Temple of Doom

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A little more insight into a week in the life of a geologist/engineering/project manager in the middle east. Since this is basically my life week in week out, you can see what I do on a daily basis.

Geology!

As you can see from the photo, our core boxes are stacking up in the warehouse and that is just a small portion!!! Each box contains approximately 3m of core that has to be logged, photographed, and tested. The field geologist is typically onsite with the field equipment. We have 22 drilling rigs and approximately 10 geologists, the geologists are divided up into various projects, and generally have to cover multiple rigs. The rigs drill between 8 - 15 m per day per rig, and sometimes they can drill a LOT more. The geologists are supposed to log these in the field, specifically noting any cavities. In addition to logging, there are permeability and pressure meter tests that need to be done in situ - the pressure meter tests are especially time consuming and the geologists assigned to do these are often stuck doing PMTs for weeks on end with no time for anything else. The permeability tests are usually quite frequent, up to 6 tests per borehole, so when they are occurring we have another instance of a geologist unable to log. Quite often, the logging responsibility falls on me because none of the other engineers have field logging experience or extensive geologic backgrounds.

Personally, I had zero core logging experience until I came here, but I remember a lot from my college and lord knows I did plenty of logging in California of various types of soils and rocks. Fortunately, the geology in Qatar is pretty straightforward; there is little variety on this peninsula except for the thickness and weathered zones of the rock layers. There is usually a fairly shallow layer of soils - generally gravelly sand. Mars-scape. Underneath this is up to 20m of Simsima Limestone, which can be highly fractured and weathered and often contains voids or cavities, which can sometimes join up to form a network, which can lead to significant problems for construction activities. Sometimes, there is a thin layer of really pretty, white limestone, called the Dukhan limestone, which often contains gypsum. Below the limestone is a layer we call the Midra Shale - it is very distinctive and easy to identify. Usually it contains a dark yellowish brown Claystone-type layer (sometimes this is an actual shale) which is interbedded with limestone and quite often more gypsum. Beneath this in some areas is the Khor Limestone, a generally intact, thin, strong limestone layer, but does not seem to occur everywhere - I'd be interested in investigating this further. You know, in my spare time. Finally, below this is the Rus Formation. The upper portion of this contains various carbonate layers, alternating between Calcarenite, Calcisilitite and Calcilutite. This layer can be up to twenty meters thick, but is then underlain by a dark grey pure gypsum rock of the same formation (generally about 50m below the surface and extending at least to 80m).

So, there is a minor geology lesson for you. The interesting thing is that this profile extends across the entire Doha area, and across Qatar in general. The variations in layer thicknesses and dipping, cavities, permeabilities, fractures, and strength are generally what drives the engineering parameters or recommendations. I am trying to hire more geologists, but we can not seem to catch up to the many projects we keep getting. Aside from two difficult projects and their even more difficult client representatives, we are doing a great job and typically have a great relationship with our clients. A couple in particular just keep throwing work our way and we (namely, I) love working with them.

So, during the day, I or my engineers often use the logs and core photos to come up with a lab schedule to test the rock samples for strengths and chemical tests. We usually send the proposed schedules to the clients for their approval - some clients get it, some really don't, and some are ridiculously picky. All lab schedules go through me to the lab so that they don't get inundated with various people trying to get their tests done first. I work on all projects, so I determine the priority order alone - this makes it easy on the lab. Once we get the results back, we start incorporating those into our reports. We do mainly factual reports for our largest projects, which means we report the lab results and in situ test results, and put together a geologic profile, presenting the logs, photos, and test results as appendices. Pretty straightforward; the difficulty is that we are so busy and making sure we get all the field data, test results, and plates together on time can be fun.

Sometimes, we get to do Interpretative Reports (shouldn't it be Interpretive? Dang Brits!). We use the lab results and field results to provide engineering parameters and recommendations for types of foundations, concrete and metal elements recommendations based on chemical properties, compaction requirements, seismic properties (virtually non existent), pavement recommendations, shoring and dewatering recommendations, and any other recommendations needed (such as if there are soft or loose soils and need extra excavations or deep foundations or if there are cavity networks which can cause problems).

Despite my whining, I truly love my job. Even when I'm stressed, I am proud of my profession and I've learned a lot in the last almost two years. It feels especially wonderful when I finish a report, and definitely if that report is difficult or important. Right now, it is hard to revel in that feeling because we have so much due. I need to work saturdays to try and get back on track - once we get 4 reports we are woefully behind on out to the clients, the stress level should reduce significantly. It sucks to work so many saturdays, but hopefully the effort will be worth it.



Night life

One evening after work, I met Sam out for dinner. She works in Dubai, but we just landed a big project here, which she will be managing over the next 18 months. For the first few months, she'll have to spend a lot of time during the week here but that should wind down as the project gets moving. She and I went to a Brazilian grill restaurant in her hotel (Rodrizio's I think). It was delicious, though very very meaty! I basically didn't eat meat for a few days afterwards. You get a preliminary salad course, which comes with bread - of course I got some chimichurri sauce, something my old roommate Brett used to make and I always loved. Strangely, I like his more than what I got! They give you a little coaster and if it is flipped to one side, they bring you a cut of meat. If you have it flipped to the other side, that means you're taking an eating break.

The cooks brought over cuts of chicken, beef and camel. Yes, I had my first taste of camel. It was not terrible, but very very rich. I'm glad I tried it. It is probably good for a small taste, but I just cannot imagine having a whole steak! The tenderloin was delicious, absolutely perfect. (I tried very hard not to think of the movie Bridesmaids while eating....) And the best part is that I had a delicious glass of red wine! It has been extremely hard to get a good glass of wine in this country.

Some of my coworkers go out on Thursdays after work to start the weekend off right. Me? Well, I cannot wait to get home Thursday night and go to sleep! Last week I was invited to go to dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with other colleagues from another geotechincal company, but I fell asleep. Last night, I decided to be social and went with a few of my coworkers to the Kempinski Hotel in West Bay. We went to The Lounge, which was pretty nice and swanky. I hate having to yell to talk to people and I smelled like smoke this morning, but it was fun and good to talk with people. The wine there was very meh.



Brunch

Brunch in Doha just is not the same. You don't really get all you can drink - the brunches come with sparkling wine, or white or red wine. Last time we went to the Moevenpick, I know we got beers as part of our meal and we each paid 325 QAR. This time, I literally spit the wine out. It was HORRIBLE. It was like chilled alcoholic grape juice. Horrible!!!! So, I ordered two beers instead. Apparently, this was not part of the meal and we got charged 45 riyals per beer. Our bill for beer alone was 1000 riyals! So, I went up to complain to the manager and he all but called me a liar "We've never included beer before" "We always serve the same wine" - what a liar. I am so disappointed. We have been there for brunch twice and while it was not as fancy as the other places in town, it was much less expensive, closer, less crowded, and had decent food. Well, we paid more than what we paid at the Grand Hyatt which spares no expense. So I guess we'll just be visiting various brunches throughout town since they wind up all costing the same anyway. It just made me so mad - not that it was much more expensive, but the waiters never once said anything when I said since I didn't like the wine, I wanted beer instead. It is the principle.

This is one mentality I really really dislike here: there is no accountability. They literally just shrug their shoulders and say "so?" if you are unable with any aspect of your service. Even if I was in the wrong regarding the alcohol bill, there was ZERO apology or sympathy or even friendliness. And what really sucks, is that we go there all the time. I think that was the last straw for me though. It was the same when I stayed at Ezdan and ordered a drink with my salad for room service and they would forget the drink. They'd send someone up with it, but no apologies, no promises to never happen again (it did at least 5 times). They just didn't care about doing a good job. The service industry here throws food on your plate and takes your money. Period. I have to keep reminding myself, that I am not in America or Europe, and that I just have to accept this, but sometimes it is difficult.



Soccer

Oh! I'm sorry - football. Every tuesday night, ten or so of us head to the nearby British club to play an hour of scrimmaging soccer. It is a good way to get out our frustrations while getting in shape too. I name the ball a different name each week to give me a little something to play for. Unfortunately, two weeks ago I did something to my quad - it was not a pull, but was more acute. I thought maybe I pinched a nerve because the next day it was almost fine and the day after - nothing. But when I played again this week after resting for two weeks, I felt it again, but not as bad. It only happens when I kick the ball. I'm pretty sure it is not a pulled muscle, but then again, I've never actually pulled my quad. It is right between the muscle and bone, so very strange feeling, and as I said - acute - just confined to one small area. So, I'm trying to kick with my left leg while it continues to heal. I wonder if it might have something to do with my new shoes too - so I'm going to try some other shoes to test it out. Who the heck knows. I'm just getting old.

"Tony" just bought a bike and now I think I might too. There is a bike path near the airport. It is only 10 km, but it's a start. I'm used to riding much further when I do bike rides, but it is far too scary to bike much here - the roads are death....

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Photos

Core box mountains
Like Raiders of the Lost Ark, huh? How do you find anything!?!

Core box mountains
Note these two photos are from only one corner of the warehouse

Core liners
These new core liners supposedly help with core recovery and help preserve moisture contents. Pain in the butt to cut though to get the photos and lab samples

Typical drill set up
The casing in the foreground, drillers and assistants in blue hard hats, rig in the background.

Commute
One road in the industrial should NOT be allowed to let people turn left. These giant trucks turn left and impede traffic in both directions for minutes.

Moevenpick desserts
Usually I'm not a dessert person, but that trifle was delicious - i had seconds!

Little cokes
love the little can of diet coke

Comments

[Romsa]

Thanks for blogging about your job. It was really interesting to read about what you are doing over there. You are certainly missed over here. Hope all is well, Pookie.

[Home and Away]

Thanks for sharing a bit of what everyday life is like...
it reminded me of my soils lab experience, a summer job before starting college...a lot of aggregate going through sieves and doing concrete and asphalt mix design...still have a smashed pinky. I never did the geotechnical stuff though. As for soccer/football, on my first construction job in northern Thailand, our team of engineers and inspectors played the local high school girls' team...22 of them against 11 of us...and they were allowed to scratch. My jersey was shredded, not to mention my skin. My wife was not pleased when I got home!