[QUOTE=coldduck;99298]http://www.kullukresponse.com/external/content/document/5507/1704135/1/Kulluk%20fact%20sheet%20FINAL.pdf
Maybe this will work??[/QUOTE
That’s interesting. They going to use three boats and go offshore a bit. Also they plan to
"monitor the conditions and forecasts en route" - that’s a good idea.
I didn’t see when they plan to move but February and March can be bad in the Gulf of Alaska
It makes no sense to tow KULLUK back to Dutch Harbor. At best, its a long, expensive, and exposed wintertime tow with at least moderate risk. There is no such thing as a reliable 10 day weather forecast, especially in the Gulf of Alaska in the middle of winter. The risk of encountering extreme weather and potential problems is ever present, even with three tugs from two companies with with superior Alaska towing expertise. The proposed route — staying in deep water where maximum tow wire can be used, and giving a hundreds of miles of lee shore a wide berth — is the only sensible route.
Shell needs to learn that the public does not make any distinction between Arctic oil exploration and Gulf of Alaska oil rig towing. Leaving the AIVIQ out of the action (supposedly while awaiting a root cause analysis) is just a silly public relations stunt that will backfire. They have had six weeks to figure out what went wrong on AIVIQ and they already know as much as they ever will. Shell should be using this opportunity to prove that AIVIQ is a good vessel and back in the game. While AIVIQ, just like any other vessel, is not immune to potential problems, it is unthinkable that AIVIQ has not already adopted effective procedures to prevent a heavy weather fuel vent failure from again shutting down all four engines at once. By leaving AIVIQ out of this tow, Shell is in effect admitting to the public that AIVIQ is a flawed design and the wrong vessel to support Arctic oil exploration. If KULLUK is going to be towed back to Dutch Harbor, AIVIQ should be the lead tug.
What is Shell’s least risky, and probably least expensive, alternative? Just be patient and let Dockwise load KULLUK right where she is now.
If Shell is really feeling an itch to move KULLUK to a more secure and accessible location, it would make a lot more sense to do a short tow to Seward and consolidate their operations with KULLUK and NOBLE DISCOVERER awaiting their heavy lift ships in the same port with access to Anchorage by road, rail, and air.
More than anything, Shell needs to tune up its tin ear, and stop being so tone deaf in public.
[QUOTE=coldduck;99241]A release from Shell said they were not going to use the Aiviq because the root cause analysis has not been completed.[/QUOTE]
“Root cause analysis?” Oh dear. (If you wonder why I say that, google on “root cause seduction.”)
Cheers,
Earl
[QUOTE=Earl Boebert;99350]“Root cause analysis?” Oh dear. (If you wonder why I say that, google on “root cause seduction.”)
Cheers,
Earl[/QUOTE]
Good one. I have to do these; hint; never admit you screwed up, always blame someone else. (just kidding, sort of)
No inside info, but I have had trouble loading project cargo on dockships in certain ports due to sea conditions, namely swell. Don;t know if that applies here, but it did for us more than once. Hence we had to make tows we rather would have avoided if possible.
Just sayin.
Did anybody hear of a collision with a red stack boat down in the vicinity kodiak…
A certain red stack boat is @ city dock with a “hole you can park a car in”
Red vs. Green maybe…
Shit happens I guess
Carry on
Tugs collide while maneuvering around Kulluk
Published: February 19, 2013
Tugs collide while maneuvering around Kulluk
By LISA DEMER — ldemer@adn.com
Two tugboats maneuvering around Royal Dutch Shell’s oil drilling rig, the Kulluk, collided Friday afternoon, but the damage was minimal, the Coast Guard said Tuesday.
The Corbin Foss, one of Seattle-based Foss Maritimes’ tugboats, hit the port side of the Ocean Wave, a Crowley Marine Services tug, around 5:30 p.m. Friday in Killiuida Bay on the eastern side of Kodiak Island, where the Kulluk is anchored while awaiting Coast Guard approval to leave, said Petty Officer David Mosley.
No one was injured, no pollution occurred, and the damage to the Ocean Wave was minor, Mosely said. The tugs sailed to the harbor in Kodiak where they were met by inspectors from Kodiak’s Coast Guard marine safety detachment, Mosley said.
He said it wasn’t clear why the collision happened and the report made no reference to weather being a factor.
The Kulluk grounded Dec. 31 during a storm but was refloated. The Coast Guard is reviewing Shell’s tow plan and evaluating whether the vessel is seaworthy for a tow to Dutch Harbor. From there, Shell plans to haul it out of the water to Asia for more extensive repairs and inspections.
Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/02/19/2795175/tugs-collide-while-maneuvering.html#storylink=cpy
[QUOTE=seacomber;99858]Tugs collide while maneuvering around Kulluk
Published: February 19, 2013
Tugs collide while maneuvering around Kulluk
By LISA DEMER — ldemer@adn.com
Two tugboats maneuvering around Royal Dutch Shell’s oil drilling rig, the Kulluk, collided Friday afternoon, but the damage was minimal, the Coast Guard said Tuesday.
The Corbin Foss, one of Seattle-based Foss Maritimes’ tugboats, hit the port side of the Ocean Wave, a Crowley Marine Services tug, around 5:30 p.m. Friday in Killiuida Bay on the eastern side of Kodiak Island, where the Kulluk is anchored while awaiting Coast Guard approval to leave, said Petty Officer David Mosley.
No one was injured, no pollution occurred, and the damage to the Ocean Wave was minor, Mosely said. The tugs sailed to the harbor in Kodiak where they were met by inspectors from Kodiak’s Coast Guard marine safety detachment, Mosley said.
He said it wasn’t clear why the collision happened and the report made no reference to weather being a factor.
The Kulluk grounded Dec. 31 during a storm but was refloated. The Coast Guard is reviewing Shell’s tow plan and evaluating whether the vessel is seaworthy for a tow to Dutch Harbor. From there, Shell plans to haul it out of the water to Asia for more extensive repairs and inspections.
Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2013/02/19/2795175/tugs-collide-while-maneuvering.html#storylink=cpy[/QUOTE]
Its not April Fool’s Day, but You have got to be kidding! ! !
I think green had some steering issues…from what a bird told me…
Shell certainly needs a change of luck!
Shell in Alaska is cursed. Notes for the watch to maintain a 10 mile minimum cpa from any Shell piece of equipment owned or chartered by them in Alaskan waters! Keep my tug away!
5 days to get this out unless I’m wrong and there was an earlier report posted. I could only find Tuesday the 19th. For the public. Man I bet they wanted get in and out of quality marine there in kodiak fast!
The is a big difference between the two reports of “minor damage” and “a hole you could park a car in.”
I hope that either the Kodiak Daily Mirror or Channel 5 got some pictures of the damage and posts them.
This goes to show that if you have too many vessels from too many rival companies rubbing elbows for too long, it’s only a question of time until it turns into a clusterf@&$.