The engineer who I had been working with since before New Year's on this offshore job was scheduled to have a vacation last week, so he was training me to become "Cell Manager" of the job so he could leave me in charge and take his vacation. This was going to be a bit of a challenge, because the person they had slated as my Night Hand had not actually gotten his promotion to Night Hand, and had not actually held an entire night shift on his own. So in addition to it being my first time in charge, I was also going to have to stay up extra late and wake up extra early so as to ensure that he was handling the job competently. Yikes.
So I guess I wasn't too disappointed to find out that my intended Night Hand got sent on another job the day before I came back from standby. But I did have to go in to the office to find another Night Hand, since he had failed to inform them that they were technically "stealing" him from my rig. The only people that were in town and available to work were either a bit more experienced than me, or a LOT more experienced than me. They sent the guy that had only 6 months more experience then me out to be my Night Hand.
So first thing I do when I get out here is to power up our unit, and get our computers turned on. Of course I mess that up. This is the first rig I've worked on that has me working in a pressurized unit, which keeps flammable gases out of the computer equipment, and keeps me from blowing up the rig. Now I've learned how to turn on the pressurization system before, but I've never actually done it on the rig, so OF COURSE I do it wrong. My night hand fixes it for me, and I make a note to myself to practice on the units they re-kit at the office next time I'm in town (Minus 100 points for Holly).
The next step is to turn the computers on, but we can't! There is a problem with their power supply! Not all the power in our unit is bad, however, because the lights are working. The air conditioning is working. It must be the box that all the computers are plugged into which has a battery to keep the computers powered for 30 minutes in case the pressurization system trips the power shut-off while we're drilling. That box is beeping and not fully turning on, so something's wrong with it. But there's not much troubleshooting we can do. We have to call the office for suggestions, or get them to send a new one ASAP, but our satellite phone has no power either! And we're offshore, so cellphone reception is not at its best. We're trying to figure out alternate solutions, and halfway started on rewiring our entire unit when my Night Hand sees that one of the circuit breakers is tripped. Problem solved. Sigh. (Minus 1000 points for Holly)
I did solve one problem on my own, *pat on the shoulder*. The mice and the keyboards for 2 of our 3 computers were working, but NOT working. It was a conundrum which was fixed when I rebooted all three machines. Yay me (Plus 5 points).
So we had everything up and running, and our next object was to get our tools ready to go in the hole on the next drilling run. We loaded the batteries and programmed the first tool, but when we plugged into the second tool, it blew a fuse in the box that connects it to the computer! That has never happened to me before, so I had no idea what was going on. When my night hand pulled out the fuse to see if it had shorted, I gawked at him like he was performing magic (Minus 10 points for Holly).
Hours later, we have shorted about a dozen fuses in attempting to diagnose the problem, and we are down to our last 2. We have been working with the office to check everything and anything it could be, and we only have one possibility left. It could, maybe, Poooooosssibly (but not very likely), be one of the cables that's causing the short. Sure enough, it is, and we're lucky enough that minus the faulty 300-ft long cable, we still have enough length in the rest of our cables to reach all the way to our tools so we can plug into them (barely). (No points for anyone on this one, except the Directional Driller who told us how to check the cables)
It went on like that for a while, and I think I ended up with somewhere around the neighborhood of -35,725 points by the weekend's finish. But I guess that negative net worth somehow translates into having learned something at some point along the road, hopefully.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Hiatus OVER!
My computer died.
I was home from the rig for one day, and my computer got sick and died (death by virus), so I dropped it off at the IT department at my office, and sure enough, got called to go back to the rig just a few hours later.
So I was on the rig for about a week without my own computer, and forced to use my night hand's (who was gracious enough to let me). But he is the gossipy sort, and I would not put it past him to spin whatever I write here against me later, so I refrained from visiting this site.
After that I was sent home on standby, which stretched into a week-long, extremely unproductive time, and returned to the rig just this past Thursday. But things have been going CRAZY since I arrived, and I have been seeing all sorts of problems I've never seen before, which have tested my self-confidence to the fullest.
Now at last things have settled down to a more normal pace of drilling, so I can finally catch my breath and update you on my progress over these past weeks.
Thank you for your patience, and enjoy!
I was home from the rig for one day, and my computer got sick and died (death by virus), so I dropped it off at the IT department at my office, and sure enough, got called to go back to the rig just a few hours later.
So I was on the rig for about a week without my own computer, and forced to use my night hand's (who was gracious enough to let me). But he is the gossipy sort, and I would not put it past him to spin whatever I write here against me later, so I refrained from visiting this site.
After that I was sent home on standby, which stretched into a week-long, extremely unproductive time, and returned to the rig just this past Thursday. But things have been going CRAZY since I arrived, and I have been seeing all sorts of problems I've never seen before, which have tested my self-confidence to the fullest.
Now at last things have settled down to a more normal pace of drilling, so I can finally catch my breath and update you on my progress over these past weeks.
Thank you for your patience, and enjoy!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Limbo!
And here's the great thing about my job: I never know what's going to happen next!
For instance, right now. We just finished drilling the section we were working on. The original plan was to pull the tools all the way out of the almost 3-mile deep hole and then go all the way back in with a drilling assembly that can drill directionally (hence the directional drillers having arrived). But, as of 2:30 this afternoon, the company man got the call that we're going to run Wireline Logging instead. (Remember on that recent post how I said I'm a Logging While Drilling Engineer? Well Wireline Engineers do Logging While NOT Drilling)
Now the plan is that my night hand, the directional drillers, and just about all of the non-essential personnel are going home TONIGHT. And they'll be running Wireline... until they're done, which could be 24 hours or it could be a week, or it could be . . . well you get the idea. I'll stay here on standby to babysit the tools, and probably watch a lot of movies.
*Ring*
I just answered the phone. Change of plans! Seriously, as I was writing this post, my plans got changed. Now I'M packing up and going home, to wait by the phone until Wireline is done.
Another day in the life, I suppose.
For instance, right now. We just finished drilling the section we were working on. The original plan was to pull the tools all the way out of the almost 3-mile deep hole and then go all the way back in with a drilling assembly that can drill directionally (hence the directional drillers having arrived). But, as of 2:30 this afternoon, the company man got the call that we're going to run Wireline Logging instead. (Remember on that recent post how I said I'm a Logging While Drilling Engineer? Well Wireline Engineers do Logging While NOT Drilling)
Now the plan is that my night hand, the directional drillers, and just about all of the non-essential personnel are going home TONIGHT. And they'll be running Wireline... until they're done, which could be 24 hours or it could be a week, or it could be . . . well you get the idea. I'll stay here on standby to babysit the tools, and probably watch a lot of movies.
*Ring*
I just answered the phone. Change of plans! Seriously, as I was writing this post, my plans got changed. Now I'M packing up and going home, to wait by the phone until Wireline is done.
Another day in the life, I suppose.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
DDs
Here is a quick briefing on directional drillers (read about the ones I'm working with in the post below).
I am a Measurements While Drilling Engineer (MWD), or a Logging While Drilling (LWD) Engineer (although technically both). I am in charge of tools that take the measurements to tell us what where drilling through, and what direction we're drilling in, the former being the Logging and the latter being the Measurements parts of my job description.
Directional Drillers (DDs) are in charge of the tools that take us in the direction that we want to go and are also in charge of making sure that we go that way.
It is fairly common for an MWD Engineer to "cross over" to the DD side, since DDs make about twice as much as we do. In fact, DDs have probably some of the highest salaries for the least necessary education I have ever heard of. I once worked with a DD in Arkansas that had a 2ND GRADE EDUCATION and made somewhere in the ballpark of $300,000/year before taxes. He had advanced from Roustabout (the bottom of the drilling operations totem pole), to Rig hand, to Driller (he operates all the machinery on the rig), to DD from the age of 17 to 40-something.
So, there you have it. Just so you know what I'm working with...
I am a Measurements While Drilling Engineer (MWD), or a Logging While Drilling (LWD) Engineer (although technically both). I am in charge of tools that take the measurements to tell us what where drilling through, and what direction we're drilling in, the former being the Logging and the latter being the Measurements parts of my job description.
Directional Drillers (DDs) are in charge of the tools that take us in the direction that we want to go and are also in charge of making sure that we go that way.
It is fairly common for an MWD Engineer to "cross over" to the DD side, since DDs make about twice as much as we do. In fact, DDs have probably some of the highest salaries for the least necessary education I have ever heard of. I once worked with a DD in Arkansas that had a 2ND GRADE EDUCATION and made somewhere in the ballpark of $300,000/year before taxes. He had advanced from Roustabout (the bottom of the drilling operations totem pole), to Rig hand, to Driller (he operates all the machinery on the rig), to DD from the age of 17 to 40-something.
So, there you have it. Just so you know what I'm working with...
Invasion!
My space has been invaded. I am not particularly happy about this.
The directional drillers arrived on the rig yesterday. They work for the same service company I do, and they are here to supervise the directional section of our drilling operation. My "office" (known as a logging unit) is essentially a hurricane-proof steel box about 10' x 8' with desk-space stretching across one length of the room which contains the 3 main computers I have to watch constantly. You can fit two people in this room comfortably. You can fit three people in this room and still have enough space to work. Any more than three and you start to suffer from overcrowding immediately, but that's not something that happens frequently and almost never lasts long.
S0 it's not like I'm actually running out of room, it's just that I am going to miss the privacy of having my little steel box to myself. No more singing loudly to music, no more talking to myself, no more picking my nose . . . ummmm I guess you get the idea. I suppose most people would appreciate having someone to talk to, but everyone who knows me really well knows that I am perfectly happy being a bit of a loner. I don't need someone to talk to all day. I'm perfectly fine sitting here in my box all by myself, thank you very much!
I guess there are some advantages. For example, we swapped movie collections today. He also went to lunch first, and was able to give me recommendations on what was good and what to avoid.
The most pertinent part about my new box-mate, however, is what he's like as a person. He and his night hand are rather typical oilfield workers. They are outspoken, god-fearing, pro-military, etc. etc. etc. The day hand would probably take pride in calling himself a "redneck" and the night hand is very Cajun (so he probably calls himself a "coon-ass"). Within a few hours of meeting them, they had already made it quite clear that they detest Obama and they think Hilary is the "antichrist". This is after they have determined, through such direct methods I could not avoid it, that I voted for Hilary in the primaries and Obama in the nationals. Since then, I have been subjected to numerous tirades on how both Clinton and Bush screwed up (they gave a rather balanced argument on this, fortunately), on America's military prerogative towards the rest of the world, on how France is "our enemy" (sorry Monique! suffice to say I don't agree), on the situation in Israel, and many other things in that vein.
In a nutshell: they have very strong opinions which they like to express. A lot. I have rather flexible opinions (and some very strong ones) which I prefer to keep to myself and only share with those I love and trust. So I do what any diplomatic person does: I nod and smile, express my agreement with them where it occurs, and take everything else with a grain of salt.
It should be interesting to see what kind of conversations occur when my night hand comes on shift, because he's a muslim and therefore anti-Israel. This directional driller I have been working alongside is Christian, and believes that the people of Israel have a God-given right to live there. I hope when those sparks fly I am looong gone.
The directional drillers arrived on the rig yesterday. They work for the same service company I do, and they are here to supervise the directional section of our drilling operation. My "office" (known as a logging unit) is essentially a hurricane-proof steel box about 10' x 8' with desk-space stretching across one length of the room which contains the 3 main computers I have to watch constantly. You can fit two people in this room comfortably. You can fit three people in this room and still have enough space to work. Any more than three and you start to suffer from overcrowding immediately, but that's not something that happens frequently and almost never lasts long.
S0 it's not like I'm actually running out of room, it's just that I am going to miss the privacy of having my little steel box to myself. No more singing loudly to music, no more talking to myself, no more picking my nose . . . ummmm I guess you get the idea. I suppose most people would appreciate having someone to talk to, but everyone who knows me really well knows that I am perfectly happy being a bit of a loner. I don't need someone to talk to all day. I'm perfectly fine sitting here in my box all by myself, thank you very much!
I guess there are some advantages. For example, we swapped movie collections today. He also went to lunch first, and was able to give me recommendations on what was good and what to avoid.
The most pertinent part about my new box-mate, however, is what he's like as a person. He and his night hand are rather typical oilfield workers. They are outspoken, god-fearing, pro-military, etc. etc. etc. The day hand would probably take pride in calling himself a "redneck" and the night hand is very Cajun (so he probably calls himself a "coon-ass"). Within a few hours of meeting them, they had already made it quite clear that they detest Obama and they think Hilary is the "antichrist". This is after they have determined, through such direct methods I could not avoid it, that I voted for Hilary in the primaries and Obama in the nationals. Since then, I have been subjected to numerous tirades on how both Clinton and Bush screwed up (they gave a rather balanced argument on this, fortunately), on America's military prerogative towards the rest of the world, on how France is "our enemy" (sorry Monique! suffice to say I don't agree), on the situation in Israel, and many other things in that vein.
In a nutshell: they have very strong opinions which they like to express. A lot. I have rather flexible opinions (and some very strong ones) which I prefer to keep to myself and only share with those I love and trust. So I do what any diplomatic person does: I nod and smile, express my agreement with them where it occurs, and take everything else with a grain of salt.
It should be interesting to see what kind of conversations occur when my night hand comes on shift, because he's a muslim and therefore anti-Israel. This directional driller I have been working alongside is Christian, and believes that the people of Israel have a God-given right to live there. I hope when those sparks fly I am looong gone.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
A New Theme!
I seem to have developed a secondary theme in my writings, so I have renamed my blog from "Life in Oil World" to "Vegetable Oil". It seems a much more appropriate title to describe the dual nature of my main subjects these days, and I can only assume that it will continue as such.
Ahhhh... the things one discovers when one free's one's own voice.
Ahhhh... the things one discovers when one free's one's own voice.
Bet you didn't see that one coming...
... my New Year's resolution is to eat more vegetables. Wish me luck, ha!
I celebrated with a set of noisemakers I brought to the rig with me. I gave one to the night hand, who enjoyed it around the turn of the clock. I, however, was sleeping, so I enjoyed mine throughout the day in the solitude of my logging unit (my tiny steel box of an office).
I learned from wikipedia today that collard greens are a traditional New Year's Day food when they are served with cornbread and black-eyed peas. They meant to bring wealth in the coming year because they supposedly look like folded money. Lucky me, I had them with lunch and will probably have them with dinner too!
I celebrated with a set of noisemakers I brought to the rig with me. I gave one to the night hand, who enjoyed it around the turn of the clock. I, however, was sleeping, so I enjoyed mine throughout the day in the solitude of my logging unit (my tiny steel box of an office).
I learned from wikipedia today that collard greens are a traditional New Year's Day food when they are served with cornbread and black-eyed peas. They meant to bring wealth in the coming year because they supposedly look like folded money. Lucky me, I had them with lunch and will probably have them with dinner too!
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