The Grand Old Lady Photo

Photographer’s Note

Miri’s Oil Well No.1 or otherwise called the “Grand Old Lady” was the first oil well in Malaysia drilled by Shell in 1910. After 62 years and 660,000 barrels of oil, the well was shut down in 1972 with an estimated production of 3 barrels a day. The site and structure was in July 1985 declared a national monument by the State of Sarawak government. The well is located on top of Canada Hill and history says that was one Canadian man living there and his main business was to recruit foreign and locals workers to work in the oil fields around this mountain.

On August 1910, the construction of an 87 meter high wooden tower was completed and soon after drilling work started using the only available drilling technique known at that time and called “cable tool drilling”. After several months, drilling struck oil from the grounds of the hill at a depth of 150m.

The main post is a picture of the original drilling structure, today a national monument. In WS1 is a picture illustrating the oldest drilling method, the cable tool drilling. In WS2 is a view of a steel sculpture, representing CH4 (methane) molecule.

ISO: 160
Focal: 22mm

dhurjati, robertosalguero, CeccoPhoto, njmv79, xuaxo, adamchewts01, Floydian, Across_Asia, riclopes, syd1946, snuggleaphagus, torre, bostankorkulugu, siolaw, MLINES, vinicio, John_F_Kennedy, josepmarin, stego, chrisnet, plimrn, rossy85, isa, lucasgalodoido, pablominto, luiscar, shevchenko has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dhurjati (2827) 2007-06-02 5:35

Hi Antonio,
Fantastic shot.Nice clarity and gorgeous colours.Like the vertical capture looking up the sky.Nice use of the silhoutte as well.A++ composition.
Greetings from India,
Dhurjati

fayeulle (26547) 2007-06-02 5:36

Hi Antonio
Interresting note. Thanks for discovering the world through this picture.
Cheers
JP

robertosalguero (110) 2007-06-02 5:37

Nice and interesting picture. Th well is something I am used to see where I live but this older one is very good. Good historical note regarding this place t accompany the image. Thanks Antonio.

Roberto

CeccoPhoto (2711) 2007-06-02 6:00

Ciao Antonio,
Excelent Shot, i like in this: your POV and the colours.
I think that this is relay interesting photo.

Have a good WE.

CeccoPhoto!!

P-S-I-G (24482) 2007-06-02 8:01

Hello Antonio,
Very well taken. I like the colours and the sharpness.
Good theme.
Best regards,
Fabrice

njmv79 (457) 2007-06-02 10:55 [Comment]

Show Comment +

xuaxo (5909) 2007-06-02 11:05

Olá António,
Um post muito informativo, em que quem está fora do assunto aprende umas coisas, ilustrado com umas boas fotos. A foto da molécula está muito bonita.
Bom fim-de-semana.
F

Floydian (30970) 2007-06-02 11:20

Hi Roberto,
Interesting note tells really the story of the picture. Good contrast with in colours in a real good exposure.
Have a nice weekend, Henk

riclopes (33137) 2007-06-02 14:28

Interessante museu, António. As três imagens estão muito boas, com cores apelativas e composições originais muito bem conseguidas pela maneira como nos mostram a relação entre os 3 PDVs. Acho que a que gosto mais até é a da molécula - aquela superfície metálica, tão polida e brilhante está um espanto e certamente que daria para experiências gráficas interessantes, brincando com os reflexos naquelas esferas.
Mas o grafismo desta torre contra o belo céu também está muito boa.
Ricardo

syd1946 (17999) 2007-06-02 16:00

Hello Antonio,
Very interesting "subject" to take a photograph!The wooden tower helps very much the perspective to the top,to this vivid blue sky!Very well composed...

Have a nice weekend,
Thomas

snuggleaphagus (4140) 2007-06-02 16:12

Otimo nome para esta torre, pois tem um ar muito imponente e um pouco vaidoso. As nuvens estao lindas da a impressao que subindo ao alto da torre podesse tocar nas nuvens.
A nota tem otima informacao, uma oportunidade para eu aprender algo novo.

torre (893) 2007-06-02 18:08

Olá António. Para 100ª foto, foi um tema bem escolhido. Petróleo, a tua área de trabalho e que também já foi a minha, quando fazia "bancas" em Cabo Ruivo na Shell. Boas côres.
Saudações
Arlindo

bostankorkulugu (34168) 2007-06-02 18:18

very informative note and a beautiful documentary shot... not only this one but all three... the colours are so bright and impressive in all... tfs and have a great sunday my friend...

korkut:)

Docarmo (8862) 2007-06-02 19:49

Excelente este conjunto de fotos. Nitidez e cores de dar gosto.
Thanks for sharing.
Maria do Carmo

siolaw (25882) 2007-06-02 23:35

Hello Antonio,
You show us well your working environment, with the 'old lady' well in bright vivid colors, correct sharpness and obvious choice of vertical, off centered framing... A good note too.
Laurent

MLINES (11054) 2007-06-03 5:27

Hi Antonio. Excellent photo of this piece of history. Interesting note about it and the incredible amount of oil from one hole. TFS. Murray.

vinicio (22498) 2007-06-03 14:18

Interesting old structure (monument), note and images, an educative post Antonio, very interesting, compliments, to all in this post.
Have a nice week
Ciao
Vinicio

John_F_Kennedy (32308) 2007-06-04 2:23

Nice composition and combination of colours. Clear and sharp, well done.
Best wishes,
Achim

josepmarin (34243) 2007-06-04 6:57

Olá Antonio,
una composición interesante por lo que explicas en la nota y por su belleza estética. Hay un gran contraste enre los elementos y los colores saturados funcionan bien, dando al cielo y a las nubes un bello grafismo y mucha fuerza visual.
El encuadre descentrado también está bien organizado.
Buen trabajo.
Un saludo,
Josep

stego (22500) 2007-06-04 8:28

Olá António,
Bonita e instrutiva, esta pequena série de fotos e notas sobre os primórdios da exploração petrolífera na Malásia. Gosto tanto desta como dos WS's, todas estão muito bem compostas e excelentes tecnicamente. Nesta, a compo em L é muito eficaz. Não sei se é intencional, mas a relativa frieza, quase palidez, das cores dá-lhes um ar de 'filme' ou de postal que me parece que fica bem com o tema.
Um abraço, José.

chrisnet (20378) 2007-06-04 12:39

Hello Antonio,
Nice vertical framing and beautiful colors, thanks for your interesting note, regards.
Christian

plimrn (19856) 2007-06-04 21:54

Ola Antonio,
Excellent light management has really allowed you to present this stunning cloud in all its glory. The oil derrick is well-framed against the cloud.

We have certainly learned a lot about oil drilliong from your very informative post. What it most teaches us about the world is the impact oil has made on this country's economy as clearly shown by making an oil will a national monument.

SAA, Larry & Pat

rossy85 (2865) 2007-06-05 17:16

Wow, interesting note. Excellent capture with nice perspective.
Thank you,
Rossy

isa (1964) 2007-06-05 18:06

Olá António,
Interessante imagem e nota explicativa.
Belíssima composição, com cores e uma nitidez impacáveis.
Saudações,
Isa

lucasgalodoido (16929) 2007-06-06 20:15

Olá Antônio!
Outra bonita imagem, com belas cores, principalmente no céu!
Bonita homenagem que fizeram a essa velha torre de pettróleo!
Parabéns e Abraço!

ben4321 (9809) 2007-06-09 5:57

I like this one Antonio, it reminds me of one of the those old photographs from the '50s of the Texas oil fields. I'm half expecting an oil worker in one of those shiny old American safety helmets to wander into the foreground.
It's an interesting looking structure, and you've photographed it well.

Cheers,
Ben

pablominto (41676) 2007-06-10 3:57

Hello Antonio,
Interesting details about this historical site!
3 barrels a day, sounds like a family operation in the backyard...
A well composed documantary, strong colours and sharp fine details!
Greetings,
Pablo -

luiscar (3282) 2007-06-10 6:56

Hola Antonio, interesante composición, me gusta mucho la posicion vertical y ese cielo bien definido en azul y nubes inmaculadas. buen encuadre de la torre.
gran trabajo, felicidades.

paura (39608) 2007-06-22 20:32

Antonio,
Não sabia que uma plataforma pudesse produzir tanto petróleo. Sua boa foto nos ensina um pouco desse mundo da energia.

Paulo

shevchenko (10184) 2008-09-24 20:13

Hi Antonio,
The gas molecule is more simply than petrol molecule, interesting this working location is now open for visiting, thanks for sharing different views in WS.
Ally