Aug 21, 2005 22:36
Well worked my first sour well... Was kinda scary - but I was surprised at how relaxed everyone was about it - not that it's a good thing. I masked up once just to make sure I remembered how to do it, then that was it. Now what you need to understand is that the lethal level for h2s exposure is 100ppm... If you know your math, that is 0.01% concentration in air.. That is not alot. I found out that standard safe practices of oilfield workers opening valves where h2s comes out consists of this:
1) Look at the wind direction
2) Stand upwind of the valve
3) Take a deep breath
4) Turn head away from valve
5) Open valve, get sample and close valve as fast as possible
6) Walk briskly away from gassed area.
Pretty awesome huh? Oh well, I didn't die, but I did get my h2s Monitor to read O-L which I am assuming means Over Limit. The highest numerical reading I got was around 79ppm which isn't so reassuring, considering you fall unconscious at around 20ppm. Makes me wonder what woulda happened if I hadn't held my breath... Actually, no... no it doesn't make me wonder, I already know.
Yesterday sucked. I woke up at 5:45am to get to work by 6:30. We had to rig up, rig off, rig up, rig off, rig up, rig off then rig up again. Each time we tie our equipment in it involves lifting heavy pipe and swinging a heavy hammer repeatedly.. It was tiring.. Then the rig crew was short a guy so I had to haul steel rods for them for most of the rest of the day... Then around 6:00pm, an hour before we were sposed be off shift, we had to rig out and pack up all our test equipment. That means a ton more lifting/hammer swinging. We didn't leave lease until 9:30pm ... 15 hour day. Blarg. My arms are pretty fuckin sore and I got heat stroke and puked a bunch, but hey - someones gotta do it. Now I want to drink and game. Gaming tomorrow.