Working out of Egypt

[matt buxton]

Anyone have any experience working out of Egypt.

Specifically with OI systems

Looking like I am heading that way and just looking for a little heads up on what to expect

cheers

[luckyjim37]

You can expect cold nights and warm days at this time of year. Lots of sitting around at heliports.

Locals are generally friendly but are normally trying to fleece you one way or another.

Apart from that go see the pyramids at night and be careful crossing roads.

Oh yeah and it may be advisable to stick a loo roll in your bag cos some of the toilets are not very european in design.

[Andy Shiers]

And don’t get into the front of the Taxi espeicially at night 🙄
Fleeced aint the word if you go through the Kasbas Harrass is more like it but do a Monty Python on them and you’ll be ok ( Life of Brian – market scene ) 😀

[Horris]

and if travelling between Cairo and Alex, dont go by car / taxi. Especially dont travel by car at night. Drivers dont like to use lights at night, as apparently it blinds the drivers coming the other way and is disrespectful…Trains tend to crash less often than cars as well. Do visit the old hotel where they shot the Ice cold in Alex bar room scene. The bar is crap, but its worth it, just to see the ole girl dressed to the nines belting out tunes in her low cut ballroom dress and the old geezer on the piano…. Dont make eye contact though.. 😯

[Ray Shields]

oH DEAR. 🙂

Is that the Sealion system that OI lost for a while till it was washed up on the beach at Alexandria? Then they flew over a replacement vehicle and spent a couple of weeks trying to get it to work, dont think Burullus were impressed.

Egypt itself is OK, as people said, watch the traffic, maniacs. Travel between Cairo and Alex, definately the train is better/safer, and never EVER get driven at night, flatly refuse. Dozens of people a week killed on the Alex/Cairo road, at night the drivers are half asleep and dont use lights.

Expect to get fleeced the first few times, if you want to see the pyramids etc. they will take you via their mates gold shop, perfume shop etc. and they all want a "tip" from you. 2 years working onshore there I visited the pyramids once. Very impressive but what a hassle.

Waiting at Alex heliport, hide your mobile phone well in your bag – no phones allowed to be taken offshore. Expect to be told you MUST check in by 0900 and still be sitting there at 3pm. Expect your helicopter to be grounded all day if the Egyptian President is anywhere near Alexandria (or the roads to the airports to be closed in Cairo if he’s out in his motorcade away to buy a MacDonalds)

You will see lots of policement with guns – lucily only 1 in 100 actually has a bullit in it (otherwise they would have shot their feet off long before now).

[oldhand]

don’t think the problem will be the country but more the rig? scarabeo 6 is it? 👿 👿 heard it was a magnum not sure on that one

take plenty of dry food with you cupa soups etc… pretty grim. Also hide anything of value onboard, take your medical and huet certs with to the heliport

remember dollars or if you must english notes.

visa is bought from the local exchange booths £10, $15 or EGP100.

anyway good luck

[Ray Shields]

don’t think the problem will be the country but more the rig? scarabeo 6 is it? 👿 👿 heard it was a magnum not sure on that one

take plenty of dry food with you cupa soups etc… pretty grim. Also hide anything of value onboard, take your medical and huet certs with to the heliport

remember dollars or if you must english notes.

visa is bought from the local exchange booths £10, $15 or EGP100.

anyway good luck

Actually the Egyptians prefer Euros nowadays as the Dollar is so weak!

I thought that Fugros Sealion 19 was still on the Scarabeo 6 as it will require modifications and metalwork to install a larger ROV system on there.

The Lexington is also working there, do they have OI on there?

[oldhand]

19 is off the S6. lexington is Fugro operated ROV along with the PNA

[Ray Shields]

19 is off the S6. lexington is Fugro operated ROV along with the PNA

Ah OK, so that will have been Sealion 37 that they tried to convert from a workclass to an eyeball using the Caley A Frame as a press on the Lexington then?

Good luck to anyone brave enough to go back onto the Sacarabeo 6!

[HelpMaBoab]

Ma Heid, What a bucket the Skabby 6 is.. Had constipation on there and the doc onboard just told me to eat the salad and all my problems would be fixed.
He was right 😀
To be honest, I don’t think there are any decent rigs down there. Thats not including the hasstle getting to and from the airport. Mind you it’s still a lot better than trying to get in / out of Angola. (I mean getting back to civilisation ) 😛

[Alex Kerr]

Agree with all thats been said, especially the journeys at night, you usually end up doing a good portion of the journey on the wrong side of the road, dont forget that literally everyone is looking for their share of what you have in your wallet, EVERYONE!!, if you f@*k them off they eventually get the message. 😈
I could go on but that would probably just show that I should have left earlier 😉

[matt buxton]

As far as the cultural aspect I kinda had that figured……..as well as the travel problems as I have heard lots about that.

As far as the rig, how bad is it? I am heading for Scarabeo VI.

I have heard from a couple guys out there right now who say its not that bad. But on here I dont think I have heard anyone say anything good about any rigs????

Anyhow the pocket book is getting really empty so I am guessing that I will give it atleast one shot.

[Ray Shields]

I believe the S6 is better than it has been – but it was really (REALLY!) bad. Fugro/Sonsub were on there from 04 to 07.

Accommodation is crap, food was realllly crap, bouts of sickness n sh*ts. One guy even caught worms onboard. It was so bad that even the Italians refused to work on there.

Definately take Immodium/re-hydration packs. Expect to lose weight.

Very bare minimum access to any kind of Internet or phones for calling home (unless OI supply their own system)

Safety culture on there is you need to write stop cards every day but NEVER on anything which may be serious otherwise that will be swept under the carpet and you’ll be branded a truoublemaker! Just stick to open paint tin seen on deck or no soap in the changing rooms and you’ll be OK.

Say hello to Graham the (welsh) company man from me, I think he’s still on there 😀

[matt buxton]

I have heard the same stories about the food and STOP policies

Hopefully its better now. but I will be sure to take some good drugs

and as far as the Cell phone policy goes whats the best thing to do cause I would like to have one for travelling?

[luckyjim37]

Ah the good old Acarabeo 6. I think the egyptians renamed it after a part of Cairo where all the scrap yards are.

Basically the Italians on there will not accept it is a crap rig. If your accomodation is on the upper deck it is not to bad. If it is on the lower deck then it is disgusting to put it mildly.

The gym was ok as was the sauna until overweight Egyptians started using the sauna in their overalls.

The stop card system is pathetic and was said any serious issues are put under the carpet which by now will be six inches higher than when it was laid.

Apart from that the seating behind the coffee shop is really good for sunbathing and the allocated area for the ROV is quite large really.

Enjoy it for a trip then get back and look for somewhere better cos there are not many places worse once you acctually get to the rig.

Have a nice trip and Enshalla you will come back safe.

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