Autumn 1995 - Transporting liquid mud between drilling sites at Jambour oilfield.
From left to right: Anwar, a friend from Tissien (?), Tarik Abdulla, my relative, our driver, a friend from Tazakhourmatu.
Except our driver we were all newly employed by Iraq Petroleum Company in Kirkuk and worked as mud testers. The assignment to move mud used in drilling from storage tanks at Well -2, where work had finished recently to the new Well-3 where work was about to start, was the first assignment we got few days after arrival at the Jambour camp, thirty kms south east of Kirkuk.
We were all around nineteen and had recently graduated from high school. We all were from poor middle class families and needed to work to support our families. Most of us worked for one year and then left to become teachers. Tarek left after few months.He later joined the Military Academy and became an officer.
It is also interesting to note how the multinational character of Kirkuk is reflected in our group. I am an Arab-Turcoman, the driver is Assyrian and the others are Turcomans.
The photo was taken by an Assyrian mud tester who was our senior in age and years of service.