Hermit_ Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Must be cool seeing your place of work on TV Does that thing bob around like a cork? It's floating right? Here's the answer to your question, Bill. --> 20 years in the Navy and the last 13 civillan years have been out here .Its all I know other than Music. It pays well and nice scenery plenty of really large fish swimming round the platform all the time .We are a floating spar we have 14 anchor Chains that go down 2600 feet to the sea floor and we just bobble like a cork on the surface. Hey Al,.. what's at the bottom of those chains anchoring them to the ground? Are they weighted down with concrete blocks or are they actually set into the bedrock ocean floor? And how much do you feel the movement of the structure? Is it subtle or dramatic? Those are amazing structures. A marvel of modern technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Bill Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Here's the answer to your question, Bill. --> Thanks hermit. I was thinking it would have to be stable to drill, guess not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Must be cool seeing your place of work on TV Does that thing bob around like a cork? It's floating right? It was cool but what was really cool was I got to be part of the Crew that was filming the story .I started as thier escort then ended up helping set up.Will add more links and some pictures later. We are a floating platform we have 14 chains that go down about 300 ft then it is attached by large shackles to cable that goes to anchor points installed in the ocean floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marolyn Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 It was cool but what was really cool was I got to be part of the Crew that was filming the story .I started as thier escort then ended up helping set up.Will add more links and some pictures later. We are a floating platform we have 14 chains that go down about 300 ft then it is attached by large shackles to cable that goes to anchor points installed in the ocean floor. do they have to rotate the platform you work on??? if so, why would they need to do that??? ...my neighbor told me just sold a design for a circular platform to petrobras that didn't need to be rotated ...i didn't want to appear as stupid as i am so i didn't ask him why they would need to rotate one...just gave him the blond nod of the head...all the while picturing the platform spinning instead of a drill bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 do they have to rotate the platform you work on??? if so, why would they need to do that??? ...my neighbor told me just sold a design for a circular platform to petrobras that didn't need to be rotated ...i didn't want to appear as stupid as i am so i didn't ask him why they would need to rotate one...just gave him the blond nod of the head...all the while picturing the platform spinning instead of a drill bit... No we dont rotate it but We can move it as much as 120 ft in any direction we ease off the tension on our tether chains on one side an we tighten up on the other and we move.These moves are plotted by our computers but the moves are done by us with hydraulic chain jacks.It tells us how many links to take in and how many to let out and which jacks to move. The blocks we are hooked to 2600 ft below the surface are huge and they are verry heavy they are hollow in the center with a pipe hooked to them when they are put in place there weight sinks them in the sea bottom some and then we use a hose to pull a vacumn on the block which causes it to suck down deeper in the sea bed creating a really strong anchor point.. The reason we move is to line up over a certain well for workover we can move the are skid the Rig and or we can move the Spar itself.A few more links http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=778951190 http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=779055796 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/25398199#25398199 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Here's the answer to your question, Bill. --> Hey Al,.. what's at the bottom of those chains anchoring them to the ground? Are they weighted down with concrete blocks or are they actually set into the bedrock ocean floor? And how much do you feel the movement of the structure? Is it subtle or dramatic? Those are amazing structures. A marvel of modern technology. We are actually quite stable We can increase or decrease tension on the chains with the chain jacks. If we have to evacuate for a hurricane we ease off on the tension to allow it to bob a little more .Our well are attached to us with long umbilicles that allow the wells to move around in the center of the Spar there is a moon pool that goes 750ft or so to open sea. We have spilled less than 1 pint of oil since I have worked here in the last 18 months . We had to report any and all spills to the Coast Gaurd and MMS and We are heavily fined for any amount so there is massive precautions taken now days to ensure that never happens.A lot of people think offshore people are just constantly throwing oil and garbage in the Gulf that is not the case.I see pleasure Boaters and Fishermen throwing more over the side in one trip than we accidentally discharged in the 10 years its been here.Got off track there. We do move a little but its really not bad we have a MSO on each shift our ballast control officer makes sure we dont rock to much.Promise you I rocked more in the Navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medhb Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 We are actually quite stable We can increase or decrease tension on the chains with the chain jacks. If we have to evacuate for a hurricane we ease off on the tension to allow it to bob a little more .Our well are attached to us with long umbilicles that allow the wells to move around in the center of the Spar there is a moon pool that goes 750ft or so to open sea. We have spilled less than 1 pint of oil since I have worked here in the last 18 months . We had to report any and all spills to the Coast Gaurd and MMS and We are heavily fined for any amount so there is massive precautions taken now days to ensure that never happens.A lot of people think offshore people are just constantly throwing oil and garbage in the Gulf that is not the case.I see pleasure Boaters and Fishermen throwing more over the side in one trip than we accidentally discharged in the 10 years its been here.Got off track there. We do move a little but its really not bad we have a MSO on each shift our ballast control officer makes sure we dont rock to much.Promise you I rocked more in the Navy. Al, that's so cool to know, becuase I am an environmentalist but I'm also a realist so it makes me pleased to know that you take such pride and care in leaving as little impact on the environment as possible. I want to know more about this MOON POOL! What the heck is it?! SOUNDS awesome!!! You can swim?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medhb Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 I'm just BACK to work after 6 weeks leave for health issues (sciatica). I was getting a phobia about going back, I didn't WANT to work!! Now I'm back and it's fine, it's like I was never gone, I work with great people who know how to laugh under pressure and...the best part....I forgot the ECSTACY of FRIDAYS!!! WooHooo!!! As for our Engineer who can't see the icons...there is a button in the upper right hand corner, hover over them to see which one, it says 'switch between standard and rich text editor'. Click that, I have a feeling you are in standard mode.....Good Luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Al, that's so cool to know, becuase I am an environmentalist but I'm also a realist so it makes me pleased to know that you take such pride and care in leaving as little impact on the environment as possible. I want to know more about this MOON POOL! What the heck is it?! SOUNDS awesome!!! You can swim?? No not a good plan the moon pool goes all the way through the center of the platform its over 750 ft deep it has no circulation basically dead water nothing lives in it no fish at all.The well risers float in the center of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marolyn Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 We have spilled less than 1 pint of oil since I have worked here in the last 18 months . that's good!!...i remember swimming off of padre island in the early 90's and they had "gasoline sites" on the beach to remove all the black oil gunk that stuck to you while you were swimming...it was disgusting!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freshmint Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I'm an office cleaner.. it's my summer job. Man, sometimes I feel extremely exhausted after work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Here is My autographed magazine from the NBC news team visit last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Here is some pictures from the NBC News Special on the Price of Oil and Chevron's Genesis Platform. Me waiting for the next Spot to start with Janet Shaliman in the background Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Here is some pictures from the NBC News Special on the Price of Oil and Chevron's Genesis Platform. Me waiting for the next Spot to start with Janet Shaliman in the background Me playing with the $100,000 + Camera Me and the News Team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Janet Shaliman from NBC News and Me on Genesis in the Gulf of Mexico Below Me explaining to Janet where the Oil comes from and why one Well Sample has more Water than the other. Group picture in the OIM'S Office with the News Crew and Chevron Personel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzldoc Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Janet Shaliman from NBC News and Me on Genesis in the Gulf of Mexico You ole dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 You ole dog True verry True. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirchzep27 Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Was watching that show -dirty jobs earlier and they were hauling big whistle buoys out of the water and scraping the barnacles and repairing the anchor chain. It was really cool, as kids we'd go out jones inlet in a little 13boston whaler and go to the whistle buoy a mile offshore and listen to it and watch it go up and down in the waves. the sound the whistle makes sends a shudder right through you, kind of scary when there are big rolling waves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Speaking of big rolling waves ours are getting bigger as the night goes on. Posted this tidbit elsewhere on the what made You happy thread but it belongs here. We passed our 2008 MMS Inspection with 178 items inspected and zero INC'S .INC'S are bad they mean You are out of Compliance of a Goverment Regulation which will get a large fine or possibly shut down and possible jail time if its blatant and bad enough.MMS stands for Minerals Management Service a arm of the Goverment which is over offshore Rigs and Platforms . We being a Deepwater Platform/Rig combination fall under both MMS and the U.S. Coast Gaurd . We passed both inspections for the last 9 years but We still have to do the Coast Gaurd inspection for 2008. We were told today that We have won the MMS Premier Award for 2008 . Basically a Safe work award from the Goverment say's We do it right. We are definetly nothing like the crew's on TV's Black Gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Well some of You showed some intrest in the offshore World so I will share a few more pictures. How I get to work I drive My gas guzzling Dodge Ram 1500 about two hours from St Amant Louisiana to Leeville Louisiana one Round trip per month .Then I get on a Helicopter and fly between 45 minutes and one hour depending on if we have to stop somewhere or headwinds. Here is a few pictures of Helicopters offshore. Some of the platforms in the pictures or places I have worked in recent Years but as most of You know I currently work on Genesis Gc-205 . This picture is a small platform on the shelf with a jackup boat next to it conducting repairs to the facility. Here is a closeup of the bottom of the Jackup Boat Here is a platform/Compressor station in the Gulf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 If the Helicopter is unavailable are You are near shore or its more economical We use Work /Crew Boats and here is one and several ways to get on and off of them offshore.Does not look bad but remember the seas are not always calm I have been lifted off and swung off in ten foot seas. The Boat don't sit still it rocks side to side and up and down and Your landing has to be timed whether its in a Basket are You swing on the rope like Tarzan if You land wrong it hurts and if You miss on the Rope You could end up between the Boat and the landing both are made of steel if the Boat pinches You You likely Die it has happened quite a lot over the Years less NOW because the Oilfield is way more sensitive to Safety issues than in the old days.Anyway here is some pictures. The Boat Being lowered by the Crane on a basket in calm weather. Here is one with a guy swinging from the rope in calm weather. My Crew on Genesis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Just so You dont think all We do is Work and pose for pictures here is a few pictures of the scenery out there. A 35 foot Whale Shark right below a platform I was working on He or She circled our platform all day. A couple more Water Spout I posted the best one a while back these were at a different place. A couple of Views You may like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Here is a few more offshore views Oh Yeay stay away from this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebk Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Just so You dont think all We do is Work and pose for pictures here is a few pictures of the scenery out there. A couple of Views You may like Oh my god, these are simply gorgeous. Thanks so much for posting them!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwizard03 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Oh my god, these are simply gorgeous. Thanks so much for posting them!! Thank You Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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