Saw a recent article/video on the pipeline from Norway to British Isles. Absolutely amazing the engineering behind it…
Was it made in the 1970s?
You mean this one?:
Or the long version?:
(0:00 - 45:40 hmin.)
Wow, that brings back memories of the North Sea boom years!
If I remember correctly McDermott had the lay barges and an awesome bury barge that used gas turbine driven pumps and compressors to trench after laying. I was tech rep and instructor pilot on manned submersibles we built and leased to Vickers Oceanics for oilfield and military contracts. Most of the work was on the Forties pipelines and a few further north as far as the Shetlands. We would run the bottom for a route survey then do it again for the pre-lay, then follow the lay barge, then pre and post burial. Geez, those were amazing days! We also worked in the GoM and did crew changes off the lay barges. It was fascinating to watch the pipe welding and coating as it slowly moved along the rails.
I spent a few months (14 days on/off) as Marine Advisor on the LB 200 back in 1981 an worked with the Thialf (then DB 102) in 1989. Brings back memories.
The size and scope of the work that was going on all day, every day, everywhere was simply amazing. The lay and bury barges were almost unbelievable.