70 mph winds

70 mph winds = no work getting done right now. The wind is too strong to operate anything in the derrick, so now we play the waiting game.

Oilfield Drilling Basics

As the title implies, this is a list of necessities when drilling:

• Hardhat
• Safety glasses
• Article of FRC (fire retardant clothing) with a nickname or some type of altered name aside from that on your birth certificate (Michael = Mike, Jeroen = jeroen [notice the lowercase], Russell = Russ, Dave = Spud)
• Willie Nelson and/or Hank Williams Sr. playing at all times. Best to not play at the same time as the awesomeness can overwhelm the weak of heart

That's it.

Week 3 update from Steelhead

Hey there readers,

We have hit some tougher formations recently, so things have slowed down allowing me to catch up on the important things in life (fantasy football, personal email, this blog, etc...).

I'm proud to say that everyone involved with this project is performing admirably and we have yet to have an injury on board. Now that I'm done with that recognition, I'll get to the more interesting parts of life out here.

The oilfield is interesting not because of the work that we do (which is, don't get me wrong), but because of the people that occupy various positions. Some are drag racers that know the local judges so well that they (the judges) call the crew member by their nicknames, others are paranoid about martial law being imposed in Alaska and buy property based on its defend-ability.

Anyways, I need to get back to the grind.

Ahoy there

Ahoy readers,

Today marks my first week on the illustrious Steelhead Platform in the Cook Inlet of Alaska. We are currently drilling ahead, and things have gone relatively smooth thus far (knock on wood and what not). Drilling out here is challenging primarily due to the logistics of everything, but it's still fun.

This client is running tools that I have not had the opportunity to run regularly or ever, making this a challenging well and one to hone my skills on some new tools.

Life on an offshore platform is like going to summer camp, but you get paid and you drill/process hydrocarbons instead. This particular platform burned down after taking a gas bubble in 1987, so it has a more recently redone living quarters than the surrounding platforms. The rooms have 4 beds, each with a privacy curtain (oh boy!). It's similar to living in a fraternity house or college dormitory. The bathrooms are community, but cleaned daily. Overall the housing and food are better than the rigs I stayed on at the slope, aside from having to share a room with multiple people.

I'm going to try to snap a few photos later on. Adios.