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NMCB 11 Seabees Improve Life on Oil Platform

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090621-08
Release Date: 6/21/2009 12:30:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kelli Roesch, Media Transition Team Kuwait

AL BASRA OIL TERMINAL (NNS) -- Working 14-16 hours a day, seven days a week is nothing new for Navy Seabees. However, for the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 from Gulfport, Miss., working on the Al Basra Oil Terminal (ABOT) off the coast of Iraq, is not just a deployment, it's an adventure.

U.S. forces have maintained a presence in the North Arabian Gulf since 2003, assisting the Iraqi Navy by helping provide security to their oil platforms, which account for approximately 85 percent of Iraq's revenue.

Chief Steelworker (SCW) Donna M. Snow, officer in charge of the NMCB 11 Navy Central Command Detachment, believes their mission is important for several reasons.

"The work the Seabees aboard ABOT are accomplishing directly supports operation Iraqi Freedom by improving the living conditions aboard ABOT," Snow said. "By providing these creature comforts, the U.S. and Coalition Forces are able to focus on training the Iraqi sailors and marines."

Capt. Karl Van Deusen, commander, Combined Task Force 55, who is responsible for helping provide security to the Iraqi oil platforms, said the Seabees have made a big difference in the quality of life for Sailors serving aboard ABOT.

The difficulty in all of the improvements is procuring supplies, as there is no store to run to for a needed tool and no replacement parts for damaged equipment. Everything needed for their work, every bolt, paint brush, saw and chisel, must be ordered and transported to the site via small boat.

Some improvements are immediately noticeable to Sailors living there. Seabees refurbished 43 sleeping areas and four restrooms providing upgrades in basic living conditions. Bringing in more washing machines and dryers, putting them in convenient locations, and re-routing pipes and fittings to accommodate the change makes life on ABOT feel more like home.

More upgrades included adding a new 859-foot section to the dining area. The work also included demolishing and reconstructing the existing structure even as kitchen personnel continued to provide several hot meals a day.

Seabees also constructed a covered outdoor multipurpose area allowing for meetings, a place to eat and a covered deck for workers to play cards or talk, making a big difference in the overall quality of life.

New paneling was placed in the 500-square-foot Morale, Welfare, and Recreation room enabling U.S. and Coalition forces to relax and watch movies in a comfortable environment.

Since staying connected is a priority for anyone separated from their families, Seabees designed and constructed a 200-square-foot internet café with six computers and individual work stations, allowing U.S. and Coalition forces to communicate back home on a regular basis.

According to Snow, the value of the $500,000 in upgrades goes beyond the monetary costs.

"The amount and quality of work that the Seabees have produced falls right into what they have been doing since their birth in 1942," Snow said. "They took the impossible tasking and while producing quality construction, they made it look effortless."

The U.S. Navy will continue to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the North Arabian Gulf and provide assistance as requested. MSO help set the conditions for security, which promotes stability and prosperity in the North Arabian Gulf. These operations protect Iraq's sea-based infrastructure.