As I'm down with the flu (along with the rest in Miri) and my general inability to comprehend anything to do with equations worsen, I sat at my desk with google as my yellow brick road and started my little adventure. As life would have it, I was back to reality reading articles on Young Professionals in the oil industry.
Within the company, most of the people I've met are your average Malaysian from very Malaysian backgrounds, ie. they like to know what you're doing, how much you're earning and if you're actually seeing sombody. Within this last 7 days, I've been told more than I could count that I should think of getting married. Porque?
Digressing back to the original point here, yet on the other hand there are always that handful of overachievers jumping from one country to another, living on a nomadic time schedule, from rig to platform and another 2 weeks somewhere else (the typical Malaysian would just stay at home and count their allowances) like Tahiti.
As much as we'd like to think of the oil industry as fast paced, technologically packed and as manic as it gets, environmentally distructive, massive machines, high powered political wrangling and damn petrol prices, that's not quite the whole truth.
"I really hate to be the pioneer, that'll mean if all fails my head will be the first on the block"
As singular personel, the phrase "who dares wins" doesn't really hold true. Truth to be told, there's a lot to lose when a multi million dollar line is lost. Failure is compounded each day and well, someone has to pay eventually. In various light, the oil industry does seem archaic at times, a little slow to react with each action having wider implications as it progresses up each level.
Yet, on the other hand... there's just so much to learn. It's a different world where things exist both in water and on land, compromises made and when it comes down to the buck, the job has to be done. Materials used here are exotic at times (only other time I heard about Inconel was in a McLaren F1 roadcar engine bay). Now things are moving deepwater which is a totally different ball game. The structures are different, the parameters are different and how it affects the design remains generally new. Who knew welding could be so complicated, and that sea bed mapping can be so tedious and crucial.
Hanging on a basket 10m in the air and hoping the crane operator doesn't make a mistake or a sudden gust of wind is pretty scary (and that's just training, I've not even gone offshore yet). Strange, how I look back 10 years ago and decided energy, weapons and vehicles were the places to be.
If the new CEO is right "play big money, big technology" it's going to be an interesting ride, hopefully. As for me, payday's just arrived and yes, there's a streak of the boring ol' Malaysian lurking in the corner.
I do apologize that this post seemed to snake all around the place. I blame the 4 kinds of drugs I'm on to sort out the cold.
Cheers!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Still Life
-Mont Blanc Individuel-
-Cigars go chop chop-
-Issey, every Tom, Dick and hairy has one... yes, hairy-
-Cufflinks-
One rainy Sunday afternoon... with a 50mm lens
Carte Blanche, well... or something like it
The only thing about working in a technical directorate is the fact that there is lots of emphasis on TECHNICAL. It's not the same as the projects guys upstairs with their contractor chasing routine and the rest of the lot doing whatever they do.
It's been 4 months into the job, still a thorough nube around the office, with notes and books piled high in an endeavour to disect and assimilate one's self with the issues of welding and whatever else Materials and Corrosion is all about. You'd be surprised at how much there is to know and argue about when it comes to rust. Believe me, it's worth all that talk... something around the tune of 276 billion dollars a year is lost to corrosion (not just rust, but close).
However, I digress back to my original point that when one is 4 months into the job and still trying to keep that head above water, it's not funny when a much senior person, say with about 25 years experience asks this nube for an honest opinion on the course of action, and expects a valid answer.
IT FREAKS ME OUT!
WIth 14 million dollars in the pipes (quite literally, and that's small btw) you'd hope these guys know what they're doing. If anything goes... well, it wasn't me!
It's been 4 months into the job, still a thorough nube around the office, with notes and books piled high in an endeavour to disect and assimilate one's self with the issues of welding and whatever else Materials and Corrosion is all about. You'd be surprised at how much there is to know and argue about when it comes to rust. Believe me, it's worth all that talk... something around the tune of 276 billion dollars a year is lost to corrosion (not just rust, but close).
However, I digress back to my original point that when one is 4 months into the job and still trying to keep that head above water, it's not funny when a much senior person, say with about 25 years experience asks this nube for an honest opinion on the course of action, and expects a valid answer.
IT FREAKS ME OUT!
WIth 14 million dollars in the pipes (quite literally, and that's small btw) you'd hope these guys know what they're doing. If anything goes... well, it wasn't me!
Friday, January 05, 2007
Levitational Essence
Listening to:Yes It's True, Taxi
Thinking of:
Sat on the tarmac, gleaming silver body curved purpose built yet gently aggressive. A friendly giant it seems… carry me home, or miles through the wilderness. Droplets of water on the pane, like silent tears echoing the sentiment of the lone passenger, across the oceans to the embrace of familiarity whatever that entails.
A short burst and with wheels rolling at pace, one’s back forced back onto the chair. One, two no three and we’re in the air, a journey towards the clouds, like humanity extending to touch the face of God. Is it any surprise how Icarus fell for the trappings of flight, to soar. Is it any wonder why men have envied their feathered counterparts, copied ever so diligently their motions to gain a temporary respite from the grips of the laws governing earth bound denizens.
Exhilaration, anticipation, fears and awe encapsulated in one moment. To the horizon, one told Pegasus, so henceforth we move from this land onwards towards the rising sun, the horizon to different territories. Flight may be spoilt by the masses but its magic is only a scratch below the surface.
Thinking of:
Sat on the tarmac, gleaming silver body curved purpose built yet gently aggressive. A friendly giant it seems… carry me home, or miles through the wilderness. Droplets of water on the pane, like silent tears echoing the sentiment of the lone passenger, across the oceans to the embrace of familiarity whatever that entails.
A short burst and with wheels rolling at pace, one’s back forced back onto the chair. One, two no three and we’re in the air, a journey towards the clouds, like humanity extending to touch the face of God. Is it any surprise how Icarus fell for the trappings of flight, to soar. Is it any wonder why men have envied their feathered counterparts, copied ever so diligently their motions to gain a temporary respite from the grips of the laws governing earth bound denizens.
Exhilaration, anticipation, fears and awe encapsulated in one moment. To the horizon, one told Pegasus, so henceforth we move from this land onwards towards the rising sun, the horizon to different territories. Flight may be spoilt by the masses but its magic is only a scratch below the surface.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Just a week
Listening to:
Thinking of:
A few hours to the light of day, my bags on the floor. The moment my head touched the pillow, just that brief moment rekindled a familiar feeling. I knew then, I was home.
Essentially it's been a less kinetical holiday than I had expected, which is not a bad thing. It's endowed me to spend time with the fuzzy buddy (Barkley) and a less severe hangover being back in Miri.
It seems rather sudden, the need to morph back into work, though it has to be said the day has been rather kind to me without needing to charge in at full blast.
Anyways, just a short update.
Cheerio
Thinking of:
A few hours to the light of day, my bags on the floor. The moment my head touched the pillow, just that brief moment rekindled a familiar feeling. I knew then, I was home.
Essentially it's been a less kinetical holiday than I had expected, which is not a bad thing. It's endowed me to spend time with the fuzzy buddy (Barkley) and a less severe hangover being back in Miri.
It seems rather sudden, the need to morph back into work, though it has to be said the day has been rather kind to me without needing to charge in at full blast.
Anyways, just a short update.
Cheerio
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)