19/3 – Classes continue

Whereas classes in Miri were given in the hotel, in Brunei we have to go to the Shell Learning Centre. It’s about a half hour trip, so we are collected by bus at 7:30. It means getting up early again, which I hate. Still, I have to get used to it anyway. Better start practicing now.

We have a rather varied program for today. We start off with an introduction to surface engineering, the main task for Phase C. Next, Henny Reerink, a fellow Dutchman, gives a lecture on oil processing. Henny is in charge of SCOT, the Seria Crude Oil Terminal. SCOT is a huge plant of about 3km2, and serves as the collecting point for the considerable oil production of Shell and some third parties like Total in Brunei. Henny gives an introduction of the facility, which we will tour tomorrow. He also explains the various processes which are employed to clean the crude oil and separate gas, water and other undesirable substances from it, like sand, sulfur and heavy metals.

After class Chia and Simon want to go to Brunei’s capital, Bandar. Why do they want to go? Because they have both bought a Sony PSP and they’ve been told there’s a shop that sells all kinds of wonderful peripherals for their new toy. Tan, Frank and me join them, we’re curious to see Bandar. Bandar is all the way on the other end of Brunei; it’s a tiny country however, and the drive takes us about an hour. On the way we are overtaken by the Lexus of one of our fellow students, a Bruneian girl who is taking some other students to Bandar as well. Brunei is a rich country, but it seems some people have considerable outside help to allow them to get around…



Bandar is quite small. We visit a food market, with great looking oriental food. It’s very cheap, but don’t expect haute cuisine. Most of the meat is of rather low quality. It’s still a great experience, and the sugar cane juice is wonderful. We walk around a litte more, and leave Chia and Simon to their affairs at the game shop. Frank and Tan make it a rule to eat McDonalds in every country they visit, so I go along for the ride. It’s ok, as long as you have chicken I guess…



We meet up again and visit the mall, where we run into some fellow EP00-ers. Mai and her rides are there, and we have a drink together. I get some U2 DVDs, and then we head off home. On the way back I drive Frank mad by giving a running commentary of my game Holland vs Germany, which I play on Chia’s PSP. Naturally, I beat Germany and Holland wins the European Cup. Yeah!