EL FARO Data Recorder Found

[QUOTE=DeckApe;184150]It would be a government contract. That means it wouldn’t be cheap and it wouldn’t be fast.

Seriously, the government would have to put out a request for bids, bidders would be given time to compose and submit bids, the bids would go out to contracting for cost/benefit analysis, the contract would be awarded and only then the ship would depart port. Say several weeks at the soonest if that.[/QUOTE]

No bid waiver, or direct selection based on suitability possible??
Maybe it would be easier to hire a foreign vessel, as I believe has been done quickly through MSC when the situation requires fast action?

[QUOTE=ombugge;184148]Couldn’t one of the idle boats from the GOM with the right equipment do that job cheaply and fast??[/QUOTE]

Do any ROV in the Gulf have the ability to go to 5,000 meters? I’m thinking they would be limited by how much cable they carry more than anything.

This situation doesn’t require fast action. The VDR isn’t going anywhere. No one’s life is endangered by taking their time.

[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;184166]Do any ROV in the Gulf have the ability to go to 5,000 meters? I’m thinking they would be limited by how much cable they carry more than anything.[/QUOTE]

I think this has been brought up before and that there are a few ROVs capable of 6000 m. but mainly placed on Research vessels.

In any case, any DP2 OSV with a clear deck and able to accommodate a LARS will do. (For a single job like this crane launching/recovery may be OK)

A portable ROV with manipulator arms and 4,500 m. depth rating should do for this job. Are there any available in the US??

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[QUOTE=DeckApe;184173]This situation doesn’t require fast action. The VDR isn’t going anywhere. No one’s life is endangered by taking their time.[/QUOTE]

Since the next hearing is close at hand, wouldn’t it be nice to know if there are any readable data on the VDR memory card at least??

PS> Some of the many Ultradeep Drillships sitting idle MAY have ROVs capable of doing this on board, or they are 3rd Party equipment and have been take into storage by the owners?

[QUOTE=Dutchie;183799]

Before departure they already knew that they would not able to recover the S-VDR; search and locate operation only. What I understand is that Wood Hole’s ‘Jason’ and Phoenix International’s ‘Remora’ have equipment on board that can recover the data capsule up to a depth of 6000 meters but their availability is a problem. It could take months before one of those can start the recovery operation.

Reading the description I noticed and was disturbed by the fact that for a fixed data capsule, both VDR and S-VDR, the following survivability specifications apply:

  • Impact shock – 50g for 11 milliseconds

  • Fire – 1100°C for 1 hour and 260°C for 10 hours

  • [I]Deep sea pressure and immersion – 24 hours at 6.000 meters

depth, and 30 days at 3 meters depth[/I]

How long will it survive then at 5000 meters, 48 hours? The amount of pressure at that depth is beyond imagination, well for me anyway. And what about the 30 days at 3 meters? That is downright ridiculous, I donot understand this at all. If these specifications are true I have very little hope that the memory on which the data is written is still in tact. Let’s hope for the best…[/QUOTE]

What you need is this baby which which can operate up to a depth of 6000 meters, but it comes at quite a price. No idea how many of these are around worldwide and then there is the question of availability.

Pressure down there is over 7000 psi, almost anything will crack under these circumstances. There is a double safety provision, the solid state memory which contains all the data, is fitted in a watertight enclosure of its own which can withstand the pressure at that depth. However, I am still confused by the factory pressure specifications which worries me.

If you look closely at the picture you will notice that the right lashing is askew and the left is missing. The capsule was pressed to the right which can explain the situation. Luckily one lashing is still there otherwise, if it was still buoyant, it would have drifted to the surface in about 15 minutes and probably disappeared unnoticed into the Gulfstream…

[QUOTE=c.captain;183822]so with this news comes the announcement that the next round of USCG hearings are about to start[/QUOTE]

Yes and his own hero Jack Hearn is scheduled to testify on the 17th. He must have kissed some ass to get in there. I imagine he will be telling everyone how great he is. It may be interesting to watch as his last job was with Tote on the El Morro. He resigned before he got fired and then tried to retract his resignation. He did this when he found out that the other people who got fired filed a grievance. I wonder if he will mention that he was KP regimental commander in 1979? I am sure that will impress the board. Unfortunately, I will be unable to watch this live. I hope that c.captain can watch and give a fair assessment of the testimony.

Anyone know of a live link to the next round of hearings today?

Here is the only one I can find that is active for this round:

livestream.com/Elfaro

It starts at 0900 East Coast Time Today

9 posts were merged into an existing topic: Three articles on the El Faro

TOTE has settled with all families: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2017-04-13/tote-settles-wrongful-death-cases-last-three-el-faro-families
No admission of guilt or wrongdoings though.