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THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND
JUBILEE
The latest celebration of our queen’s
lengthy reign was an impressive four day event mainly in London, but
probably all of us who have experienced previous jubilees looked back to
them. In a similar manner to the events of 2012, back in 1977 the queen
visited different parts of the United Kingdom allowing her devoted subjects
to line the streets and wave small union jacks at her.
Back in 1977, the year of the silver jubilee, I was master of the seismic
survey ship Oil Hunter, which was a converted Norwegian stern trawler. It
was engaged at the time in carrying out a survey line completely encircling
the United Kingdom on behalf of the UK government (Don’t ask me why). At the
time when the queen was visiting Northern Ireland , our ship was lying
alongside in the Limerick port of Foynes in the Irish Republic. As part of
the delightful hospitality shown to us by the locals the Mate and I were
invited to the Foynes yacht club where we attempted to maintain the nautical
reputation for alcoholic consumption with limited success. “Don’t worry
boys,” said one of our hosts late in the evening. “we’ll make sure nothing
happens to you”. And typically, in the way of mariners everywhere, we had
never thought that anything was going to happen to us anyway – up until that
moment.
The following day then, I was less than totally surprised when two very
large suited gentlemen, elbowed their way into my cabin without any
introduction. “We’re the Irish Special Branch,” they said, “and it seems
that your ship is the only British registered vessel in Ireland at the
moment, and so you could be a target. We’d like you to take your ship out
and anchor it in the river.” I gave their suggestion a bit of thought before
answering. “But that would mean that if there was a bomb planted we couldn’t
get off” I replied, “so I think we’ll stay here.” And we did. (I try to
limit my reminiscences but could not resist this one).
THE ELGIN GAS LEAK
Good news then for Total
and everyone involved with the Elgin Platform. If I had delayed my
newsletter until 17th May I could have reported that the well had been
killed using, according the “The Scotsman” 1000 tonnes of oil based mud.
Since then, apparently, personnel have been returning during daylight hours
to work on the platform, and finally it was reported a couple of days ago
that most of the platform crew are now back at work, although it may take
towards the end of the year before the platform is producing again. It
appears that the only people who are distressed by this news are the greens
who have ben unable to find any evidence of pollution of the environment.
THE ITS CONFERENCE
It would seem churlish today not to
mention the ITS Conference which took place in Barcelona at the end of last
month.
This is a biennial event organized by the ABR Company, and provides a fun
week for the movers and shakers in the tug business, in some major city of
the world. Last time it was in Vancouver and the next one in 2014 is in
Panama. There is a conference, where pertinent papers are presented, and a
load of stands promoting everything from shipyards to steering gear.
The magazine published by the same company is now called International Tug &
OSV, showing that the organization has taken on the relationship between oil
industry vessels and the tug and salvage business.
However, when it came to it the speakers stuck pretty resolutely the
subjects they knew about, salvaging, towing and building and operating tugs.
Cross over points might have been the papers about ETVs – Emergency Towing
Vessels – many of which were, or are, types of anchor-handler.
Some people were in favour of ETVs, but the traditional salvage spokesmen,
headed by Andreas Tsavliris, of Tsavliris Salvage and Towage were in favour
of the commercial approach, and he felt that the involvement of offshore
ships in the salvage business was inappropriate. This old record has been
playing since 1975, and I was amazed he is still at it.
HEADING FOR THE RIG
I though I would continue
for another newsletter with a narrative about a marine accident, and with a
second one following the theme of unintentionally running into things.
This accident occurred on 8th June 2009, and the principle player was the
well stimulation vessel Big Orange XVIII. Yes, if you were wondering, the
Big Orange XVIII used to be orange, together with Big Oranges I to XIX all
of which used to be well stimulation vessels. The Big Orange XVIII was a
modern ship capable of DP operations while connected up to a rig or
platform, pumping thousands of gallons of noxious fluids down the wells , to
well, stimulate them. Pertinent to this event it was powered by two
azimuthing propellers which had to be rotated to go astern.
The other main player in this event was Ekofisk, and it may be worth
remembering that back in 2005 The Ocean Carrier had run into a bridge
between two of the Ekofisk platforms, resulting in an enhancement of the
procedures and systems in order to prevent such a thing happening again.
Ekofisk is a complex field with a whole range of different types of platform
connected by bridges, and at all times provided with jack-ups carrying out
various activities at some of the platforms.
So, the BO XVIII had spent some time at the end of the previous month
stimulating wells at Ekofisk, and hence there was some familiarity between
the ship and the field, but the ship had returned to Montrose (the location
of the photo) for a crew change, and had then returned to the field to stand
by. On the day in question the ship was called in a t 0340 in the morning to
carry out the stimulation of well X16. The Second Mate was on watch. It was
his first trip on the BO XVIII.
The master was called to the bridge and at 0400 he asked for permission to
enter the 500 metre zone, and changed the steering mode from auto to manual.
The communications took place with “Ekofisk Radar”.
Subsequent to this communication, from the viewpoint of the platform the Big
Orange XVIII continued to approach the facility at reduced speed, and then
unaccountably increased speed considerably and with some difficulty avoided
hitting one of the platforms and, steadily increasing in speed, passed under
a connecting bridge. It just avoided the jack-up COSL Rigmar and then veered
off to starboard, running into the water injection platform Ekofisk 2/4-W at
0417, at a speed approaching ten knots. The damage to the platform was
considerable, both above and below the waterline, and the ship suffered a
loss of all items protruding above the bridge and a two metre dent in the
bow. No-one was injured.
On board the ship one can only say that the master failed to understand what
was going on, and that the Second Mate was unlikely to have been of much
help since he was a new arrival, although the investigation did not say what
other offshore experience he had, if any. Of course, had they not been
heading straight for the complex then there would have been no problem.
We have already said that the master took over at 0400. Shortly afterwards
he went to the radio room to take a short phone-call, and then returned to
the pilot house. Approaching the point where he was going to stop and test
the systems he put the helm over but nothing happened, the ship ploughed on.
He then increased speed because sometimes the ship failed to respond to the
steering at low speed. Nothing. He then turned the controls for the
propulsion through 180 degrees for full astern, and increased the power to
maximum. The speed of the ship increased.
The Captain resorted to steering with the bow thruster, managing to avoid
some of the fixed structures, and passing under the connecting bridge. By
now, in desperation, he pressed the emergency stops for the engines, which,
although it is not expressly stated, probably also cut off the power to the
thrusters. So the ship hammered into the platform and came to a halt. There
was a flurry of communications between the various personnel and ships
involved, and the Big Orange XVIII started up the engines again, and backed
off straight into the Northern Crusader, after which it limped off to await
further instructions.
Oh – and why did all this happen? The Captain went to answer the phone.
Because the second Mate was inexperienced he re-engaged the autopilot before
he went. When he returned to the pilot house he forgot to put it back into
hand steering!!
AFRICAN PIRACY
The Russian site, Maritime
Bulletin is currently running a campaign to in some way raise the
consciousness of the international community against piracy in places other
than the Horn of Africa.
They are attempting to raise the awareness of anyone who can read to the
possible misfortunes that can occur to seafarers in African ports.
And we all agree, and I’m please that I am sitting here at my comfortable
desk, rather than commanding a ship attempting to survive in places where
there is no way that the ISPS Code has any place. The people you are dealing
with are in uniform and carrying guns, but they are also asking for money,
and anything else worthwhile you might have.
And then there are the ones who will be deterred by sandbags. In the end
they are the ones who we might prefer to deal with.
BP SHIPPING - WHAT COMES AROUND
Back in the 1970s BP
operated a small fleet of offshore vessels ranging from platform ships to an
advanced standby vessel, which launched its FRCs in all weather up to a
force 9. Then they sold the ships and closed down. Actually it was not quite
like that. Both the management and the ships were taken over by Gulf
Offshore, then a very small player in the North Sea. There-after they placed
management of the “jigsaw” ships, one in the photo, with Vector Offshore.
But now BP Shipping are are building four new platform ships in Korea, and
in a somewhat complex arrangement, if reports are correct, will bareboat
them to BP Exploration. This process is apparently consistent with BP’s
strategy, “That promotes vessel ownership where long term life of field can
be demonstrated.”
iNFORMATION ABOUT THIS NEWLETTER AND SHIPS AND OIL LTD
This newsletter expresses the views of the author Victor Gibson about marine
events which are considered to be worthy of interest. It is meant to be a
five minute read. Sources of information include:
International Tug and OSV Magazine
Maritime Bulletin
The Tugs, Towing and Offshore Newsletter.
The Nautilus Telegraph
The Nautical institute Magazine Seaways
The BBC Home Page
The website contains comprehensive information about many offshore vessels
and approaching 10,000 images. Since May 2012 the following company
information has been updated as follows:
Varun
Vector Offshore
Viking Standby
Viking Supply
Varada Marine (A bit because we have not been sent the info)
Volstad Shipping
Vroon
Abdon Callais
Picture of the Day included photographs of the following:
Blizzard by Nigel Sly
Tidewater Graveyard by Kenny Polson
Atwood Osprey by Stuart Ross
Lewek Toucan by Derek Latter
UT 755s by Udo Herkenrath
Damen 3212 by Vic Gibson
Sedco Energy by Jaksa Braskic
Punti 1 by Derek Latter
SHIPS AND OIL OFFERS THE FOLLOWING PUBLICATION FOR SALE ON ITS WEBSITE:
THE HISTORY OF THE SUPPLY SHIP £37.50 inc P&P anywhere
SUPPLY SHIP OPERATIONS £27.50 inc P&P anywhere
RIGMOVES £5.75 inc P&P anywhere
SEE THE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Buy all three books for the bargain price of £52.50
This newsletter has been compiled using one of the Word Templates – it has
not been easy I can tell you. However if you would prefer not to receive
further editions please email me vic@shipsandoil.com .
Also contact the same address if you have any queries or would like further
information.
And just as a footnote, could Brazilian seafarers stop sending me their CVs!
Vic Gibson. June 2012.
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