2004 Year in Review

E-mail from the Persian Gulf

I sent an e-mail greeting of “Eid Mubarak” to my friends and co-workers on the AD20, the well servicing vessel in the Persian Gulf where I used to work. The end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and reflection, is a joyous occasion. It is celebrated in various ways in different countries, but is always a time for family gathering not unlike our Thanksgiving or Christmas traditions here.

This is the reply that I received from Naseem, the Safety Officer and Doctor (from India) who works on the AD20:

Capt. Marc Adami & Jane Ann

Thank you for greeting,

Yes we had good feast on the rig and we are back enjoying on morning tea. Ilyas will be back on rig after three weeks. Now ADC is expanding, we are expecting to get contract for nine more land rigs so all total ADC will be running about 20 rigs.

This year the whole world was more curious than ever about US election, Colin Powel the only odd man in the team of Bush administration, is going to be replaced by some one more suitable. I guess Condoleeza Rice will make will be perfect match.

Thank you, Naseem

Naseem is relating the fact that a feast (larger and more elaborate meal than normal) was enjoyed on the rig to celebrate Eid and that life can go back to normal. Fasting from sun up to sun down is difficult, but the hardest thing to do is to give up that caffeine which gets a lot of us through our day – especially those drowsy periods in the early afternoon. Ilyas is also a doctor from India and works on AD20 opposite to Naseem, but they do overlap working 6 weeks on board and 3 weeks off.

The other good news for the oil services business is that demand for oil is strong, the price is up and it is worth it to spend more and try harder to look for and develop more sources. This is good for the Saudi economy and for all the workers and their families no matter where they come from.

When I was at work Naseem asked if I thought America would attack Iraq in reprisal for 9/11. I told him that I knew there were many people in the US who favored pre-emptive strikes to avoid future terrorist attacks, but that in general Americans were peace loving. I realize there could be other motivations for supporting an incumbent president, but outside our borders it looks like we want to control oil supplies and markets for our own self-interest.

Do our elections affect these people? Indeed, they do. Did we choose correctly? I fear Colin Powell’s resignation is an indication that I do not know what Americans want.

by Marc Adami, Guest Columnist
November 17, 2004