Spring from the oil streams

(Quang Ngai Newspaper) - This spring, Quang Ngai seems happier as economic plans for oil refining continue to expand.

Contributing to building the pride of "Dung Quat Oil Refinery" are the hearts, minds, and hands of people whose job is to import crude oil to ensure raw materials for Dung Quat Oil Refinery to operate safely, continuously, and effectively.

Off...
After many missed appointments due to big waves and strong winds, one day in early 2024, we were able to accompany the officers, engineers, and sailors working at the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Joint Stock Company ( BSR ) Port Management Board on a crude oil import trip. At exactly 5:00 a.m., we departed from Quang Ngai City to Dung Quat Port. On the way, Deputy Director of the BSR Port Management Board Ton Tinh Bien, who was the team leader of this sea trip, shared that last night when we received information from the captain of the crude oil tanker Nguyen Xuan Thuong, we immediately developed a scenario for towing, connecting, checking the technique, and pumping oil. Then, we transferred this information to all related brothers to be ready to carry out the task.

Panorama of the fleets coordinating to import crude oil from the HERA tanker to Dung Quat Oil Refinery. PHOTO: THANH HUYEN

Upon arriving at the port, the brothers coordinated their roles, boarded the ship and headed straight for the crude oil tanker anchored offshore. The entire crew traveled on 3 tugboats and 1 specialized canoe. Among them, the brothers from the BSR Port Management Board traveled on a canoe named Oil Refinery 03. On this canoe were all excellent seafarers such as Nguyen Ho Dat, Le Thanh Binh, and Nguyen Dinh Nhi. The remaining brothers, about 20 people from the Petroleum Services and Exploitation Joint Stock Company ( PTSC ), traveled on 3 tugboats.

I was assigned to the tugboat named “Thousand Years of Thang Long – Hanoi 02”, captained by Nguyen Quang Buu. Buu is from Quang Nam and has been working at Dung Quat deep-water port since 2004, for 20 years now. In 2009, when Dung Quat Oil Refinery was put into operation, Buu was assigned to steer the tugboat until now. After many years of steering the same route, Buu said that each time he felt nostalgic and enthusiastic.

Body at sea, mind on shore
Mr. Buu's beautiful youth is associated with the waves of Dung Quat deep-water port. The captain who has piloted thousands of ships to import crude oil said that no trip is the same. Some days there are surface waves, other times there are big waves, other times there are horizontal waves, sometimes deep waves suddenly turn into shallow waves. The tugboat is like a tumbler, bobbing on the top of the waves.

The tugboat is also the place where all the sailors eat, sleep and rest. This is truly their “second home”. For more than an hour from shore to sea, the sailors told us about their jobs. The conversation was lively but suddenly stopped when a large ship named HERA appeared in front of the ship. The sailors started their shift.

Crude oil tanker HERA on its way from Bach Ho field to Dung Quat deep-water port. PHOTO: DVCC

Crude oil tanker named HERA on the way from Bach Ho field to Dung Quat deep-water port. PHOTO: DVCC

Not far from the HERA ship, the Oil Filter 03 speeding boat turned the waves, followed the side of the oil tanker, and brought the crew leader Ton Tinh Bien and the technical brothers onto the crude oil tanker. The remaining 3 tugboats spread out in 3 directions: buoy 0, the stern of the ship, and the middle of the oil tanker. All got into position to carry out the task as planned. Crew leader Ton Tinh Bien transmitted the command via the walkie-talkie. The waves were getting bigger and bigger, but the brothers who were in charge of pouring oil remained steady, professional, proficient, and precise. At exactly 10 a.m., the connection was completed. Each stream of crude oil officially began to be transferred from the HERA ship to buoy 0, through the cross-sea pipeline to the factory. Mr. Ton Tinh Bien shared that each person on duty during the shift must always remember "body at sea, mind alert, heart connected to shore". That is the principle of conduct that helps each person complete the assigned task well.

Under one roof
When the connection was successful, the oil from the HERA ship crossed the sea to Dung Quat Oil Refinery, Captain Nguyen Xuan Thuong smiled brightly to thank everyone on duty. That smile blended with the waves, dissipated with the wind, threw away worries and fatigue, and recharged the entire ship. Mr. Thuong shared that although we were from many different units, we all shared the same mission of bringing crude oil to Dung Quat Oil Refinery. We saw each other as family, trusted each other, and worked together well. Witnessing the scene of working together in the middle of the ocean, we felt the sincerity in that statement. That is also an essential part of bringing safety and efficiency to the number 1 oil refinery in Vietnam.

Captain Nguyen Quang Buu (left) controls the tugboat named "Thousand Years of Thang Long - Hanoi 02" to import crude oil for Dung Quat Oil Refinery. PHOTO: THANH HUYEN

With a period of nearly 4 days since the beginning of the voyage of the HERA ship carrying 600 thousand tons of oil, worth about 48 million USD, sailing straight to Dung Quat, the captain's responsibility is very heavy. Safely docking and quickly pumping all the crude oil back to the factory is the desire of every member on board. According to the plan, the HERA ship will anchor at sea, pouring out all 600 thousand tons of crude oil, taking more than 30 hours. This is also the time for the 25 sailors on the HERA ship to rest and recharge before starting a new voyage. Immediately after that, the HERA ship will weigh anchor again, leave the port and return to Bach Ho field, repeating the old cycle to create new values.

THANH HUYEN

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