The importance of the energy sector to the Malaysian economy can be judged from the scale of its resources. According to national oil and gas corporation Petronas, the country has hydrocarbon reserves equivalent to 20.6bn barrels, making it the biggest oil and gas producer in the region.
Offshore contracting crews working in the harsh environment of the South China Sea rely on Thuraya XT and IP for reliable communications
“It’s essential we have our own communications equipment because we have to be able to contact shore at any time,” says Shafiz. “We sometimes need to check technical issues with our colleagues in Kuala Lumpur and we can’t afford to delay the work while we wait for a satphone to be available. That’s why we always carry Thuraya phones with us.” Shafiz purchased a pair of Thuraya XT handsets from Thuraya partner Radii Teknologi of Port Klang near Kuala Lumpur. The XT is the world’s toughest and smallest satellite phone and meets the most demanding standards for shockproofing, splash, and dust resistance. This makes it ideal for the harsh environment of an offshore platform in a region well known for its monsoon climate and summer typhoons. “It really is a great phone with really good voice quality. I’d recommend it to anyone who needs to make and receive calls from remote areas,” adds Shafiz. “It’s so robust and durable that it can easily stand up to the conditions we work in, which are pretty extreme at times.”
