Bunga Orkid Lifting, FSO

My journey begins..
In ERL to KLIA

Its becoming a must now to have a visit to the offshore when involving with Operations world. I went to Labuan Crude Oil Terminal (LCOT) already. Now, at the minutes I'm texting this. I am on the crude vessel for crude lifting for 3 days starting tomorrow.

What a life ! A 360% turn. No turning back, this is my journey now.

on the heli deck, far behind me is one of our platform

Day 1 (26 May 2013), from KL flight, my flight delayed till 1045am from 10.30 (15 mins pun kecoh !) and reached Kota Baru at 1145am. From the airport we, Zali, lifting surveyor & I straight to the Westar hanger where our chopper was located.

We changed to wear the coverall before check-in. A little nervous... But that was gone once I met all the crew member. The faces that I never knew but yet they are so friendly and helpful. I was the only lady on board. After the Heli safety briefing we went to the hanger and take off to Bunga Orkid.

Ocean view from Heli, no word can describe..

We were welcome by the crew once touched the helideck at Bunga Orkid. Then again another safety briefing on board for vessel related. Before our lifting meeting at 5pm, Zali get me tour around the vessel from the kitchen up to the roof. But limited to the accomodation area only as outside these areas, PPE has to be worn.

The food on board, the only word to describe was fantastic. Our cook was a Muslim Thailand and the food all Halal. The meals served 7 times a day. We have local and Vietnam diet as we here work with Viet worker as well. The Kiblat direction keeps changing but My solat compass from my note was so useful. I easily get my Kiblah directions. 

from my room view

Before going to sleep we tried to watch TV but the Astro point keeps changing, bored with it we then back to the cabin.

No activity today.

Day 2,

Started 5.24am when the alarm woke me up. 6.45am going down for breakfast and 730am we assembly for the lifting briefing. The job started with gauging the tanks followed by taking the samples and the lab job for BSW. 

While waiting for the lab result, I again continue my tour visit to the other part of the vessel. I just refused to enter the engine room. Hot and big. The vessel has 8 floors all together, if not mistake. 

Other activities were... I witnessed the mooring, connecting the host and watched them doing the shooting rocket to the customer tanker. Interesting but tired. Whatever it was... The foods were the most interesting part for me. Part of the menu on my 2nd day was Laksa Penang. WALAWEIIII 8 stars lah !...

My Fav..

part of lunch

Day 3rd
The morning activity started with the luxury breakfast for me but actually it was the common things on this FSO. Once the breakfast done, we then moved to the site. 

Lifting was still in progress, anticipate the completion timing will be at 11.30am. While waiting, we were witnessing the BSW as per yesterday process. Capturing the moment with photos around the vessel was a must and this time photo taken was legal as I was given photo taken permit by the Captain. 

The crew and everybody on board were so gracious to me.

When the  lifting has done, Zali and the surveyor were preparing the documentations and handed to the agent. We sold 300k barrel of crude... Alhamdulillah.

We then continued with lunch.. eat again... so nice working here. The cuisine of the day is chili crab, daging masak lemak, ikan semilang sambal etc with some more other cuisine and vegetables.

Afternoon tea break was Roti Arab and vietnam spring roll. Learning some skill in filling in the data for lifting. Our meter measurement will always not tally as per the tank gauging. The meter reading will always lesser. That the note... hek hekk..

Once everything was done, the buyer will audit at their part and compare the amount of the lifting. The measurement on the buyer side always lesser than ours. Lagi... why our tank showed higher !! Ketidakadilan yang aku rasa.

The FSO lifting process is different with the lifting in Labuan. We are using Shell as mediator from terminal to the tanker. One more thing in Labuan to be enhanced, they suppose to have document transmittal.
This is a note too hek hekk

part of dinner

Day 4rd
My last day here. Breakfast as a King as always as it part of life here. Getting to know everybody on board already. Last night the cook chef Budiman served Lamb chop. Morning chef Pak Lah just know we will take off this morning... Some grapes were presented to me...

Chopper landing around 1030am.. Then we flew to Kota Baru airport. Done some shopping at Pasar Siti Khadijah... Nothing else just batik things related....

Short note for my visit here is... Knowledgeable and fantastic experience!

Zali and one of the crew

Outside the main deck

My room

movement board

my laundry, ready in 45mins

hehe killing time..
tipu tipu... photo purposes jew

part of the panel

the tanker.
see.. we are sending something in the plastic bag. this how they sending things

more and more foods served

part of the crew

There are lots of pictures but can put all in here...