Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/04/30

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Subject: [Leica] IMG: Oil rig tragedy
From: jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:31:21 -0500
References: <n2u6a7544a61004300939v400bab03uf10fdded1b6a03aa@mail.gmail.com>

Larry,

Thanks for the inside look.  That puts the operation in a better 
perspective.  One of my wind tunnel operators put in a period working those 
rigs while living in New Orleans, and he said it was a very stressful job, 
though it paid well.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lawrence Zeitlin" <lrzeitlin at gmail.com>
To: "Leica LUG" <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 11:39 AM
Subject: [Leica] IMG: Oil rig tragedy


> Luggers who have been paying attention to the news are aware of the 
> tragedy
> of the Transocean drilling rig Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. 
> The
> rig exploded, burned, and eventually sank in several thousand feet of 
> water.
> The leaking oil will probably cause an environmental catastrophe on the 
> Gulf
> shoreline. Fortunately  of the 126 crew aboard, only 11 were lost. This
> tragedy was of personal relevance to me. From 1975 through the mid 80s I
> served as a consultant to the offshore oil industry and spent considerable
> time aboard drill rigs both in the Gulf and in the North Sea. All of us 
> were
> aware of the constant risk of fire and explosion although we tried to put 
> it
> out of our minds.
>
>
> Modern offshore oil drilling rigs are enormous structures with decks twice
> the size of a football field. They come in four types; platform rigs which
> are perched on towers and anchored to the bottom; jackup rigs which are
> large floating barges, towed into position and then raised up to drilling
> position by huge jacks; semi submersibles which are floating structures
> towed into position, partially filled with water, and held in place by
> anchors; and drill ships which are primarily used for deep water
> exploration. The Transocean rig was one of the world's largest semi
> submersibles. Despite the size and high technology, the rigs only exist to
> let a team of rugged men operate drilling equipment similar to that used 
> on
> land. The rigs operate day and night. Each of two shifts works a
> backbreaking, labor intensive, 12 hour a day job. Most drill crews work 
> for
> two weeks straight then are airlifted back to shore while another crew 
> takes
> their place. The drill crews need support and maintenance personnel, 
> cooks,
> crane operators, etc. so a compliment of 100 or so persons on a modern rig
> is the norm.
>
>
> Looking through my files, I uncovered some pictures I took in 1979 on the
> Cognac rig in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the world's largest platform drill
> rig, perched on a tower 1025 feet tall over the Cognac oil field. I was 
> not
> there to take pictures so the photos are mostly grab shots taken with a
> Rollei 35 on a grey, overcast day. Unspotted. Be charitable.
>
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/_quot_Tripping_quot_+the+drill+pipe+1.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/_quot_Tripping_quot_+the+drill+pipe+2.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/_quot_Tripping_quot_+the+drill+pipe+3.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/The+derrickman.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Inside+of+derrick.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Derrick+structure.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Elevated+deck+area.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Loading+crane.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Larry+Z+as+crane+operator.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Rescue+capsule.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Discussion+with+the+boss.jpg.html
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/The+valve+room.jpg.html
>
>
> Larry Z
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
> 




In reply to: Message from lrzeitlin at gmail.com (Lawrence Zeitlin) ([Leica] IMG: Oil rig tragedy)