28/2 - EP00 starts for real

At 8pm on the dot Ru kicks off EP00. We start with an introduction to Shell and its activities by an English expat, a young lady who’s already quite experienced in the Shell life. We discuss the various departments and the company strategy. It’s a good way to get an introduction to the entire company, and it’s actually the first time I hear most of this stuff. We continue with an introduction into geology and the origins of oil, and we watch a movie on the Rabi field, an oil field in Gabon which will serve as our case study the next four weeks.

Meanwhile, a lot of people are quite busy planning the weekends. Chia has been so helpful as to inform at a travel agent friend of his for package tours to Gunung Mulu National Park, and a lot of people want to go. In the back of the classroom are lists where you can indicate your interest in joining some of the trips. About 18 people will visit Mulu the weekend after the upcoming one, including me. Destinations for this weekend vary; I opt for chilling out at the Marriot five star hotel, a popular destination for EP00 people. It’s luxury is legendary.

The course ends around 4:30pm. After relaxing a little in the room it’s out for dinner again. This will be the way of things for the next five weeks, and while I love the food, I do need to compensate for it. When we get back, the gym and pool are closed however. Tomorrow there’s another day though.

Ru’s told us about the Shell boat club, a private club for Shell personnel. We can be temporary members, and when Tan, one of the locals, invites us over to drive to the place, we accept. Tan, Frank and me take a little tour of the area, and Tan shows us the Shell compound, the expat living quarter (very nice bungalows) and finally the boat club. The boat club is located on the beach, with a large veranda overlooking the Miri offshore oilfield. In the distance the platforms can be seen, and when the sun is setting, the view is breathtaking. We sit on the terrace, surrounded by palm trees with the cicadas chirping, sipping a cool pina colada. This place is a true remnant of the old colonial days. It’s great. We stay to have dinner, and Frank and I agree we must come back at least once to take some good pictures of the spectacular sunset views.