They were never the supply boat company. Harvey is planning on sending four vessels up there including I believe all of the tiger shark class.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;144515]I know the have the polar class semi but why not another similar rig.[/QUOTE]
According to DNV GL, Polar Pioneer has no ice class. Of course, we don’t know what is the actual level of structural ice strengthening of the hull. However, I would not refer to her as “polar class” because in my eyes that would mean the vessel complied with the IACS Polar Class rules, and that’s obviously not the case with Polar Pioneer.
There’s an interesting list of ice-strengthened drilling vessels on pages 67-68 of this document. Not that many out there…
Well that’s par for the course then. They will be going up there with the wrong tools for the job yet again. I like many want this to work and this is a wicked pisser.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;144528]They will be going up there with the wrong tools for the job yet again.[/QUOTE]
Last time they went up there, they had the [I]only[/I] tool I consider suitable for drilling in Arctic waters.
However, considering the drilling location, I guess it’ll be okay as long as they have enough ice management vessels. After all, it’s not like they’re going to drill in the middle of a pack ice field. However, the charter for Fennica and Nordica ends this year. Perhaps they’re going to extend it?
edit: On Arctia’s English website, the vessels are listed as available from May 2015 onwards. However, on the Finnish version the year is 2017…
[QUOTE=Tups;144527]According to DNV GL, Polar Pioneer has no ice class. Of course, we don’t know what is the actual level of structural ice strengthening of the hull. However, I would not refer to her as “polar class” because in my eyes that would mean the vessel complied with the IACS Polar Class rules, and that’s obviously not the case with Polar Pioneer.
There’s an interesting list of ice-strengthened drilling vessels on pages 67-68 of this document. Not that many out there…[/QUOTE]
Well, the Polar Pioneer is hanging out in Singapore for a little while now for whatever refurbishment it may need. Let’s see if they can do any ‘ice-class magic’ over there.
Still kind of amazed that they deemed the Kulluk too damaged to repair, especially considering it was their best tool.
[QUOTE=Tups;144530]
edit: On Arctia’s English website, the vessels are listed as available from May 2015 onwards. However, on the Finnish version the year is 2017…[/QUOTE]
mmm, just checked and English section of their website also says 2017 - http://www.arctia.fi/en_alusten_saatavuus
[QUOTE=Tups;144530]Last time they went up there, they had the [I]only[/I] tool I consider suitable for drilling in Arctic waters.
However, considering the drilling location, I guess it’ll be okay as long as they have enough ice management vessels. After all, it’s not like they’re going to drill in the middle of a pack ice field. However, the charter for Fennica and Nordica ends this year. Perhaps they’re going to extend it?
edit: On Arctia’s English website, the vessels are listed as available from May 2015 onwards. However, on the Finnish version the year is 2017…[/QUOTE]
Why the fuck after what, 4 years or more of this actually in the works they haven’t had to build a few US flag boats to do this work? Calling c.captain on this one. Why the hell should they get a perpetual waiver? Heaven forbid if they hired PNW mariners too.
[QUOTE=coldduck;144534]Still kind of amazed that they deemed the Kulluk too damaged to repair, especially considering it was their best tool.[/QUOTE]
It might not have been about [I]physical[/I] damage. Even if Shell had managed to convince the politicians that Kulluk is the safest choice for drilling in the Arctic, I don’t think any of them would have allowed the ill-fated drilling unit back to Alaska after the general public had already made up their mind about it.
[QUOTE=Drill Bill;144540]mmm, just checked and English section of their website also says 2017 - http://www.arctia.fi/en_alusten_saatavuus[/QUOTE]
Strange. By clicking “Offshore” on the main page and then “Vessel availability”, I end up on a different page which apparently has outdated information. I’ll see if I can find someone to fix that information next week.
[QUOTE=z-drive;144543]Why the fuck after what, 4 years or more of this actually in the works they haven’t had to build a few US flag boats to do this work?[/QUOTE]
Edison Chouest was going to build two icebreakers, presumably to replace the foreign vessels, but I have no idea if they are actually under construction.
[QUOTE=z-drive;144543]Why the fuck after what, 4 years or more of this actually in the works they haven’t had to build a few US flag boats to do this work? Calling c.captain on this one. Why the hell should they get a perpetual waiver? Heaven forbid if they hired PNW mariners too.[/QUOTE]
I don’t know…after AIVIQ’s spectacular failings how the use of more US vessels is now going to get any traction? Thank the vessel designers, the captain and chief of the Blue Whale for that one…
Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job!
[QUOTE=Drill Bill;144533]Well, the Polar Pioneer is hanging out in Singapore for a little while now for whatever refurbishment it may need. Let’s see if they can do any ‘ice-class magic’ over there.[/QUOTE]
I have no idea at all now you use an anchored semi in pack ice? You can’t turn it without resetting all the anchors and what on earth happens when all that ice gets in between the legs? I always believed a round floater like the KULLUK was the best platform to use. The DISCOVERER with its turret would be second choice but they can’t change the heading very quickly since to rotate on the turret was done with jacks that had to be manually reset when they reached full extension. Unless that has been changed to a ring gear with turning pinions…anyone know if they did that during the rebuild in Korea?
[QUOTE=c.captain;144559]I always believed a round floater like the KULLUK was the best platform to use.[/QUOTE]
indeed…this is what Shell needs
[QUOTE=c.captain;144566]indeed…this is what Shell needs
[/QUOTE]
hopefully without all that ice!
What Shell needs foremost is clarity from the U.S. Justice Department on that (still pending case) of the Noble Discoverer’s safety violations from 2012. I’m not sure whether they’ll let that vessel go up north again if that case ain’t properly solved or dealt with. It’s been [B]extremely silent [/B]on that issue ever since the USCG forwarded it in spring 2013 …
Tups, you are probably exactly right. P.R. Move.
oh man…it’s the day the music died! No not that day but if you look above in the thread you will see what I mean. A person just can’t have any fun here anymore.
btw, it is actually “Talk Like a Pirate Day” today…and I still hear a Calliope playing somewhere
Aw, shucks
Last I heard Polar Pioneer was to be a “stand-by” rig only. Or at least for a certain period of time. It’s possible it may not even drill.
First of all, there is usually very little ice in the Chukchi during the drilling season. Most of the time there is no ice at all. What little ice there might be is quite thin. I do not see why a rig would need to be ice class for that area in summer. Especially if it is supported by good ice management vessels.
Doesn’t Shell already have Stena IceMax under contract and drilling in the Gulf? The only reason I have heard for why they are not using in Alaska is some sort of issue about operating a DP rig in less than 400 feet of water.
Exactly! It’s funny that everyone was so obsessed with ice class tugs being built for the shell project when crowley and other companies of ran tugs and barges for years in western alaska without any ice rating with no issues