AAARRRRGGG! Why does the offshore drilling industry not try to understand the difference between a drilling RIG (ie semisubmersible) and a drilling SHIP?
HOUSTON - Shell and Noble Corporation announced last week the Gulf of Mexico arrival of the Noble Bully I, what they call a state-of-the-art offshore drilling rig that is designed to raise the bar in terms of safety and performance. The Noble Bully I is the first of two Bully rigs, jointly designed by Shell and Noble, and can be equipped to drill in up to 10,000-feet of water.
The Bully rigs also feature a compact box-type drilling tower, known as a Multi-purpose Tower, instead of a conventional derrick. As the name indicates, a Multi-purpose Tower is designed to maximize productivity and safety, yet it allows for a significantly smaller vessel when compared to other deep water drill ships of similar capacity.
The ships also feature an attention to energy efficiency, use less fuel and are shorter and lighter than comparable drill ships, according to the companies. The Noble Bully I and Noble Bully II, are dynamically positioned drill ships and can, therefore, be positioned at a favorable angle toward wind, waves, and currents, and feature ice-class hulls. Shell and Noble have increased the automated technology on the Bully rigs, increasing personnel safety on board.
The Noble Bully I has now arrived in the Gulf of Mexico from Singapore and will complete commissioning and acceptance testing this month before beginning operations. The Noble Bully I will first drill in Shell’s Mars B, “Olympus,” development while the Noble Bully II drill ship is expected to begin operations early next year in Brazil.
[QUOTE=c.captain;59168]AAARRRRGGG! Why does the offshore drilling industry not try to understand the difference between a drilling RIG (ie semisubmersible) and a drilling SHIP?[/QUOTE]
Same reason the people that work on 'em are called “hands”.
[QUOTE=c.captain;59168]AAARRRRGGG! Why does the offshore drilling industry not try to understand the difference between a drilling RIG (ie semisubmersible) and a drilling SHIP?[/QUOTE]
Because they are only interested in the rig function not the ship that carries it.
Where is you’re dignity man? How is one supposed to know that you are a proud mariner and not just a standard rig monkey?[/QUOTE]
Sadly, when one sells one’s soul for the piece of silver paid by the drilling companies one must learn to suck it up and adopt “their” world and language. The proud history and tranditions of the once great US merchant mariner stays stowed in the top desk drawer back at home.
I still don’t like a drillship to be called a rig but I’ve long accepted that it is not a true ship by any measure…it is just shaped like one and am grateful that the flag state still have the requirement for a “master” on the safe manning certificate.
It’s a Drillship… not a “Shipdrill”… It’s just like the Navy, take the Marines overseas to kill the enemy and make em lunch when they get back. The primary purpose of these vessels is not to sail but to maintain station-keeping while digging a hole. It’s just industry slang… nothing to lose sleep over. Their checks are always good and the men onboard work just as hard as mariners.