Monthly Archives: September 2008

Three Weeks on the Lun-A

Posted on September 26, 2008 by Tim Newman

It’s now been three weeks since I arrived on the Lun-A gas production platform in the Sea of Okhotsk.  So what has it been like? In a word: odd.  As I said in my earlier post, all anyone does is … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil & Gas, Sakhalin | 6 Comments

Creationism

Posted on September 22, 2008 by Tim Newman

There has been an awful lot of fuss recently about people believing in, or not being sufficiently sceptical of, creationism.  Sarah Palin has drawn huge amounts of criticism for saying she believed in creationism, and the director of education at … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Science | 8 Comments

If oil companies ran resturants…

Posted on September 21, 2008 by Tim Newman

…they’d be something like this. (A middle-aged couple emerge from a taxi, smiling, happy, looking forward to an evening of good food and fine wines in each other’s company.  They enter the door of the restuarant, over which is displayed a sign reading: “11,541 Dishes Served Without … Continue reading →

Posted in Engineering, Oil & Gas | 5 Comments

The Sakhalin Salmon Run

Posted on September 16, 2008 by Tim Newman

August and September on Sakhalin Island are known by everyone as the season where the salmon swim from the sea up the thousands of rivers and streams all over the island to lay their eggs. This is a time when huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Photos, Sakhalin | 6 Comments

Fighting in Turkmenistan

Posted on September 14, 2008 by Tim Newman

Back in May 2006, The Economist ran an article on Turkmenistan which said: There is, though, much speculation about the 66-year-old Turkmenbashi’s health. He has had heart surgery, and has a team of eight top-notch German doctors constantly on call. … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan | 7 Comments

Russian Plane Crash

Posted on September 14, 2008 by Tim Newman

This is very bad news indeed: A passenger plane has crashed near the central Russian city of Perm, killing all 88 people on board, officials say. The Boeing-737, belonging to a branch of the national airline Aeroflot, was on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Russia | 1 Comment

Life on the Lun-A

Posted on September 10, 2008 by Tim Newman

Well I made it offshore okay, a bit of sea sickness on the boat out aside.  For some reason to do with how they’ve parked the Astoria (the floating hotel) beside the platform, they aren’t helicoptering people in and out … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil & Gas, Sakhalin | 15 Comments

Offshore to the LUN-A

Posted on September 4, 2008 by Tim Newman

This evening I will be boarding a northbound train on the first part of the journey to what will be my home for the next month: At the moment the sea isn’t quite as icy as it is in the above picture, and missing from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil & Gas, Sakhalin | 13 Comments