Field Trip!

I went on my first Chesapeake business trip this week! It is actually the first time I have traveled for work since my little (well, 15 months...not so little) stint in California. This trip was to Fort Worth, TX...um, not quite the same as Orange County, CA, but still fun.

Since I started working at Chesapeake 9 months ago (wow, has it been that long?), I have learned so much about the oil & gas industry. This trip was an opportunity to see some things in action. My new position as a Financial Analyst for Business Strategy & Development allows me to view every facet of the business. My boss characterizes it well when he describes it as trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant. There is so much to learn! Seeing things in action first-hand was fascinating. Here are some pics...they were all taken with my BlackBerry, and some through the window of the truck, so excuse the quality. :)

This is a Pig Trap. I just love the name, so I had to take a picture. The pig trap (complete with a pig launcher and pig receiver...teehee) is used to clean the pipeline.

Here is one of our large Compressor Facilities. This is where they compress gas so they can send it to market down the pipeline. It is LOUD! Since this particular one is in an urban area, they had to build a building around the actual compressors to silence them. It's amazing how effective that is!

Here is another Compressor Facility. This one is in a more rural area, so no building required. See how huge those compressors are?

I also got to visit a construction site. These guys are hard at work...

Here is a pretty neat picture of several feet of pipe all strung together. The guy standing there is actually in the process of x-raying the pipe to be sure it fits regulatory and safety standards.

And...I just had to take a picture of my "Do Not Disturb" sign at the hotel. It cracked me up!

God really has blessed me with a great job at an amazing company!