My Impression of Tengiz. Kazakhstan

Tengiz. Kazakhstan I have been working at Tengiz for PFD (Parsons. Fluor. Daniels) since 1st March 06. First impressions of the country on arrival at Atyrau were not too good and it hasn't changed since. All expats arrive via Amsterdam whichever part of the World they come from on Air Astana one of the worlds most unreliable airlines, often up to 6hrs late, mainly due to weather in Kazakhstan, which isn't too much of a problem going to Atyrua but causes big problems leaving when you have onward connections at Amsterdam. The Flights should leave Amsterdam at 12.30hr local and arrive around 21.30hr local which gets you to a Hotel before the Bar Shuts. This becomes quite important after suffering the "Immigration processing" involving hanging around outside in either Freezing or Baking conditions, depending on time of Year, Collecting your own Luggage from the Trolleys at the side of the runway, waiting on the bus for all to come through before leaving for the Hotel. Most PFD stay at the Ax Ziak hotel which has a decent Bar ( Guns and Roses) and rooms are basic but clean, Air conditioning and hot water are dodgy. Check the shower when you arrive, If it's hot have a shower as most of the time its ice cold when its time to leave in the morning (04.30hr or 05.30hr) for the Train, depending on summer or winter. TCO stay at a Transit Hotel next to the Airport.
The Train is another experience. You are Mini-bused to Atyrau Train station which at 05,00hrs is very dark most of the year and nobody seems to have thought to put any lights on the steps or platforms. There should be a rep in the Station Hall but if not Hang around the Group of sad people wearing PFD / TCO or Contractor Coats and follow them to the Train ( Ex Russian Army?) try and get somewhere near the front of people rushing and stumbling along the broken and dark platform. There is only one coach each reserved for TCO / PFD, normally the front ones. The coach is full of bunks, 6 to a cubicle two tiered and its first in gets one. Most of the time there are more people than bunks. The coach has all the windows sealed and is always HOT, by heating in winter and outside temperature in summer. UPDATE!! As of 01 June 07 Coaches have been replaced with refurbished ones that have aircraft style seating and A/C. Unfortunately nobody remembered to put any FREON in the system, so now we have an even hotter trip with nowhere to lie down. T'is progress Kazakh style. No doubt it will be resolved sometime. Always ensure you have water with you. There is only a single track with passing points. The trip takes anything from 4 to 7hrs depending on how many Trains need to pass. You eventually arrive at Kulsary, a shanty town in the middle of nowhere. Here you are met by buses to whisk you away to Shanarak Village, Tengiz"See Photo" along a very badly potholed road !. A journey of around 2 hrs. Travelling to and from the site is the worst part of being here apart from leaving in 6 weeks when it's the same in reverse. The camp is actually not bad with decent rooms with Sat TV and boring but reasonable food (as long as you like chicken). Each of the Domes contain Canteen, Small Shop, Internet Cafe, Recreation area, Gym, Function Rooms etc and of course most importantly a Bar (Open 7.30 - 10.00 Mon-Sat and 3.00- 9.00 on Sun), At present the work schedule is 6 x 12hrs with 30 min travel each way to Site. Every Sunday off with every other Sunday paid (PFD. There is a lovely Cinema but no Films as the local Police came and confiscated all of the DVDs, A swimming pool with so many regulations that not too many people use it, a footie pitch, basket ball, Tennis Courts etc. The camp is a very long way from anything resembling a decent shop, so what you don't bring you don't have until next trip except for shampoo etc. There are ATM machines which take Visa, Master Card and will pay out in Dollers or Tenge, so getting beer and travel money is not a problem. Phoning home is also not a problem either landlines or Mobile.

Tengiz, Kazakhstan.