The Aiviq — can she do it? USCG photoDeckboss just listened in on a unified command press conference on the Kulluk situation.
Here are the key points:
• An effort to tow the grounded drilling platform off the beach will be attempted soon. Spokesmen for Shell and the Coast Guard said timing will depend on weather, tides and having all the necessary equipment in place.
• The main tow vessel will be the Aiviq, an enormous oil industry workboat whose engines failed while towing the Kulluk across the North Pacific in late December, precipitating the grounding.
• Assuming the Kulluk can be pulled from the beach — officials talked like this is a given — the rig will be towed about 30 miles to a "place of refuge," Kodiak's Kiliuda Bay, for closer inspection. Here's an animation of the towing plan.
• The officials said no fuel leaks have been detected from the Kulluk, and the Shell man said the platform is "sound and fit to tow."
Well, let's wish 'em luck with this plan.
6 comments:
Shell and UC are refusing to release information to Rick Steiner on what kind of winch system is aboard Aiviq. Why?
The Associated Press had this quote from veteran Dutch Harbor salvage man Dan Magone:
"I'd really be shocked if this thing is so lightly aground and so lightly damaged that they can just go pull this thing off right away."
Do any one know why the engines of the Aiviq failed in the first place?
Bad fuel from Dutch Harbor.musta got by the centrifuge and primary and secondary fuel filters?? Plugged the injectors on all 4 mains....what a disaster......wonder who's fuel it was?? be ironic as hell if it was Shell's. But probably from Russia, Japan or???
Dan M. is now, shocked.
I may be wrong because I've been outta the loop for some time but I think the Russian fuel is in Adak only.
Post a Comment