Transocean's Marianas rig cracks pontoon

[admin]

Did you guys see this? Does anyone know anything more?



gCaptain just received word that the Marianas, a Transocean-owned semi-submersible drilling rig on contract with ENI S.p.A has evacuated 108 non-essential personnel after a large crack developed in one of its pontoons while conducting anchor retrieval operations off Nigeria.

The rig began to take on water and began to list, however the rig’s crew has since been able to stabilize the situation. There was no report of any environmental impact.

Oddly enough, the Marianas was the same rig that initially “spudded” the ill-fated Macondo well that led to last year’s tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico. This rig was initially named “Tharos” and designed as a floating “fire truck” of sorts for the North Sea, however it was later converted to a drilling rig and renamed after it’s design proved highly ineffective during the Piper Alpha disaster that occurred 23 years ago on this date.


http://gcaptain.com/transocean-dange...g-report?27595

[TJ]

I saw it twice today... we went by.....the first time prior to the evacuation....there did not seem to be a noticeable list either time....but we were 1/2 mile away.
They evac'd to the Atwood Hunter rig and the Fast Sailor.We do supply and support for the Hunter with the Sailor......We were headed in and turned 'round en rout to head back out..
The situation may have stabilized as this evening we were let go from safety stand-by and returned to Takoradi to unload.
Fast Scout
T

[userGOM]

The Marianas has 18mt Stevpris anchors. You have to keep a bind on them, with the PCC to the boat to rack the anchor. If it swings in, that's a no-no, there is less than 4' from the tip of the fluke to the hull hanging straight down from the anchor rack. Once you get any part of the shank on the anchor rack, the boat can slack off as long as the winch operator on the rig keeps tension on it. They have one very new BE on there, the seasoned one is off at the moment; helluva way to start out.

[join9527]

it was later converted to a drilling rig and renamed after it’s design proved highly ineffective during the Piper Alpha disaster that occurred 23 years ago on this date.

[TJ]

Stay tuned....they further un- manning the rig to tow it to shallow water.
T

[userGOM]

anchor chain into #6 reel room, rig must have turned and the angle from rig to boat - the chain jumped the stop and got off the bolster and on to the aft part of the hull.

[water]

The Marianas is parked in shallow water about 2 miles off the Takoradi, Ghana beach. Very upright.