I have uploaded the audio of the Plenary Presentation give by Professor DY Peng at the conference held from the 17th to 19th of June, 2008, at the Le Meridian KL, Malaysia.
I’m still trying to figure out how to deliver the video…
Prof DY Peng – Audio of Plenary Presentation, iCon / VMGSim Int Conf KL
June 20, 2008
1 Comment | 
engineering, Malaysia | Tagged: peng robinson, vmgsim | 
Permalink
Posted by Wata
A Living Legend – Prof Peng
June 19, 2008Petronas Group Technology Solutions (GTS to friends) and VMG SEA organised the iCON/VMGSim International User Conference 2008, from 17-19 June 2008 at the Le Meridian Hotel.
The Plenary Lecture was delivered by Prof D. Y. Peng, University of Saskatchewan.
That’s Peng of the Peng-Robinson equation fame, people! If there every was a ChemEng rock star, he’s the man. Though, he would be a more genteel version of Mick Jagger, rather than Justin ‘Wardrobe Failure’ Timberlake.
I am honoured that he was willing to ‘mencemar duli’ by taking photos with me. Photos below, along with other rock stars. I recorded the talk, but even at Divx:) compression, it’s 400+MB (blame taking videos with a Canon S5IS). I’ll figure out how to post it later.
6 Comments | engineering | Tagged: peng robinson | Permalink
Posted by Wata
EMEPMI’s Own Web Page
June 18, 2008I just found that ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc has its own web page. Go visit them.
1 Comment | Malaysia, oil and gas | Tagged: EMEPMI | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Pre-Owned Equipment Market?
June 17, 2008If you scan through the TCE, you notice that there is a second hand equipment market in the chemical industry. How come there’s no such market for the Malaysian oil and gas industry? We have had assets that have been transferred wholesale from foreign operators to PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB), and not without a lot of grumble as to the shoddy state of them. You don’t hear of dealers flying to platforms, and purchasing equipment by the lot (note: please don’t try to reuse pressure gauges. Wellhead christmas trees should be good, though. And don’t think about reusing a 10-year old DCS).
I believe IPC tried to do that, purchasing off the shelf (read: second hand / already fabricated) equipment to develop acerage off Semenanjung Malaysia, but that was the only attempt I heard.
What could be stopping the market? Maybe:
- Cheaper to fabricate then to import. Knowing our tax structure, and concerns about Malaysia being a dumping ground (customs: “You want to import WHAT?”). Not to mention loss of local jobs.
- No ready source of second hand equipment for O&G purposes. Most of the old oil platforms have been transferred to PCSB, though there are some that have been decommissioned (one’s an artificial reef at the Kenyalang dive site off Miri). Mobile Production Units (MOPUs) are designed to be reused, though the key word is ‘designed’. I guess their paper trail is centred around such use.
- Too difficult to recertify equipment? How do you recert pressure vessels? Do you need the original fabrication drawings, procedures and certificates, or do 100% non destructive testing, and pressure test the dang thing?
- Insurance companies not willing to cover the costs.
- Just not cool enough for companies whose revenue dwarfs GDP of countries.
2 Comments | diving, engineering, Malaysia, oil and gas | Tagged: recertify, reuse | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Saturday Star 08-06-14 – Job Opportunities
June 16, 2008Another week, another scan of the Saturday Star newspaper. This time, I’m trying out the ebrowse feature provided by BlueHyppo (will he ever manage to balik kampung?). Note that you need to have admin rights to run it in beloved Windows XP (they don’t tell you that on their help page). And McAfee detected a buffer overflow in Vista.
Here’s a list of job ads in the paper:
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Saudi Kayan is looking for specialists and engineers. Closing date is 30th June 2008. CVs to be submitted here.
Happy hunting. Let me have some feedback if you find this list useful. Even better, spread the news. PayPal donations welcome.
2 Comments | engineering | Tagged: BlueHyppo, ebrowse, sabic, saudi kayan | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Opening – New Cafeteria Operator in ExxonMobil
June 15, 2008ExxonMobil’s looking for new cafeteria management. Those who are interested (criteria includes preparing halal meals) can enquire at Menara ExxonMobil, KLCC
I would suggest that interested parties call the main line (+603 2380 2000), and ask for Facilities Management, or Building Management. Don’t ask for Facilities itself, as you will get Operations Technical Support (or should).
Hah, or you could ask me, and for a certain fee I will provide you with a lucky extension number (which is on the wall of the ME musalla, actually).
Did I say I don’t work for EMEPMI?
2 Comments | business opportunity, Malaysia | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Promote Hybrid Cars for Malaysia?
June 14, 2008In a past article, I pondered when Malaysia would start promoting the use of hybrid vehicles, both on supporting the green movement, and on reducing fuel consumption cost. I suppose that back in the RM1.92/liter era, the savings on money did not seem to pan out.
Welcome to the RM2.70/l era (and increasing). Now, how does that hybrid engine look to you? Is it more sexier (and sensible) engineering?
At the moment, there is a rush to install LNG converters, as the price of LNG has not gone up yet, but believe me it will. The converters costs between RM2k to RM3.5k.
The articles here and here discuss some efforts in promoting hybrid cars in Malaysia. Proton’s last public venture into the field was the EVE hybrid.
Be a geek, love the engineering, go hybrid.
9 Comments | engineering, Malaysia | Tagged: Honda, hybrid, proton | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Geek Toy – Celcom Wireless Broadband Router
June 13, 2008I’m a geek, facinated with the latest tech. While listening to The Tech Guy, I heard of the Cradlepoint, which takes broadband (read EVDO) enabled phones, and create a wifi hotspot. How cool is that? You can create (and share) a wifi hotspot anywhere you can get EVDO. The caveat is, EVDO is a US only service.
Now Celcom offers the same concept, but using a 3GX (3.5G to us peons), 3G, EDGE or GPRS SIM card. Imagine the possibilities:
- Kerteh airport can get wifi without the hassle of getting a landline.
- Heck, forget Kerteh, your house can have broadband wifi without a landline (I hear Streamyx squirming in the background).
- Start a personal hotspot whenever you want to get online, make the spot public, and have a splash page advertising your services.
- SME opportunities: micro Internet cafe? Roadshow internet access?
One problem is that you will be tethered to a power socket until you can figure out a portable power source.
I have been informed that there is a phone socket on the machine, so that you will be able to receive and make calls while it uses your SIM card.
Will you be able to use other service providers with this piece of equiptment? Unknown, I haven’t been given a test unit (you can tell I’m low on the food chain).
Contact Rizal at rizaldee@celcom.com.my or +60196201771.
9 Comments | business opportunity, engineering, Malaysia | Tagged: Celcom, Cradlepoint, tech guy | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Radios and Perforation Activities
June 12, 2008One thing I always wondered was why radio communication is banned during a perforation exercise. For those not in the know, perforation as explained by opcharlie is blasting through the production casing of a well so that hydrocarbons from the reservoir are able to make their way into the production string. Kinda like making holes in a blocked off straw so that your drink can enter the straw, and be sucked into your mouth.
‘Blast’ is the correct word, as explosives are used to perforate the production casing. The triggering of the explosives is done by a remote control. There is a concern that the inadvert triggering of the explosives may be caused by radio equipment. Hence, when a perf operation is underway, no radio equipment is allowed to operate. Portable handhelds may be recalled back from personnel, and an equipment tally is performed.
What I would like to know is, how many near misses / injuries / fatalities have occured due to radio equipment triggering perf explosives? This may happen if:
- the perf gun goes off before it enters the production string
- permature release when it goes off before reaching the required depth.
2 Comments | engineering, oil and gas | Tagged: perforation, radio | Permalink
Posted by Wata
Oil Production – Gentle Indonesian Way
June 11, 2008I received this presentation file. At first glance, I thought it was a hoax, putting down the level of Indonesian HSE while carrying out sophisticated oil production operations.
Turns out I was looking at it the wrong way. This is an example of creative thinking, increasing net income without increasing the normal risk Indonesians are exposed to. Now, if we could do the same thing to those dead wells in Miri. Malaysia. Heck, anyone want to join me and see if the Grand Old Lady of Miri has some spunk left in her?
1 Comment | engineering, oil and gas | Tagged: Grand Old Lady, Indonesia, Miri | Permalink
Posted by Wata
