6 things you didn't know about the Malampaya Platform

Most Filipinos know the Malampaya Deepwater Gas-to-Power project from the P9.5 billion pork barrel scam, where whistleblower Merlina Sunas alleged that at least P900 million of the Philippine government’s earnings from the project went to non-government organizations run by Janet Lim-Napoles instead of to the intended beneficiaries, which included typhoon victims and renewable energy projects.

However, beyond the controversies are stories of Filipino engineers, doctors, cooks, and other professionals who operate the Malampaya Platform, located in the West Philippine Sea about 80 kilometers northwest of Palawan island. The crew of the Malampaya Platform work under scorching heat, performing maintenance on machines bigger than themselves,away from their families.

“Sa dami ng lugar na napuntahan ko sa paghahanap ng balita, ngayon lang ako dumaan sa ganitong katinding training bago ang isang coverage,” says Sandra Aguinaldo, who visited the platform during the filming of the “I-Witness” documentary “Malampaya: Islang Bakal.” “Pero ayos lang, makatuntong lang ako sa lugar na piling-pili ang nakararating."

Here are six things you may not have known about the Malampaya Platform.

1) Malampaya supplies almost half the electricity of Luzon.

Malampaya collects natural gas from under the sea. The gas passes through wells up to the production platform, which separates the gas from water and condensate, a high quality of fuel.

The condensate is collected every two weeks by a tanker, while the natural gas passes through an undersea pipeline of about 500 kilometers to a plant in Batangas. The plant then distributes to three power stations that power about half of Luzon. Malampaya, a joint venture of Shell, Chevron and the Philippine National Oil Company, has generated over P315 billion in royalties for the Philippine government since 2001. As of now, seabed preparation has begun for a second platform.

2) Only 59 people are allowed on the platform at any time.

The lifeboat can accommodate exactly 59 people, which is why only 59 people are ever on Malampaya at any given time. Each crew lives on the platform for two weeks, then switches out with another crew so they can spend two weeks at home.

Each person is essential. Engr. Angelique Manlangit, the platform’s operations manager and the only woman on the platform at the time “I-Witness” filmed their documentary, recalls, “Noong unang gabi, medyo nahirapan akong makatulog. Dapat kasi, basta may alarm, handa ka. Ayoko rin kasing magkaroon ng special treatment [dahil babae ako]. Bawat tao rito … kanya-kanya kami ng role."

Because they’re tight on space and are working in a volatile environment, the Permit Control Facility is one of the most important spaces in Malampaya. Engr. Danny Velasco, operations engineer and permit coordinator, says, “Dito namin mina-manage at kino-control ‘yung work permits para unang-una, hindi magkakaroon ng conflict sa ibang trabaho. Alam namin kung anong ginagawa ng bawat tao."



3) Everyone is trained to bail out of a helicopter crash.

Employees of Malampaya take an hour-long helicopter ride from Puerto Prinsesa to work, past the islands of Palawan and far out into the ocean until no land is in sight.

Before heading out to Malampaya, Sandra Aguinaldo and the “I-Witness” team signed up for the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training course at Consolidated Systems Training, Inc. (CSTI), one of the trainings that all offshore plant employees go through.

Over three days, they learned how to put out fires, how to save coworkers during emergencies, and even how get out of a helicopter that crashed in the sea. “Noong bumaliktad na [‘yung helicopter], pumapasok sa ilong mo ‘yung tubig. Kakabahan ka, pero kailangang labanan mo ‘yun,” says Sandra, after climbing out of a mock helicopter hull that had been dropped into a swimming pool to similate an water crash. “Ano bang klaseng lugar ang nangangailangan ng ganitong katinding preparasyon?”



4) Working on an offshore plant is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

Since Malampaya produces two highly volatile substances, gas and condensate, the strictest safety standards are needed place to keep employees safe. The worst-case scenario? A hydrocarbon explosion.

What kind of danger do explosions pose to offshore plants? The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster caused by high-pressure methane gas engulfed the entire platform and sank it, killing 11 employees and spilling oil into the Gulf of Mexico. To this day, oil is still washing up on Louisiana’s shores.

“Lahat tayo, VIP when it comes to safety,” says Engr. Rey Barcebal, Malampaya’s offshore installation manager. “Imagine n’yo yung nagagawa ng 11-kilogram tank ng LPG sa bahay, ‘pag sumasabog ‘yun, nasusunog ‘yung buong barangay. Dito sa Malampaya, we’re operating at around 400 million standard cubic feet of gas. Mataas ang pressure, and we have a pipeline na may laman din na gas."

Natural phenomena are threats to their safety, as well. Since there are no mountains to shield them, storms hit Malampaya hard. “[Noong Bagyong Yolanda], grabe ang hangin. Talagang dumadagundong sa aming living quarters. Pati yung mga antenna, nababaluktot,” recalls Engr. Ariel Benipayo. “Ang unang priority namin ay ang safety ng mga tao. Secondary na lang ‘yung asset."

The employees of Malampaya are each equipped with an emergency kit, and have regular emergency response and evacuation drills. In the event of an explosion, the engineers are to proceed to their muster station while the emergency response team tries to put out the fire. If the fire becomes too dangerous, the offshore installation manager will declare that all staff will evacuate the platform.

5) The food is great.

It may be an incredibly dangerous job, but if there’s one perk to working at Malampaya, it’s that the food is worth writing home about. When “I-Witness” visited the platform, the kitchen staff was busy preparing a 10-course meal, which is a standard in Malampaya. For those who will celebrate their birthdays at work, they even bake cakes! “Bukambibig ng mga taga-rito ang pagkain,” notes Sandra.

Francis Christian Ocoma, chef and camp boss, says that his work is “similar to [working in] a hotel. We have to attend to each and every one’s needs, to the simplest toilet paper up to the details of what they eat. It must be healthy, delicious and of course, hotel standard preparations.” A supply ship comes every three weeks, carrying 45 tons of frozen meat, water, condiments, vegetables and canned goods. The same ship takes away the platform’s segregated trash, which are transported to an onshore waste facility.

Once they’re off duty, employees can rest in bunk beds: two to a room, with a cable TV and comfort room. There is also a laundry service, gym, and WiFi. Every day at 3:00 p.m., they get a 15-minute break to have a snack, drink coffee, or play billiards.



6) Almost all employees are Filipino.

Only one employee is a foreigner, a British national. “Kapag nag-shut down ang Malampaya, malaki ang impact sa economy,” says Engr. Barcebal. “Tayong mga Pilipino, maaapektuhan, kaya ganoon na lamang ang pag-iingat namin dito. Masaya naman ako na gumagaan ang responsibilidad ko dahil magagaling ang mga tao rito.”

--Cristina Tantengco/PF, GMA News