[QUOTE=tugsailor;101421]Shell could probably make good use of AIVIQ at Sakhalin Island, Newfoundland, Greenland, The Falklands, the north coast of Norway, or in some other frontier area with deep water ports and long supply runs. [/QUOTE]
Does Shell have anything going on right now at any of those locations?
Not sure. Shell did just lease several blocks in deep water 250 miles south of Halifax. I think I’ve read that Shell has an interest in some leases off Newfoundland and Norway. I don’t know who is drilling in Greenland or the Falklands.
Shell has Stena DrillMax Ice drilling off French Guyana and they are supplying it with a long run out of Trinidad. But that’s not the kind of harsh cold environment needed to prove that AIVIQ is “Arctic ready.”
They could always contract the boat out to someone else who could put it to the test.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;101443]They could always contract the boat out to someone else who could put it to the test.[/QUOTE]
I can just see the operators all climbing on top of eachother to see who gets to score that coup!
We have very different opinions of AIVIQ.
I think AIVIQ is an excellent ship. She is a versatile multitasking vessel with tremendous capacity to support offshore drilling where very long runs are required into the ice. Certainly, she is a compromise vessel that is trying to be all things at once, and as a result she is not optimized for any one or two particular tasks. I don’t think we should draw too many conclusions from her limited operation so far, and one very unfortunate incident. However, once they get the bugs out, I think she will prove to be quite a success. To be sure, they will learn a lot from operating AIVIQ over a couple of years and make changes so that the next one is even better.
You see AIVIQ as far too big, and too much of a compromise vessel, to be effective at any particular task. You’re in a position to have a much more informed opinion than I am, but I sure hope you’re wrong.
I’d like to see AIVIQ become a big success, and the first of many similar vessels supporting a huge new oil patch in the Alaska Arctic.
yes, we do
I think AIVIQ is an excellent ship. She is a versatile multitasking vessel with tremendous capacity to support offshore drilling where very long runs are required into the ice. Certainly, she is a compromise vessel that is trying to be all things at once, and as a result she is not optimized for any one or two particular tasks. I don’t think we should draw too many conclusions from her limited operation so far, and one very unfortunate incident. However, once they get the bugs out, I think she will prove to be quite a success. To be sure, they will learn a lot from operating AIVIQ over a couple of years and make changes so that the next one is even better.
So she is an excellent compromise but to do what exactly other than to look impressive?
You see AIVIQ as far too big, and too much of a compromise vessel, to be effective at any particular task. You’re in a position to have a much more informed opinion than I am, but I sure hope you’re wrong.
you’ve suddenly switched tracks here. Now you’re admitting she is too big and too much of a compromise to be really excellent at any function. I have myself said that she is too large to be a pure tug and doesn’t have a long enough clear deck to be a good AHTS. You don’t need to be so massive to just do ice management. I imagine that Shell is paying ECO a cool $250k/day for that beast but what can she do that a $125k day FENNICA or $85k/day TOR VIKING can’t?
I’d like to see AIVIQ become a big success, and the first of many similar vessels supporting a huge new oil patch in the Alaska Arctic.
there is not one member of this forum that wants that to happen any more than I. I am just more willing to point out the folly of this whole clown circus more than others but it doesn’t mean I want to see failure occur. I want to spend the rest of my career in the Arctic being part of the big show. I just don’t thing the AIVIQ is just so incredibly awesome as everybody else here although I sure did when she was first introduced.
[QUOTE=c.captain;101558] you’ve suddenly switched tracks here. Now you’re admitting she is too big and too much of a compromise to be really excellent at any function. I have myself said that she is too large to be a pure tug and doesn’t have a long enough clear deck to be a good AHTS. . . . . . …[/QUOTE]
Actually, I did not “switch tracks,” or change my mind. I was just acknowledging your (c.captain’s) previously stated opinion that AIVIQ is too big and too much of a compromise vessel.
I think (or perhaps I should say, I hope, because that’s all it really is) that AIVIQ will turn out to be a very good Arctic support vessel. Only time will tell. I am mindful that you know a lot more about this topic than I do.
You make a good point about FENNICA and TOR VIKING. They are very impressive vessels.
As I have noted before, you accurately predicted that Noble would screw up and that Shell’s 2012 season would turn out to be a fiasco. As Shell’s incidents have occurred, you have also pretty accurately predicted what the fall out would be. For example: You were the first person to predict very early on that Shell would have to cancel its 2013 season.
That said, I hope that you don’t end up batting 500, and that AIVIQ turns out to be an impressive American Arctic vessel.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;101276]
When looking at the last fly over pictures I noticed that the Foss tugs were both producing a lot of black smoke (maybe that’s why they have those peculiar exhaust stack extensions), but the OCEAN WAVE exhaust was completely clean.[/QUOTE]
I believe those two big Foss boats are Alco powered. Every Alco powered boat I ever ran would smoke heavily and darkly after being idled for any amount of time.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;101566]Actually, I did not “switch tracks,” or change my mind. I was just acknowledging your (c.captain’s) previously stated opinion that AIVIQ is too big and too much of a compromise vessel.
I think (or perhaps I should say, I hope, because that’s all it really is) that AIVIQ will turn out to be a very good Arctic support vessel. Only time will tell. I am mindful that you know a lot more about this topic than I do.
You make a good point about FENNICA and TOR VIKING. They are very impressive vessels.
As I have noted before, you accurately predicted that Noble would screw up and that Shell’s 2012 season would turn out to be a fiasco. As Shell’s incidents have occurred, you have also pretty accurately predicted what the fall out would be. For example: You were the first person to predict very early on that Shell would have to cancel its 2013 season.
That said, I hope that you don’t end up batting 500, and that AIVIQ turns out to be an impressive American Arctic vessel.[/QUOTE]
fair enough you are correct and that was my error.
right now any future for the Arctic show is not off till 2014…will Shell make sweeping changes in that time? Peter Slaiby is still in charge in Alaska. He should be getting his marching papers pretty darned soon if Shell hopes to regain any credibility,
regarding the AIVIQ, I have no clue what Shell could use the thing for in the meantime and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to charter it from Shell…can you? That in and of itself is not a sweeping testament to a useful vessel with thoughtful and wise design. If AIVIQ had been much more like a FENNICA then I could see her going to work somewhere else for a year but not the ship that she is which is a true pity.
[QUOTE=capnfab;101568]I believe those two big Foss boats are Alco powered. Every Alco powered boat I ever ran would smoke heavily and darkly after being idled for any amount of time.[/QUOTE]
bloody 2 stroke engines!
[QUOTE=c.captain;101572]bloody 2 stroke engines![/QUOTE]
ALCO’s are 4 bangers there cap.
You must be thinking about Fairbanks Morse
[QUOTE=capnfab;101568]I believe those two big Foss boats are Alco powered. Every Alco powered boat I ever ran would smoke heavily and darkly after being idled for any amount of time.[/QUOTE]
I worked on ALCO’s for several years, ours did smoke a little more than a EMD at full speed, but we never idled ours. My experience with ALCO’s is if they are smoking like that someone doesn’t know how to tune them, or you have air restricition issues.
Yeah they have Alco 16-251 in them. And they do smoke pretty heavily. Least from what I have seen working around Lauren and Corbin.
There are a few YouTube videos, of the Lauren I think, doing a good impression of a red neck with a big truck
[ATTACH]3101[/ATTACH]
Not my pictures but was sent to us, one down one to go.
[QUOTE=rshrew;101632][ATTACH]3101[/ATTACH]
Not my pictures but was sent to us, one down one to go.[/QUOTE]
Good looking tugs alongside!
[QUOTE=rshrew;101632][ATTACH]3101[/ATTACH]
Not my pictures but was sent to us, one down one to go.[/QUOTE]
Don’t know where that photo was taken but to me it simply says volumes about the fucking broken down, unseaworthy, decrepit, miserable piece of shit that vessel is!
Laughing my ass off over this one! PRICELESS!
Seward Alaska
[QUOTE=rshrew;101648]Seward Alaska[/QUOTE]
Sure got a nice day for the load out this time of year.
Indeed from what I hear it went quite well, hopefully the kulluk’s goes as planned.
trying to think of the DISCO’s track record in recent years. Certainly since early 2010 she has not completed a single well but instead has been in one shipyard after another and she is still a piece of shit.
first Subic Bay for generator work
then Singapore for I don’t know what
then Brisbane to repair damage to mooring turret
then Seattle for more BS
now somewhere in Korea to repair damage from grounding this summer in DH, reengine and who the fuck knows what else?
And all this is being paid for by Shell to the tune of at least $200M so far and the ship is still 1966 decrepit and always will be.
Then there are two almost brand new “Arctic” drillships that Shell owns half of and where are they? The GoM and Brazil!
WHAT STOOPID FOOLS THESE RUBES ALL ARE!
.