed and calm I could deal with (almost) anything!
As there is nothing too much going on I wouldn't expect any queries but I now know better so I wasn't surprised to find new-Sasha (this is not Sasha A but the one who arrived last time from our more easterly Siberian venture-I will now call him Sasha K. He is working on pad 3 but it is not up and running yet so him and Andrey are doing CBLs in pad 54. They seek refuge here during the day) on the phone looking very tense when I arrived back from the morning meeting.
Instead of getting involved I left immediately for a chat, a cuppa and a few questions with the Sperry Sun guys (who are also dealing with the Gamma Ray(GR)). Sure enough, five minutes later a breathless Sasha came bursting in needing data I had already sent an hour ago. I told him not to worry, to go back to the caravan and do his own work and not answer the phone :-)
I took my time getting the latest update and being showered in chocolate (again) and made my way back. Apparently there had been 2 angry and confused phone calls in those 10 minutes, all about non-existent problems. So I sent the latest update just as the phone rang, and I picked it up calmly, answered all of Alexey's questions whilst conveniently forgetting to mention that Simon was asleep, and then as he started berating me for not sending any data I suggested he check his inbox for emails from 1 1/2 hours ago. It was an unusually short phone call.
And that, I have decided, is my Thought of the Day. Dear reader, WHY are you so stressed? Is it really necessary? Has reading my blog really been that hard on your blood pressure?
Ramping up
Well, yesterday was quite an easy-going day, just drilling down from the conductor section. We finished off the Winlog for the previous well so it's nice to have that out of the way, and started making the current one as complete as possible.
This well is interesting and quite exciting as it goes a lot deeper than the usual wells. It is going through another reservoir, below the normal one. So it will be fun to see new rock samples, and try and see if there is enough oil down there to take it further. It is quite a delicate operation as a mistake with depth could mean a blow-out, which is the worst thing that can happen here (basically the whole thing explodes in this situation-see here for an example)
Anyway, to prevent this we need to be a bit intelligent about the geology; luckily, we have some help from the drillers here (yes, it happens ;-) as we are measuring gamma ray while drilling, which means that we can see what rocks are there as we go.
Apart from that we had a visit from our PT friends yesterday-Alex brought Luke up for his first visit of the rig, so we took him up to the drill floor and around the rest of the rig. They also went to see the older wells (the ones below the Christmas Trees) (did I post something on that or just intend to? Let me check) and Alex explained to me how to see the difference between an injector and a producer. Here is a pic of me with Alex and a Christmas Tree.
This well is interesting and quite exciting as it goes a lot deeper than the usual wells. It is going through another reservoir, below the normal one. So it will be fun to see new rock samples, and try and see if there is enough oil down there to take it further. It is quite a delicate operation as a mistake with depth could mean a blow-out, which is the worst thing that can happen here (basically the whole thing explodes in this situation-see here for an example)
Anyway, to prevent this we need to be a bit intelligent about the geology; luckily, we have some help from the drillers here (yes, it happens ;-) as we are measuring gamma ray while drilling, which means that we can see what rocks are there as we go.
Apart from that we had a visit from our PT friends yesterday-Alex brought Luke up for his first visit of the rig, so we took him up to the drill floor and around the rest of the rig. They also went to see the older wells (the ones below the Christmas Trees) (did I post something on that or just intend to? Let me check) and Alex explained to me how to see the difference between an injector and a producer. Here is a pic of me with Alex and a Christmas Tree.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Arrived safely
Hello all,
I arrived safely in Salym yesterday-now back online :-)
Sorry about neglecting the blog, still no internet access at home, but that should hopefully be sorted by next time.
Travel over was pretty uneventful, flight to Moscow was doubly enjoyable on BA after 18hours on Thomson planes!! Ditto UTAir business class, though didn't get caviar this time...standards, tut tut...Travelled with Simon, Robert-Jan and a new guy called Luke who will be replacing Murat as a PT. Arrived quite late in Surgut as usual, only managed to sleep 1 hour before getting on the train. The train journey took 6 hours this time, one of which was spent sitting in a random village for no apparent reason...building the tracks maybe. Managed to get some sleep though luckily.
Yesterday evening Simon and I drove up to pad 16, which is the new location for rig 4...I feel like I've arrived back home :-)
Luckily there was nothing on last night so had an early night. It was nice seeing people here again at dinner and this morning. The canteen has completely changed-it is brand new and much bigger; the interaction with the cooks is slightly different as food needs to ordered through a window rather than being able to walk into the kitchen so I am rather glad that the one thing I master in Russian is food!!
Did a CEL job this morning, nothing too exciting, a rather unhelpful Russian crew so I had to put my foot down and get answers (in Russian-all good..hmmm) but nothing much else. Pasha (DSV) is well and stressed (as usual) because he has new toolpushers who are inexperienced and taking ages to do everything, so no drilling till tonight. Now is a good time for us to catch up on what's been happening...
More later. I have a bunch of posts I want to write about time off, which will come in below this one...
I arrived safely in Salym yesterday-now back online :-)
Sorry about neglecting the blog, still no internet access at home, but that should hopefully be sorted by next time.
Travel over was pretty uneventful, flight to Moscow was doubly enjoyable on BA after 18hours on Thomson planes!! Ditto UTAir business class, though didn't get caviar this time...standards, tut tut...Travelled with Simon, Robert-Jan and a new guy called Luke who will be replacing Murat as a PT. Arrived quite late in Surgut as usual, only managed to sleep 1 hour before getting on the train. The train journey took 6 hours this time, one of which was spent sitting in a random village for no apparent reason...building the tracks maybe. Managed to get some sleep though luckily.
Yesterday evening Simon and I drove up to pad 16, which is the new location for rig 4...I feel like I've arrived back home :-)
Luckily there was nothing on last night so had an early night. It was nice seeing people here again at dinner and this morning. The canteen has completely changed-it is brand new and much bigger; the interaction with the cooks is slightly different as food needs to ordered through a window rather than being able to walk into the kitchen so I am rather glad that the one thing I master in Russian is food!!
Did a CEL job this morning, nothing too exciting, a rather unhelpful Russian crew so I had to put my foot down and get answers (in Russian-all good..hmmm) but nothing much else. Pasha (DSV) is well and stressed (as usual) because he has new toolpushers who are inexperienced and taking ages to do everything, so no drilling till tonight. Now is a good time for us to catch up on what's been happening...
More later. I have a bunch of posts I want to write about time off, which will come in below this one...
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