HERO MOMENTS
A Son Never Forgets
Before coming to Australia in 2014, I have had been
working in the Middle East from 2004 to 2014. I was a Lead Power Control Room
Operator in one of the biggest Independent Power and Water Utilities company, supplying
exclusively to a huge Petrochemical Complex in Saudi Arabia. It was my domain.
I started with the company practically when the plant was still in land
development; practically from zero.
When Commissioning came and I was one of the point persons
in the commissioning, partnered with the O&M Japanese commissioning
engineers. It was a hectic commissioning schedules, practically 12 to 16 hours
per day and I have learned so much from the commissioning. Once commissioning
was completed, I was given the assignment of being a Control Room Operator, essentially
controlling the Power Plant from all aspect, starting, shutting down,
maintenance and performance testing.
I was able to produce Vital Operating procedures of
the Power Plant which to date are still in use and from time to time someone is
adding me up on Linkedin apparently current employees from the said Power Plant
giving appreciation from those procedures I made 15 years ago.
I have managed to train new trainees from all aspect
of the power plant. A few of them went on to become a Control room Operator and
some became a Shift Leader.
Numerous times I managed to save the Power Plant from
tripping over. There were instances though that we have had power outages
brought about mis-operations but being able to bring back the Power Plant back
in operations in less time is rewarding.
Being the only son with three-woman siblings are
taxing at times but the bond of a Son to a Father is quite stirring. I have a
very close relationship with my father. He was my Hero and I look up to him
even up to this date.
My professional career took a detour so to speak last
2010 when my father underwent a quadruple heart by-pass operation which made me
think about my career goals. As much as I am enjoying my job in Saudi Arabia, I
have that dilemma of staying with my father during his darkest episode in his
life. My Father recovered well from that episode, thought of resigning already
to be with my father but being the strong man that I have known him, my father dispels
my plans of quitting my job to be at his side.
Unfortunately, having undergone a by-pass operation
comes with consequences and side-effects. My Father’s kidneys were failing. We
manage to keep him out of dialysis for three years through medications but inevitably,
dialysis was the only option to take for his failing kidneys. I have had
decided to give up my career to be with my father for his dialysis session;
twice weekly. It was a bitter-sweet decision but being with my father during
those times were the best decision I could have ever made.
4th of April 2014 my Father succumbs from
his illness. A date I will never forget. It’s like being paralysed for a
moment, thinking that your confidante will be forever gone. On his death bed, I
have had made so many promises, short of promising the moon and the stars just
for him to be well and lively again. On that note, I made a pact on which he
always reminded me to finish my master’s, a long overdue request coming from
the man that honed me of what I am today. Being a professional in the field of
education, my father was very particular of us achieving educational
excellence. To him, education is a gift no one could ever steal. So here I am
now trying to fulfill a promise that is so long overdue.
ZERO MOMENTS
I
have been a Control Room Operator the entirety of my career, spanning 18 years
in the areas of Power Generation and Processing Plants. It has its ups and
downs and sometimes it will really stress you out to the point that your job is
your life.
Back
in 2012, where I am still working in Saudi Arabia, we have had one incident
that totally challenged my character as a Power Control Room Operator.
One
of the Steam Header blew up due to water carry-over from the Steam Turbine
Unit. I was at the helm on the control room during those times and spearheading
the back in operation of the Extraction Control Valve Medium Pressure Steam
from the Steam Turbine to the Steam Header. Unit 3 Steam Turbine Extraction
control valve was out of commission for maintenance purposes and the unit was
kept at 30 MW so as not to bring the extraction control valve in service.
Three
days prior to this incident, I was in arguments with our Operations Manager
about that maintenance activity since as per Operations and Maintenance of the
manufacture, the steam turbine is not advisable to run in low load operations
for a long period of time: showing our operations manager excerpt from the
Manual. I was ignored and the activity went on.
The
Steam Turbine 3 was kept in operation at 30 MW and the extraction control valve
was isolated for the purpose of maintenance. During those times, the extraction
line was getting colder and with the drain valves isolated, water accumulated
within the line. I was very particular to these operations because I know
something is not right.
After
the maintenance, it is time to put it back in operation and inline to the steam
header. As per instructions from my shift leader and field operator, all
isolations were lifted and ready to bring back to service. I have double check
as well in our Work Permit System. As I am cautious with the water accumulation
throughout the extraction line, I have had asked to double check in the field
if there was still water flowing through the drain lines and was informed that
no more water flowing.
As
I begin to ramp up the load of Steam Turbine 3 from 30 MW to 45 MW, as the
extraction control valve will automatically be in service at 45 MW, I was ramping
up the turbine in a slow paced; usually 2.4 MW per minute but I did the ramping
at 1.2 MW per minute to have a slow ramp and warm the line in a uniformly
manner. As the turbine crosses the 45 MW mark and the outlet valve to the steam
header slowly opens, a huge explosion was heard outside and eventually we end
up shutting down the plant as a portion of the Steam Header exploded thus
losing our steam header pressure.
Upon
investigation, it was found that the extraction line drain valve, both
downstream and upstream were closed though the isolation permit was lifted
which causes water carry-over to the steam header upon opening of the outlet
valve subsequently causing the steam header to explode due to mixture of cold
water to steam of about 300 degrees Celsius. Totally reverse on what our Field
Operator was relaying that water flows through the drains.
I
own up this incident since I am the Lead Power Control Room, and it is my duty
to scrutinize said operation safely and efficiently. Looking back, I should
have had waited for more time or rather prolong and stretched the ramp up time
of the Steam Turbine.
I
got the blame with that incident. Primarily also because it happened end of
December 2012 where all our yearlong evaluation were completed, and the company
withheld our bonus during that time. We argued of course since that incident
should have been outside already from our previous evaluation. But eventually
the company decided not to give our annual bonus.
It
was a zero moment for me as that incident really took me by heart. It tested my
character and showed my maturity in dealing with narrow minded people and how
to deal with the blame culture. It has shown me how to bounce back after a
dismal performance. On the bright side, at least no one got injured during that
event.
It
was a zero moment for me since I was being offered a technical manager post
which was eventually revoked due to that incident. It as if all the sacrifices
and the devotion to the job went all down the drain with that event.
I
eventually resigned to that post with no regrets, head held high. I have had a
much better calling during those times as mentioned on my “Hero Moments”.
Fast
forward to now, all I can say is, I have learned well and those experience has
really honed me to be better.
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