79. Find Meaningful Employment in Houston

I don't feel I can officially cross this task of my list of things to do until the current contract I have with Chevron is extended at the end of March/April (however at this point all things are leading to a positive conclusion on this topic) however I wanted to write a quick post to keep everyone updated on what I've been up to...

I've spent the last week in Midland, Texas -which has got to be the closest thing to an official oil town that I've ever seen! The area is basically the birthplace of oil in Texas (Discovered in the Permian Basin in 1923) and there is literally no other industry here except for those companies that support petroleum production!! Anywho its been a very informative and educational week, both in regard to learning the drilling and completions process of oil wells as well as more of a cultural education on what Texans are truly like - it involves pickup trucks, mexican food, sweet tea, dr pepper and country music y'all!!

Out and about on HP281 - Drilling ahead!

Location of the Rig - Winkler County, Texas

Im really enjoying my time with Drilling and Completions and have my fingers crossed it turns into something more permanent.. something I can really get my teeth into... And its wonderful to finally get some insight into Pauls industry and the type of work he does (after all I deal with Drill Site Managers now on a daily basis!) tell you what though... Paul better watch out... I'm getting uesd to all these super sweet, amazingly well mannered Texan Boys :D

49. My two new words

I've been stranded in Midland, Texas for two days now - and its cold, windy and a complete oil town! But in honour of my time in central Texas and receiving my cultural indoctrination I've decided its only fair for my two words this week to be classic Texan drawl... after all gotta assimilate to be accepted :D

Fixing'ta or Fixing to : About to do something, or get something done. Getting ready to do something. Example 'I'm fixing to go to the store'

Y'all : contradiction or informal form of the phrase 'you all' and is pronounced as one syllable ('yawl' or 'yu-awl'). It is used as a plueral second-person pronoun. Example ' Y'all can come round at 10

Oh and I have to include this!! During my training session in Midland this week I also learnt a new analogy which im guessing is an American thing... let me introduce you to the chicken and the pig (which afforded lots of laughing, in my direction when I wenth 'huh' during the training... the chicken and the pig went to breakfast... the chicken was involved but the pig was commited... can you figure it out?!?!?!

49. My Two words of the Week

Yup you guessed it... In honor of the new job, my two words this week are still oily in nature... hey if I've got to learn them for work I may as well kill two birds with one stone!!

Packer

A production packer is a standard component of the completion hardware of oil or gas wells used to provide a seal between the outside of the production tubing and the inside of the casing, liner, or wellbore wall. Based on its primary use, packers can be divided into two main categories: production packers and service packers. Production packers are those that remain in the well during well production. Service packers are used temporarily during well service activities such as cement squeezing, acidizing, fracturing and well testing.

AND

Elevators

Elevators, as developed for the drilling industry, is a hinged device with handles that are used to wrap around the tool joint of drill pipe, casing or lift nipples (for collars) to facilitate the lifting or lowering of them singly or of the drill string as a whole.

91. Read and review 100 books (2/100) People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks

‘People of the Book crosses continents and centuries to bring stories of hope amidst darkness, compassion amidst cruelty, all bound together by the discoveries made by a young Australia woman restoring an ancient Hebrew book.

When Hanna Heath gets a call in the middle of the night in her Sydney home about a precious medieval manuscript that has been recovered from the smouldering ruins of war-torn Sarajevo, she knows she is on the brink of the experience of a lifetime. A renowned book conservator, she must now make her way to Bosnia to start work on restoring the Sarajevo Haggadah – a Jewish prayer book – to discover its secrets and piece together the story of its miraculous survival. Bit the trip will also set in motion a series of events that threaten to rock Hanna’s orderly life, including her encounter with Ozren Karamen, the young librarian who risked his life to save the book’

The title of this novel encapsulates the theme behind the story perfectly – it many tales intricately woven into the main story to explain the history of the Haggadah and the many people who risked their lives to keep it safe. The penultimate message is about how diverse cultures influence and enrich one another as Jews, Muslims and Catholics  each fight to keep the Haggadah and its history safe. It didn't grab my attention right off the bat however the story was intriguing enough to keep me coming back for more as apposed to just placing the book back in the book-shelf during a very busy time in my life - I enjoyed the story, although i didnt find it riveting.. the message is relevant to today!!

86. Send a birthday card snail mail to every member of my immediate family for a year (2/10)

My two gorgeous little nephews, born 3 days apart are first off the chopping block for this task being January and February babies. Jayden, the eldest, will be 6 in the coming days and his little, somewhat insane and crazy little brother will be turning 4 a couple of days later... wow, when did these little cuties get so old?!?! Is it just me or does time really really fly!!! I guess the saying really is true, you really do notice the passage of time through the old and the young...

Meeting my first  little bubba nephew Jayden Ryan Keneally, 6 years ago.. seems like yesterday!! (2004)

My second little man - who joined us 2 year later... Wade James Keneally (2006) 

My two little rat bags - today! (Looking very impressed.. as usual!) 

So with birthdays in the near future its time to send birthday cards to fufill this part of the challenge... I had to be well prepared as of course the boys aren't quite to the point of understanding that Aunty Bee and Uncle Paul live in America SO I had to have the birthday cash saved and in reserve on the last trip back to Oz (for the wedding)... But at least I got to pick some super cute cards at home in H-Town :D

Jayden and Wade's birthday cards 2010!

I especially love the inside of Jayden's card - I guess as the boys get older they begin to understand more and more it starts to opens an entire new world of opportunity!!

The inside of Jayden's birthday card - Monster Mash!! 

Happy birthday my dear boys - you make your Aunty Bee feel older and older every year that passes.. and they do seem to pass waaaay to quickly!!! xxx

49. My Two new words of the week...

In honour of the new job... both my words this week are drilling related.. boring for you I know, but I have to learn them!!!

wireline

1.  adj.  [Formation Evaluation]

ID: 2967

Related to any aspect of logging that employs an electrical cable to lower tools into the borehole and to transmit data. Wireline logging is distinct from measurements-while-drilling (MWD) and mud logging.

2.  n.  [Well Workover and Intervention]

ID: 4827

A general term used to describe well-intervention operations conducted using single-strand or multistrand wire or cable for intervention in oil or gas wells. Although applied inconsistently, the term commonly is used in association with electric logging and cables incorporating electrical conductors. Similarly, the term slickline is commonly used to differentiate operations performed with single-strand wire or braided lines.

AND

Snubbing

The act of putting drillpipe into the wellbore when the blowout preventers (BOPs) are closed andpressure is contained in the well. Snubbing is necessary when a kick is taken, since well kill operations should always be conducted with the drillstring on bottom, and not somewhere up the wellbore. If only the annular BOP has been closed, the drillpipe may be slowly and carefully lowered into the wellbore, and the BOP itself will open slightly to permit the larger diameter tool joints to pass through. If the well has been closed with the use of ram BOPs, the tool joints will not pass by the closed ram element. Hence, while keeping the well closed with either another ram BOP or the annular BOP, the ram must be opened manually, then the pipe lowered until the tool joint is just below the ram, and then closing the ram again. This procedure is repeated whenever a tool joint must pass by a ram BOP. In snubbing operations, the pressure in the wellbore acting on the cross-sectional area of the tubular can exert sufficient force to overcome the weight of the drillstring, so the string must be pushed (or "snubbed") back into the wellbore. In ordinary stripping operations, the pipe falls into the wellbore under its own weight, and no additional downward force or pushing is required. 

79. Find meaningful employment in Houston

Oh scary of most scary things... after months and months of sitting at home being a trailing spouse and housewife... almost 18 months in fact, I am heading back to work tomorrow, albeit not in a permanent capacity at this point and therefore I don't feel I have the right to cross off this task!! Scarily, thought the job is in a foreign country and in an industry that I have no experience in... unless you count listening to the hubby talk continuously about his job as experience ;) Yup tomorrow I start a contract HES consultant role with Chevron's Drilling and Completions division... wish me luck... hopefully it turns into something more permanent and hopefully I enjoy it!!

The Sky Ring between 1500 Louisiana St and 1400 Smith Street - the two Chevron 'Towers' which coincidentally used to be the Enron Buildings... I'll be based in the Smith Street building.. 2 floors down from where Paul's office would be, if he was an office worker!