Land of the Unexpected

Papua New Guinea is a country that simply cannot do without helicopters. Its terrain and lack of good roads make air transport by helicopter indispensable. MARK OGDEN visits Oil Search, one of the major energy companies developing the oil and gas reserves of PNG whose helicopter operations are
a vital contributor to the PNG economy.

Lying just to the north of Australia and just south of the equator, Papua New Guinea’s volcanic landscape is rugged, changeable and awesomely beautiful. The country’s 462 sq km include high mountain ranges, deep gorges, fast-flowing rivers, active volcanoes and continuously changeable weather. Its climate is tropical but temperatures in the highlands can fall to as low as 4°C and rise to as much as 32°C, while the more humid lowland, coastal and island areas have an average daily temperature of 27°C.

With a disparate tribal and town-based population, PNG has a Westminster-style government overlaid on a traditional tribal system. Its six million (mainly Melanesian) people vary widely in their physical, ethnic and cultural characteristics. Over 83% live outside urban areas. The infrastructure is not well developed – and law and order is a problem. The country, as one PNG citizen described it, is “a mountain of gold floating on a sea of oil and gas.” Although its oil reserves are yet to be fully proved, it has large reserves of gas that are beginning to be developed.

PNG’s weather and fertile volcanic soil produce some of the best coffee in the world and its mines produce plenty of gold and copper. Its tropical jungles are thick, widespread and plentiful. Its unique flora and fauna, spectacular views, clear and deep coastal waters should make it an eco-tourism Mecca.

Oil Search

PNG is a country that simply cannot do without helicopters; they are even vital to its electoral process – carrying politicians back and forth across the country to campaign at local villages and transporting ballot boxes and election officials.

For Oil Search, PNG’s terrain and lack of good roads make air transport by helicopter indispensable. A lot of equipment is moved by road but many roads have to be made. Consequently, when the company sets up a rig site, it compares the cost of building roads and maintaining security with that of transporting equipment and personnel by helicopter and uses the most cost-effective method. Helicopters are used to move rigs, components, fuel, accommodation, pipes and people. They provide transport, lifting capacity and medical evacuation from jungle pads and airfields to the company’s Kumul platform, 40 km off PNG’s southern coast. The helicopters also carry medical teams into the field to provide immunization services to villagers.

Oil Search has three fields; its main airfield is at Moro in the southern highlands at the western tip of Lake Kutubu. Gobe is in the lowlands to the southeast, and Kopi is a few miles further along the 270 km pipeline to the Kumul Marine Terminal (which discharges Kutubu blend crude oil to tankers waiting a further two km from the terminal). In partnership with its majority stakeholder, ExxonMobil, Oil Search is also looking to develop significant gas reserves in a major liquid natural gas project worth some $US11 billion, the gas from which will probably be piped to Port Moresby (the nation’s capital) for final processing and shipping. In addition, Oil Search has more LNG projects in initial planning phases.

The Helicopters

Oil Search is PNG’s largest oil and gas producer and operates all the current PNG oil fields. The company’s operations straddle several provinces and its licenses cover some 1,800 sq km. Two companies provide helicopter aviation support for Oil Search – Goroka-based Pacific Helicopters, and Portland, Oregon-based Columbia Helicopters. Pacific’s contract is for seven light (Bell 206 and Eurocopter AS350) helicopters for general transport, medevac and seismic operations, an IFR Bell 212 to support the Kumul platform and a VFR Bell 212 for general transport and backup to the IFR machine.
For heavy lifting, Columbia Helicopters provides a Boeing 234 and a Boeing/Kawasaki Vertol 107. Colombia’s first presence in PNG was in 1971 when it provided drilling support near Kiunga and Komo. In the early 80s, it was back in PNG, working at about 8,000 ft in the Lavani Valley near Tari. The company has maintained a presence in PNG ever since, moving rigs and associated equipment around the country.

Oil Search’s helicopters fly more than 2,400 hours a year in heavy lift work and almost 5,000 hours in light and medium lift operations. The light and medium helicopters fly such tasks as transporting personnel on crew changes at the remote area production and exploration rigs, delivering important components to these sites, long lining seismic equipment into “sky holes” or medevac-ing injured personnel to local medical centers.
Trees in the PNG jungle can be 200 ft tall, or even taller, so long lining is an essential skill for PNG pilots. Using long lines – typically 250 ft in length – Columbia’s 234 and 107 helicopter pilots deliver everything from kitchens and cool rooms to fuel, pipes, dozers and rig components. In addition to their long lining work, they also deliver important test equipment and personnel and provide SAR coverage for the offshore Marine Terminal.

Bush Work

Pads are often small bush clearings on the tops of ridges or in deep valleys, where in many cases, there is limited over- and under-shoot potential. The high true airspeed resulting from the high density-altitude can be misleading to a pilot, making ground speed seem high; the temptation is to slow too early, with the result that more power is required. However, being too fast on late finals can necessitate large altitude changes, which again require more power. The high density-altitude means that pilots have to plan their approaches carefully because of the higher inertia of their aircraft.

The pads can be earthen, wood, cement or just gravel. Wood pads are easy to build with plenty of raw material available, but wood pads can rot quickly in the tropics and they can be slippery when covered by mould which grows quickly in this environment; a couple of layers of “chicken wire” nailed firmly to the wood can cure the slipping problem. Regular inspections are needed to ensure wood rot does not affect the structure. Inspections are also needed to check on the plant growth, because in the tropics plants grow quite vigorously.

Pilots must really know their helicopters, as they need to judge their proximity to trees, long grass, stumps and equipment. Oil Search and its contractors have loadmasters at the pads to load/unload and refuel the helicopters, and manage the passengers and personnel. Loads and passengers are always weighed so that the pilots receive accurate manifests, which allow them to calculate their aircraft’s performance precisely.

Often the mountain pads are located on the edge of drops to allow pilots to “park” the tail rotors over the edge. While this obviates the danger of people walking into them, it can make life hard for pilots who need to inspect their helicopters’ tails.

The Unexpected

Helicopter flying in PNG is challenging and can even be considered a bit evolutionary; it tends to bite those who fail to understand or adapt to its conditions. That is why many of the pilots flying for Oil Search are “old hands”. Although it is a VFR-only operation, the company requires a high degree of experience in the pilots it employs. For example, pilots of the light helicopters require at least 1,500 hours total time with 1,000 in command, and a minimum of six months’ mountain flying experience. Pilots working seismic operations also require 300 hours’ experience in this kind of work as well as 250 hours in jungle areas. Regardless of their previous experience, there is an induction period before pilots are allowed to operate unsupervised.

Many pilots come from New Zealand, where mountain flying and bush operations are second nature, although there is also a fair sprinkling of Australians as well as some local pilots. The New Zealand influence is strong in PNG, where regulations closely mirror those of the Kiwis. Many of the pilots flying for Columbia in PNG are also from New Zealand, which seems to produce some of the best “long liners” in the world.

PNG’s aviation infrastructure is lacking in many areas – poor communication and a lack of navigation aids, being examples, and even official aeronautical charts are hard to find. In addition, significant security measures are required in order to prevent equipment being stolen.

Its high mountains preclude night visual operations over most of the country. Heavy cloud can form at night, so even night vision devices would be of limited use. For most helicopters, it’s day-VFR, or it’s on the ground. VFR requirements in PNG are a little different from most countries – probably in practical recognition of the kind of weather generally encountered. For day-VFR, aircraft are simply required to remain clear of cloud. It is generally accepted that if reduced visibility due to bad weather necessitates slowing to about 40 kts, then it is time to give it away and land somewhere to await a change of the weather.

The combination of high density altitudes, fast-changing weather, steep gorges and mountains covered in lush jungle often push helicopter pilots and their machines to their limits. Throughout PNG’s aviation history, many aircraft have crashed and seemingly been gobbled up by the jungle. Even today, “fresh” wrecks from WWII continue to be discovered on a regular basis.

Because of the high humidity, especially in the mountains, a slight breeze can cause sufficient mixing to form clouds, literally in seconds, and they can disappear just as quickly. Thunderstorms develop in the evenings and continuous heavy rain in the wet season makes it essential for pilots to assess their escape routes and review their plans continually. During the wet season, rainfall in areas such as Gobe is measured in meters. The season, which usually coincides with the Southeast Trades that bring moisture in from the Torres Straits and Coral Sea, starts around May–June and concludes around September–October. In the later part of the year, these same winds will blow continuously at up to 40 kts at the Marine Terminal.

Planning Essential

As they are often working at density altitudes more than 3,000 ft above their working elevation, pilots must plan their approaches and departures carefully with a view to an “out”

should a planned profile not work. A shallow approach to an in-ground

hover is the aim when approaching a pad, but often the pads may be hunkered among tall trees – even those on hilltops or ridges. According to Brian Lamplough, Pacific’s base manager at Moro, who has 21 years’ flying experience in PNG, “Altitude flying is no problem, as long as the standard load charts are followed and escape routes planned. Escape routes must also account for weather, which can change in seconds.” He highlights the importance of planning, especially when working above 7,000 ft. “You have to plan and keep planning from takeoff to landing.” He says that pilots should overfly their intended landing pads to note wind direction and determine the pads’ suitability.

He also pointed out that because of the speed at which weather can change, passengers intending to make day trips should make contingency plans for unplanned overnight stays. This is especially true for those working in the high mountains, where temperatures can drop to near zero. “To survive up here, you need a big dose of common sense,” commented Brian. “You should operate with a ‘there’s always another day’ outlook – plan ahead, learn from previous experiences and never be afraid to ask questions.”

The availability of GPS has improved safety enormously in PNG. In the past, with little aeronautical infrastructure and few man-made features to navigate by, navigation solely by reference to a map was fraught with danger in such harsh, difficult-to-read terrain, much of which was frequently covered by cloud. GPS certainly improves situational awareness and allows pilots to establish their position accurately and navigate around cloud and terrain. However, it is important that pilots do not lose their map reading skills, should they need to revert to them in the event of a GPS failure.

Aircraft that are highly dependent upon electronics can suffer reliability problems in the high humidity and heavy rain. Mechanics have found

that strategically placed covers (such

as over the engine bays of the AS350s) can improve the reliability of the electrics.

When operating at bush camps, aircraft are virtually never hangared but are left outside in the weather. To guard against moisture and contaminants entering their fuel systems, helicopters in PNG often have extra airframe filters. Helicopters working near the coast can also suffer corrosion issues due to the high humidity and salt-laden atmosphere. Dozens of different pilots fly each of the aircraft during a year, so preflight inspections are important.

Maintenance sometimes has to be carried out in atrocious conditions, so the most important attributes for engineers are a sense of humor and an ability to remain professional in trying conditions.

Heat and humidity are not the only conditions that pilots and mechanics have to deal with. Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis and typhoid are a problem. Probably the biggest health threat facing helicopter personnel is malaria, which is rife in the coastal areas and appears even in the cooler highlands where the anopheles mosquitoes also breed. Despite the dangers associated with malaria,

many ex-pats in PNG consider the long-term use of the anti-malarial prophylaxis medication designed to counter the disease to be worse than the illness itself.

Increasing Professionalism

When Chevron first developed the Moro and Gobe areas, the pace of flying was frenetic. Pacific Helicopters had a fleet of 18 machines including AS350s, Bell 206s and Hughes 369s. Each aircraft flew about 40 hours a week. Columbia had Vertols and there were three Pacific/Bristow Pumas as well as a Mil 26. Today, while PNG’s resource sector is growing again, it is doing so at a more sedate and manageable pace.

Thankfully, it seems that helicopter aviation in PNG might be emerging from its “Wild West” days and taking safety seriously. Brian Lamplough says that over the last 10-15 years, he has seen a far more professional approach from not only companies and pilots, but also, importantly, from the clients. “The younger pilots are better trained and more professional,” he says. “Health and safety issues on the big jobs are critical and there are no excuses for any gung-ho flying.”

The approach taken by Oil Search is that if a pilot has any doubt about the safety of a flight, then it doesn’t happen. No one is allowed to second-guess or question a pilot’s decision. Sometimes, this can be frustrating for drillers as exploration rigs cost hundreds of thousands a day to operate, and they naturally view any delay with dismay. However, they have come to accept the importance of aviation safety within the company.

Life in Papua New Guinea can be dangerous on many fronts, and it can never be described as dull. Many of the pilots flying in PNG consider it to be some of the most challenging, yet satisfying flying they ever do – it is never boring or mundane. All quickly come to realize that in PNG, the unexpected is always expected.