Volume of Changning Kingdom: Section 43 Oil Field Construction (1)
"I think so too." Wu Tingwei said.
"But our job is still oil, so we'll wait and see what happens in this matter." Huang Lu said, "If the Huang family comes to ask us for help, we will help. If they can handle it themselves, that's not bad."
"I hope they can't handle it on their own... so that we can naturally intervene in Shanpak Port," Wu Tingwei said.
"I'm just the opposite. We haven't finished our main business yet. If we go to work on these side businesses first, Mr. Zhou will definitely vomit three liters of blood if he finds out..." Cui Yunhong shook his head, "We are here to extract oil, extract oil, extract oil - important things.
Three times.”
"The progress of our project has not even reached 10%," Chen Yupeng said angrily at the attitude of the three people who came first. Now that Cui Yunhong finally got to the point, "Now the experimental oil wells are not very good."
Success - the oil production rate is too low, I'm afraid we have to explore for a suitable location. There is also the progress of Silia's infrastructure..."
"If the building materials don't come, there's nothing we can do." Huang Lu spread her hands, "I promised to give you something, but only two ships came - this is too far off."
"I just received the telegram. The supply fleet will arrive tomorrow. However, the company requires us to try our best to solve the logistical supply problem ourselves, especially bulk materials such as grain that can be supplied locally, and try to save transportation tonnage."
"We can temporarily purchase at Mara Port and let Basten act as an agent without even using a ship." Cui Yunhong said, "Huang Lu, you can make a special trip tomorrow to sign a supply contract with him."
"What to do with the money?"
"First of all, we owe it. Tell him that this is a business between us and him - he will definitely be happy to advance the payment. Besides, doesn't he also plan to invest in our Labuan Island development plan..."
"This Dutch guy is very capable and has great ideas." Wu Tingwei said, "He will agree."
"Then I'll go for a run."
"The exploration situation these days is not very optimistic." Chen Pengyu said, opening his folder. He was very dissatisfied with Wu and Cui going to Shanba Port, thinking that they were simply "a waste of time."
He spread out the map on the table, which was a large topographic map of the preliminary exploration of the mining area. While looking at the information, Chen Pengyu talked about the current preliminary exploration:
The exploration work did not go as smoothly as expected. The natural conditions were harsh, with high weeds, many mosquitoes, and deep water. The personnel consumed a lot of physical energy and energy.
At the oil seepage sites that have been marked so far, part of the advance team has conducted test drilling, but most of them have not yet had formal test drilling. On the one hand, the working surface has not been cleaned at all, resulting in the advance team using manual drills less efficiently than shovels and picks.
On the other hand, the advance team found that walking in the jungle is really laborious. The terrain in the exploration area is very complex. Once you go deeper into the inland, temporary roads must be built to transport large equipment, which far exceeds the ability of the advance team.
ability.
"... Judging from the oil wells drilled so far, the exploration situation is not satisfactory."
"Aren't there several oil wells that have started to produce oil?" Huang Lu said.
"The output is too small, and the oil output is unstable. It has no commercial development value." Chen Pengyu said, "It is impossible to find a suitable oil well on the seaside. The next step is to push a few kilometers inland and start test drilling.
Already."
Cui Yunhong said: "To advance inland, we need to build roads - our current labor force is far from enough. We need not only manpower, but also mechanical help..."
Although there is no formal road construction, historically, there is a dirt road trampled by human activities that surrounds the entire island of Kalimantan. This road goes 40 to 50 kilometers inland, which is where humans settled in Kalimantan before the 19th century.
At the limit of activities on the island, although there are primitive tribes activities further inland, they are rarely recorded in documents and are basically classified as "savages". The "civilized people" living there, whether European
Colonists, Chinese immigrants, or subjects of the local Sultanate rarely go more than ten kilometers inland. Even in the 21st century, Kalimantan Island is not highly developed.
In terms of the capabilities of the exploration team, five kilometers from the coast is almost the limit. Building a five-kilometer road is not worth mentioning in other places, but it is a big project on Kalimantan.
"Our current number of workers is far from enough to build such a road - and more than one road may be needed." Wu Tingwei frowned.
"A Tieniu II will arrive with the ship this time," Chen Pengyu said. "It is a tractor, but it is also equipped with engineering accessories such as bulldozers, which can be used to build roads. But our existing dock facilities may
Difficult to uninstall."
"We have to build roads and docks. It would be great if Kuaikeqiong could send us hundreds of slaves." Wu Tingwei said, "It's a pity that the Huang family is in crisis now. Otherwise, we can hire more Chinese laborers through them."
Come to work."
"Let Basten help us hire people. He can do anything easily in Mara - let him also serve as a labor agency - we will give him a certain handling fee for each worker..."
"Don't." Huang Lu waved her hands repeatedly, "If you want to do this, do you believe that he will bribe pirates to kidnap people as laborers? Or should I stay a few more days to recruit people when I go to Mala this time?
.”
"I don't think this is a big problem. After all, he is in Brunei, and he doesn't have the guts to openly kidnap people into slavery. Besides, he won't do his best unless you give him some benefits."
The next day, the supply fleet arrived, and Qin Xike also arrived with the ship. This time they came with two specially modified T800s. This kind of T800 was specially modified to transport large, over-length cargo. Not only did it transport
steam machinery, as well as various machinery and related materials for oil exploration and extraction.
Along with the ship came a complete set of sawing and cooperage production equipment, including a Spanish "technician". This man was a prisoner captured during the robbery of the Manila silver ship. He was a cooper in Spain. After being captured, he stayed in
Hailin's subordinates at the woodwork factory specialize in the manufacturing of wooden barrels of various sizes.
When the first wave of exploration teams landed, the first 200-meter-long trestle had been built, so the unloading work went smoothly at first. However, when the large equipment was unloaded, this thin wooden structure trestle seemed to be unable to do its job. Therefore.
Use wooden rafts to unload.
The raft was prepared in advance in the camp. After calculation, they believed that the buoyancy reserve of the raft was not sufficient, so they cut down a large amount of bamboo to supplement the buoyancy. At the same time, a large fin was installed in the center of the raft.
to increase stability.
Heavy steam engines, tractors, drilling rigs, casings...these overweight and long cargoes were lifted one by one by the ship's crane and carefully placed on wooden rafts to be fixed.
After being fixed, the raft was towed by a rowing boat in front, and the other two rowing boats used pulling ropes on the left and right to control the direction, and slowly drifted toward the beach.
There is no doubt that such unloading is extremely inefficient, and for safety reasons, it can only be unloaded when the tide rises. Once the tide falls, it will be shut down.
It took several days of hard work before all the equipment and materials on the two ships were unloaded. Fortunately, the weather was calm these days, and the unloading of large equipment was uneventful. Otherwise, the loss of equipment would be a minor issue, and the delay in progress would be the key.
With the help of steam tractors and steam cranes, the infrastructure construction efficiency of the exploration team instantly reached a higher level. In particular, the fleet also transported more than 100 tons of red bricks, tiles and cement as ballast. In addition to the under-construction
In the wood processing factory, it is conceivable that both the elders and the laborers of the engineering team will soon be able to live in decent houses in the near future, instead of living in tents and huts.
Huang Lu came back from Mala a few days later and brought news.
"Old man Van Basten is not in Mara," Huang Lu said. "I asked his deputy where he went, and the deputy actually said that he didn't know either. He only knew that he went to sea on Armand's Good Luck.
He said he was going to do a 'big business'. However, things were not delayed. His deputy was very interested in our proposal and said that Mr. Basten would definitely accept our proposal. He could immediately provide food and daily necessities.
Just do it, but hiring people will have to wait until Basten comes back."
The elders were not surprised that Basten was not in Mara - it was very common for low-level businessmen like Basten to run around in the jurisdiction.
"It's troublesome if the deputy can't make the final decision on hiring people..."
"It's okay. I also visited some Chinese associations and businessmen in Mala. They can all provide labor, as long as..."
"As long as we give you money, right?"
"Yes, if the price we give is right, they can also directly send a ship back to the country to recruit people... as many as they want..."
"Damn, isn't this just like 'selling piglets'?" Cui Yunhong complained.
Huang Lu didn't expect this and scratched her head: "It seems so."
"I don't think it's enough to go back to China to recruit. Water far away can't quench the thirst for people nearby. Anyway, we don't need many people now. Five hundred to one thousand workers will be enough. If we have more workers, it will be too difficult for us to manage. Let them try their best
Just recruit locally. It doesn’t have to be all Chinese, as long as they are willing to work, they can.”
"Okay, I will tell you this next time when I go to see Basten. Anyway, the deputy said Basten should be back in another week." Huang Lu said, "By the way, there is one more important thing...
…”
"What's up?"
"The Chinese and locals in Mala are secretly talking about something big happening in the capital... A few days ago, the capital was blocked. The army blocked the roads and city gates, preventing people from entering or exiting."
"What's going on?" Wu Tingwei suddenly became interested, "Do you have any specific explanation?"
"There are various theories. Some say there were assassins who committed the assassination, while others say there were ministers who intended to rebel." This chapter has been completed!