Drilling Operations in the Soviet Union
Dec 3, 2020 15:19:33 #
Not too long after taking over as Vice President of Marketing for a Houston company that manufactured drilling instruments, I was approached by an individual who both refused to disclose who employed him, his purpose and I am certain was using an alias.
This occurred during the Offshore Technology Conference held every year in Houston and is attended by people involved in drilling wells all over the World. Each evening after the day’s conference closed, the many different oil companies were hosting hospitality suites. These are quite famous, and no late entry has a chance of finding any room, suite, or other accommodation available, since the old-line companies have already reserved every available space into eternity.
So, the alternative was to visit these hospitality suites and rub shoulders with all the World’s drilling, production, and exploration crowd. You were never certain just how you would bump into, but you could be certain there would be an interesting assortment: from Greece, Greenland, or the Orient. One engineer I enjoyed visiting with was from Denmark and spoke four different languages fluently. I could not help but ask him how he had learned so many and so fluently? He replied that his country of birth was so small, he felt he had to do so as a matter of defense.
Well, at one of these evenings and my visiting a number of different venues, I happened to find myself engaged with an unusual chap who was at first seemed to be trying to recruit me for some seemingly strange arraignment working for a foreign corporation I had never heard of but was based at the Hague in the Netherlands.
While I really wasn’t interested in any foreign assignment, his mention of such a lucrative salary and bonus were attractive. Since we both had several drinks, I told him that I wasn’t really interested, but to come around my company’s booth in the next day or two and we would talk some more during the day when we were both sober and clear headed.
While he indicated he was representing a foreign oil company, his base of operations and his accent both caused me to have some suspicions about the entire enterprise and what he was really after and the true intentions of my involvement. Well, he did come by the next day, but wanted to meet some place more discreet to discuss the details of his job offer. Since I felt that I would be recognized at the OTC meeting, I suggested we have dinner at a place of less likely attendance for our meeting and where we could talk freely.
The next evening, we met at a small local restaurant that was unlikely to have been on the radar of the OTC crowd to discuss what he was offering and wanted me to do. It turned out that there was an assignment to have someone go to Soviet Russia and assay their drilling activities, particularly in one remote area. I told him that I was neither a petroleum engineer nor had a lot of experience in this area. He replied that I had the credentials of exactly what they needed and would be able to travel there without suspicion of the KGB, or any other agency.
Well, to make this a shorter story, I find myself flying first class to Moscow, and then by Aeroflot to a remote and scarcely populated area in Mongolia. I had taken the precautions to acquire adequate artic clothing and was glad I did.
I immediately saw that what they were using was quite primitive and in many cases just “make-do” in every way. The biggest problem was they did not have any adequate method of well control of bottom hole pressure. It was clear their drilling could have a “kick” at any time, and they were in no position to control that well from exploding to the surface and injuring or killing the crew and burning for weeks!
So, without trying to get to direct, or taking charge, I made several suggestions, such as they needed to be more careful and increase the weight of the drilling mud pumped down hole which would in turn hold the bottom gas pressure at the bottom. It wasn’t 30 minutes before this rig we were visiting began to show signs of take a kick. I said if they didn’t immediately get their mud much heavier, they were going to lose this rig, well, and everything around it.
Since their method of adding mud was also primitive, they ordered several roughnecks to jump into the pits and to jump up and down to mix the Bentonite more rapidly with the existing mud in the pit. I must have been crazy, but I decided to help them and joined the men in the mud pits
We were about up to our armpits in mud, jumping up and down, laughing and getting covered with this thick goo, but it did seem to work, and the added weight of this mixture saved the well from taking a kick. I’m not sure my efforts did much difference, but it did add to the morale of the crew there since I was willing to help.
Well, within a week, I returned to the States and submitted my report. I never learned whether what I had seen and reported made any difference, all of which was confidential. But I did win over the friendship of the crew there in the remote area since none of their management was willing to join them in the mud. Just Sayin…RJS
This occurred during the Offshore Technology Conference held every year in Houston and is attended by people involved in drilling wells all over the World. Each evening after the day’s conference closed, the many different oil companies were hosting hospitality suites. These are quite famous, and no late entry has a chance of finding any room, suite, or other accommodation available, since the old-line companies have already reserved every available space into eternity.
So, the alternative was to visit these hospitality suites and rub shoulders with all the World’s drilling, production, and exploration crowd. You were never certain just how you would bump into, but you could be certain there would be an interesting assortment: from Greece, Greenland, or the Orient. One engineer I enjoyed visiting with was from Denmark and spoke four different languages fluently. I could not help but ask him how he had learned so many and so fluently? He replied that his country of birth was so small, he felt he had to do so as a matter of defense.
Well, at one of these evenings and my visiting a number of different venues, I happened to find myself engaged with an unusual chap who was at first seemed to be trying to recruit me for some seemingly strange arraignment working for a foreign corporation I had never heard of but was based at the Hague in the Netherlands.
While I really wasn’t interested in any foreign assignment, his mention of such a lucrative salary and bonus were attractive. Since we both had several drinks, I told him that I wasn’t really interested, but to come around my company’s booth in the next day or two and we would talk some more during the day when we were both sober and clear headed.
While he indicated he was representing a foreign oil company, his base of operations and his accent both caused me to have some suspicions about the entire enterprise and what he was really after and the true intentions of my involvement. Well, he did come by the next day, but wanted to meet some place more discreet to discuss the details of his job offer. Since I felt that I would be recognized at the OTC meeting, I suggested we have dinner at a place of less likely attendance for our meeting and where we could talk freely.
The next evening, we met at a small local restaurant that was unlikely to have been on the radar of the OTC crowd to discuss what he was offering and wanted me to do. It turned out that there was an assignment to have someone go to Soviet Russia and assay their drilling activities, particularly in one remote area. I told him that I was neither a petroleum engineer nor had a lot of experience in this area. He replied that I had the credentials of exactly what they needed and would be able to travel there without suspicion of the KGB, or any other agency.
Well, to make this a shorter story, I find myself flying first class to Moscow, and then by Aeroflot to a remote and scarcely populated area in Mongolia. I had taken the precautions to acquire adequate artic clothing and was glad I did.
I immediately saw that what they were using was quite primitive and in many cases just “make-do” in every way. The biggest problem was they did not have any adequate method of well control of bottom hole pressure. It was clear their drilling could have a “kick” at any time, and they were in no position to control that well from exploding to the surface and injuring or killing the crew and burning for weeks!
So, without trying to get to direct, or taking charge, I made several suggestions, such as they needed to be more careful and increase the weight of the drilling mud pumped down hole which would in turn hold the bottom gas pressure at the bottom. It wasn’t 30 minutes before this rig we were visiting began to show signs of take a kick. I said if they didn’t immediately get their mud much heavier, they were going to lose this rig, well, and everything around it.
Since their method of adding mud was also primitive, they ordered several roughnecks to jump into the pits and to jump up and down to mix the Bentonite more rapidly with the existing mud in the pit. I must have been crazy, but I decided to help them and joined the men in the mud pits
We were about up to our armpits in mud, jumping up and down, laughing and getting covered with this thick goo, but it did seem to work, and the added weight of this mixture saved the well from taking a kick. I’m not sure my efforts did much difference, but it did add to the morale of the crew there since I was willing to help.
Well, within a week, I returned to the States and submitted my report. I never learned whether what I had seen and reported made any difference, all of which was confidential. But I did win over the friendship of the crew there in the remote area since none of their management was willing to join them in the mud. Just Sayin…RJS
Dec 3, 2020 18:26:30 #
Robert J Samples wrote:
Not too long after taking over as Vice President o... (show quote)
What kind of inducement did they pay you to go?
Dec 3, 2020 18:29:04 #
Kerry: did you feel some gentle tugging on your leg? Just Sayin....RJS
Dec 3, 2020 19:22:31 #
Dec 3, 2020 19:43:06 #
Well, the whole world was taught how to drill for oil by the men from Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, and maybe from Arkansas. In the early days, men would go to the rig in suits. When they got to the rig, they would change into work clothes and work their shift. Only later did they ge the reputation of drunks, and riff raff, and such. I hae known both kinds. Having lived in Houston for over 30 years, I have met some of the famous, and infamous people who were early wildcatters. So pulling one's leg is a frequent event. Just Sayin...RJS
Dec 5, 2020 00:03:59 #
Mauwehu
Loc: Norwalk Ct
Not surprised RJ.....You’ve been slinging mud for years and it still sticks cause everyone believes you.
Dec 5, 2020 02:17:50 #
Dec 5, 2020 07:52:03 #
Dec 5, 2020 13:16:43 #
Mauwehu: Well, you might have read in one of my posts that just by chance, I missed my political calling. Upon graduation, since I had been an officer in the young Democratic party on campus, I got an invitation to come down to a BBQ at Landslide Lyndon Johnson's ranch. I had responded that I would attend, but then I got orders from the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force to report for active duty and had to sent a letter and decline my acceptance.
One of my classmates from University of North Texas was Bill Moyer, who did go and became Johnson's press secretary. I never had the skills that Bill had, but am sure thart Johnson could have found something for me to do.
After I began working full time and paying taxes, I switched parties and became a life long Republican, and am still to this day.
But thanks for the compliment, I think! Just Sayin....RJS
One of my classmates from University of North Texas was Bill Moyer, who did go and became Johnson's press secretary. I never had the skills that Bill had, but am sure thart Johnson could have found something for me to do.
After I began working full time and paying taxes, I switched parties and became a life long Republican, and am still to this day.
But thanks for the compliment, I think! Just Sayin....RJS
Dec 5, 2020 18:04:51 #
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.