Jakarta - Pangkal Pinang - Platform

On 1st April it was crew change for me. As you know, I am working at Offshore and have 2 weeks on-duty and 2 weeks off-duty.

I arrived at Halim Perdana Kusumah airport around 4:30. Like usual after check in, I went to mosque to get dawn prayer. After that, I went to departing room at 5:30.

In the departing room I was waiting for almost 1 hour before boarding. The plane which was a Fokker 50 was taking of around 6 o’clock in the morning. In this flight I got seat in the middle of the right side. I can see the landing gear clearly.

In the first minutes the fly was like usual, after the plane reach 1000 feet the stewardess announced us that we can take off our seat belt but it recommended fastening it all the time during the flight.

Not for long after the announcement, I saw the landing gear went down and then up again. At around 7 o’clock the captain announced us that the plane had problem. The captain explained that there was a crack at the cockpit window and all of us had to go back to Halim Perdana Kusumah Airport.

The plane was landing safely at 7:30. After landed we instructed by the ground staff to wait in departing room and get some breakfast.

We eat the plane food for breakfast, hmmm is not so delicious but it’s free he he he.

After eat the ground staff announced us that we were going to use smaller plane and we had to wait for a wail for they to transfer our baggage to the new plane. The plane is Skyvan. The Skyvan is a 19-seater twin turboprop aircraft manufactured by Short Brothers at the time Short Brothers & Harland Ltd and used mainly for short-haul freight and skydiving.

At around 8:45 we were asked to board the plane. We take off around 9 o’clock.

After almost 1 hour the stewardess announced ask that we can take off the seat belt. Pffffff it taken so long, because the first plane only take about 10 minutes before we can take off the seat belt.

We arrived at Pangkal Pinang Airport around 11 o’clock. We all were asked to go to departure hall for waiting the plane for refueling.

After wait for about 30 minutes, we were asked to boarding. It’s almost 12 o’clock when we take off.

There was taken about 2 hours to get to Matak Airport. We arrived at Matak Airport around thirty pas two.

After take helicopter safety briefing we were boarding to chopper. We arrived at Platform around 3 o’clock

Becoming A Star: The Spirit of 2006

In the first quarter of 2006, my company held an Employee Dinner. Not like other events that my company held almost each year, this time held in Jakarta. Before this, it usually held outside the J-town.

The event took place in Assembly Hall JCC on Saturday February 25^th 2006 from 18:00 till 23:00.

This year event has a theme “Becoming a Star: The Spirit of 2006. The theme “Becoming a Star” was chosen because everybody who attends tonight should feel like a star.

There were some prizes to win and a lot of door prizes. To win a prize you should wear movie character costumes.

Not all employees wearing costumes. The ones that have a good appearance with the costumes they wear will get a prize. There was three categories will be announce to get prizes. First category was individual, second was a couple, and third was a group who wears great and has good appearance.

I arrived at assembly hall about 20:00 o’clock that was because first I have to go to my friend‘s wedding receptions at Masjid MPR/DPR RI.

When I arrived there was COPI Dancer performed on the stage. There will be many singers and band will perform in this event. The singers are Dewi Sandra and Ike Nurjanah and for the band is ADA Band! For the MC’s there was a Nico Siahaan and Ivy Batuta.

In the assembly hall each employee can sit on round table like in a restaurant in a hotel. There was so many kind of food from Indonesian traditional food like soto and International food like steak.

Before get inside the assembly hall, all have to registrant in the front desk. There was a gate with banner becoming a star attached to it before going to front desk. After front desk they will be fortune teller kiosk. You may ask about your romance, lucky and so on. There also a photo booth. All employee may get they photograph with becoming a star banner as a background by talented photographer.

There were other both besides those two which was a tattoo booth. Yes a tattoo both. But not tattoo that use a needle. This tattoo is not a permanent one. There is only a picture that was drew by a tattoo artist using special ink, that will last on your skin for about 30 days.

Now back to the assembly hall. In the assembly hall there is a big stage for about 30 x 15 meters with full of music instruments. In the left and right of the stage there was a big screen. And in the back corner there were two television installed. All big screen and the television broadcast all that happened on the stage.

Ike Nurjanah in Action!

It already nine o’clock when Ike Nurjanah get on stage. She was wearing a lonk dress with gold color.

As we know she a dangdut singer. She sang four songs if I not mistaken. One of the songs was “Terlena”.

When Ike sang there were a lot of people did a dangdut dance. It has special movement which is the dancer usually show they both thumb ups when they dance.

There also duet session, which employee can sing with Ike. It pike from the employee who can sing a dangdut song.

After singing Ike Nurjanah with Nico Siahaan and Ivy Batuta give some door prizes to person who wins.

When she sang she also gets off from the stage and go to the crowd. This time I take my chance to get close look on her. She is not so tall indeed like in television that I’ve watch before. I get a lot a picture of her but I can not upload to this blog all because it will slowdown when someone opening my blog.

Dewi Sandra and the Dancer

Dewi Sandra sang with her dancers danced behind her. She was wearing white costume as well as the dancers. She looks prettier than when you see her in television.

She also sang with one of the employee.

ADA Band!

The last artist performed in this event was Ada Band! The band sang all their hits song in their latest album.

Like two artist before there was an employee also sang with the vocalist.

Delayed Flight: Matak to Jakarta

On Saturday February 18, 2006 was the crew change day. After morning meeting around seven o'clock, like ordinary crew change day I prepared my baggage. Usually I fill my bag with one pair clothes. The clothes is for the preparation if just in case a bad weather in the middle of journey to Jakarta and the flight have to have diverted to other destination and have to stay one night there.

After half hour passed preparing my bag, I went to helicopter lounge to weight my self and my baggage. I weight 138 lbs (usually 134 lbs) and my baggage weight 10 lbs. Then I labeled my baggage like ordinary baggage label that can be found in each airport.

After that I worked on my report for my superior and my back to back. There quite a lot of work this trip but it is OK I can handle it very wellJ.

It was nine o’clock when I have finished my reports. “Hmm it’s time to get a coffee break”, I said to my self. Then I go to galley to take some bread.

When waiting for helicopter arrival, I played Play Station 2 with my friends. Not take so long I had to attend safety briefing before aboard to helicopter. Then we waited for the helicopter arrives.

It was almost ten thirty when I and the others take of for Matak Island. It took half hour to reach Matak.

After flew for half hour we arrived at Matak Island and all passenger went to arrival lounge and waited for they baggage offload from the helicopter.

When we got our baggage then I and the others go to security to get the baggage checked. After that I went to check in counter. In the check in counter I had been told that the flight would be change to around two o’clock and I and the rest had been asked to take lunch in the canteen first.

Ordinary when we arrived at Matak Island at eleven it will not take so long after we check in, all passengers who will be going back to Jakarta will be asked to board the plane. I asked to the dispatcher why the flight schedule has been changed; he told that we were waiting for passenger from the Rig.

After took lunch and finished noon prayer, I and my friends backed to waiting room for boarding.

It was two pm when we boarding and the plane took off around two twenty pm.

We arrived at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport at five o’clock. It was clear sky when we landed so different with the day before.

That my experience when the flight was delayed for 2 hours.

A Day at Platform

An activity starts 5 o’clock when hang Tuah crew one by one wake up. Each going into bath room for cleans and freshens up. After take shower I get my sajjadah for dawn prayer. In Hang Tuah someone can pray in their room either in musholla. Finish praying, dinning room will be full of crew for taking breakfast. All crew who wake up in the morning will not drop the chance to take breakfast. Why? Becouse of the menu! There are so many menus you can choose, bread, green bean with black sticky rice, milk, and fried rice. Some times also served “nasi uduk” and “ketupat sayur”. For someone who like to smoke, they will go to smoking room after breakfast, to get some tar and nicotine flow inside their neck.

Approach six o’clock in the morning, all crew will go to meeting room for morning and tool box meeting. In the meeting we evaluate all activities from yesterday, do some coordination to do a job plans. Usually this meeting will take one to one and one half hours. The unique think from this meeting, we in Hang Tuah always the meeting with stretching! Yes stretching, like stretching before us going for the exercise. And last but not least we also toast after the stretching. After meeting finished all crew go for their works that have planned before.

Reach 9 o’clock in the morning, all works will stop and all crew will take a first coffee break. The menu for coffee break also very delicious and various, such us roasted bread with various jam that can be choice which is vanilla, strawberry, peanuts, and so on. But the main menu for this coffee break is “indomie” with hotdog, egg, “krupuk” and vegetables.

After break all back to work again, continue for their target. For operators, they should maintain the export to give customer demand fulfill. For maintenance team, they will do preventive maintenance and troubleshoot equipment that not working properly if occurred. All crew is working till twelve o’clock. Then all go to changing room to prepare for lunch. For lunch, the menu so various such today us, fried chicken, stir fried vegetables, and sup. For dessert there is papaya, pie, and all others cookies, also ice cream! “Nyam … nyam …. How Delicious.

After lunch, for smokers they will continue to smoking room and watch TV. Others will have chit-chat about the work or other topics or they go to their rooms to take a nap. Yes a nap, you can do that until one o’clock before start to work again.

After wake up from a sleep and get noon prayer all continue their work again. This time I am continuing my job by checking, PLC and SCADA system. It should be check to ensure all data and communication are running very well. Teng… teng… teng, it’s already three o’clock afternoon. It’s time for second coffee break.

On the second coffee break the cook served bread with hotdog inside and fried banana. I prefer to take a fried banana, get some roasted bread peanuts jam, and ssssrrlup… warm tea. After take afternoon prayer activities continue. This time the activities already slow down, almost all work had been finished. Also this day there would be a presentation from doctor about personal protective equipment that support for healthiness.

The presentation last till six o’clock in the afternoon. It’s time for dinner! Hmmm the main course for dinner is sirloin steak. After taking dinner I go to musholla for set prayer with others, and then go to my room for take shower.

Then after all crew have freshen up there is a presentation again. This time from office employee give us presentation about sustainable development. We also gather in meeting room for this presentation. This presentation takes one hour.

After the presentation it’s time for each to spend their own time by their interest. I prefer to watch on television. Hey there TROY movie is played. I haven’t seen this movie. Then I watched the movie for about one and half hour.

After watched the movie, I logged in to a PC to read email and make some report that and this and made some plans for works tomorrow. Uupss… it’s already eleven o’clock near midnight. So, I did Isya’ prayer then went to sleep. Zzz… zzz…zzz.

Hang Tuah, 20 November 2005

The Owl

Like ordinary day in Hang Tuah when all personnel doing their works, some folks suddenly approach me and then he told me that he saw an owl in platform, at glycol re-boiler skid exactly. With full of curiosity in my head, me and my friend go outside to where the bird seen before.

When arrived at the location, I saw an owl with mixed brown-white feather stand at a manual block valve. The owl itself approximately has thirty centimeters tall. For information, this has not happened before. Me and my friend got wonder, where this owl came from. Actually there so many birds have come here but not this kind of bird, an owl. Usually only sea bird from nearest coast of Natuna Islands arrived here for taking a rest before they continue they journey.

“I think it would be nice if we documented the owl by taking its picture”, I suggested to my friend. He Agreed, he said. Then I went back to Living Quarters to get digital camera.

I took the picture from different distance and angle. The closes distance between us and the owl was 1 meter. When we move around the owl his face always follow us. It’s amazing that the owl can turn his head almost 360 degrees.

After taking picture I downloaded the picture and published in this blog. I wonder what other kind of bird will come to the platform.

Hang Tuah, 18 November 2005

Diving Ship Vessel Near Platform

DSV or Diving Ship Vessel is a ship that special for diving activities in deep sea. Usually it could accommodate for diving job that reach a sea dept 100 to 150 meters.

DSV is equipped with pressurized chamber. Pressure in the chamber can be control as a desire. This chamber used by divers to adapt with dept sea environment which have high pressure environment.

So if there is a diving job activity in dept sea, the divers first have to lockdown in the chamber, then pressure in side chamber will be increase step by step to the level where they going to dive. If they want to do a job in 100 meters sea dept the pressure inside the chamber have to increase to the same pressure as pressure in 100 meters sea dept slowly without endanger the diver live inside. It could be take a week to reach a desire pressure.

After the pressure has reaches the desire level, the divers inside the chamber could dive to desire level of sea dept as planned.

Before diving activities start, the chamber will be drowned into the sea until reach a desire dept e.g. 100 meters. After arrived in such dept, the chamber door may be open and divers can go out to open sea dept and do they task. Can you imagine how difficult those tasks, but don’t worry the have been trained very well.

When the picture taken, the DSV have a job near field that I on boarded for installation new subsea wells. The divers have tasks to install subsea control unit for each new wells.

To go to surface, divers back to chamber. After that, chamber will be rig up to the surface. Like when they enter the chamber, they have to wait go out from the chamber immediately. Why? Because the pressure different is so high and they could die if they do. So to do that, pressure inside the chamber has to decrease slowly till reach atmospheric surface pressure approximately about 1 atm. This also takes times because it needs to decrease slowly without endanger the diver inside.

When pressure reach 1 atm, divers may go outside the chamber safely.

Hang Tuah, 05 September 2005

Chopper Landed at Platform

It is very rarely chopper landed and stops for hours on Hang Tuah helideck. Usually the chopper landed just for about fifteen minutes only for crew change. Except that day, there is a visit from office employees who want to observe field condition for couple hours. The visitor didn’t stay for a night so the chopper had to wait for them. So while the chopper still on helideck for a while, I took a chance to take some picture with helicopter as a background of course.

This chopper is one of four choppers that service for crew change from Matak Island to oil and gas field near this island. It takes for about thirty to forty minutes to get to each field from the island. If you have a chance as mine to flight with the chopper in this area, you will see others small even tiny islands spread in this region. After fifteen minutes flew from Matak Island, there will be so many cargo ships, fishing boats, and some times cruising ships like Star Cruise Virgo. (Hmm when can I onboard that ship, I wonder!)

For many times I always want to bring my camera to get some pictures from heights inside the chopper, but like I usually do, I forget to do so! But something I always do when I am in chopper is sleep, he he he. Cause before that I already took flight from Jakarta to Matak Island for almost 3 hours and I have to check in at Halim Airport not more than 5 o’clock in the morning.

But for all reason, it’s so joyful to flight with choppers. But there is also bad feeling when fly with it. It’s very bad when in the middle no where at sea the weather become unfriendly… wadu … (pronounced with Bajuri accent). When before everybody busy with they dream in their sleeping suddenly all wake up and look around to all direction. Because when the chopper enter the clouds there will be little bit shaking he he he, fuih… and sometimes you will feel your heart beat become faster.

Hang Tuah 17 March 2005