OIL SPILL RESPONSE VESSELS
20th Anniversary of Oil Spill Drill Program
Minerals Management Service (MMS) Director Liz Birnbaum today highlighted the 20th anniversary of the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region’s Unannounced Oil Spill Drill Program. The first unannounced drill with an offshore oil and gas operator in the Gulf was held on July 25, 1989. Since the first unannounced drill, an additional 273 drills have been held in the Gulf. The MMS designs the drill to exercise an oil and gas and pipeline operator’s Oil Spill Response Plan and evaluates its spill management team’s effectiveness in responding to a simulated spill event. “While preventing oil spills is our top priority throughout the offshore energy exploration and extraction process, operators must be ready to respond to a spill event,” Birnbaum said. “The Unannounced Drill Program enables MMS to monitor and enhance the operators’ response capabilities throughout the Outer Continental Shelf.” In order to test an operator’s ability and effectiveness in responding, there are different methods used in a drill. A drill may consist of a table top exercise or the actual deployment of specific response equipment such as oil spill response vessels and dispersant aircraft. Every drill tests an operator’s ability to notify the appropriate contacts including federal regulatory agencies, affected state and local agencies, internal response coordinators and response contractors
Coastal Marine Expands in Brazil
Coastal Marine Equipment has extended its presence into the Brazilian marketplace by teaming with Macnor Marine and Macnor Services to assist in equipment sales and service. This relationship has proven successful as Coastal Marine has been awarded the deck equipment for two Oil Spill Response Vessels’ being built in Brazil at EISA Shipyard. Each vessel will receive an ABS approved anchor windlass, two capstans and two tuggers
Horizon To Build OSV Trio
Horizon Shipbuilding and SLOK Nigeria Limited have signed contracts for the construction of three offshore vessels - all of which will operate under a long-term contract with Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited. The contract calls for Horizon to build a 200 ft. (61 m) steel Single Point Mooring (SPM) Oil Spill Response Vessel with a total of 4,000-shaft hp. The vessel will be fitted with controllable pitch propellers and a dynamic positioning system
Washington State – Coastal Oil Spill Response Plans
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and U.S. Coast Guard are looking for interested parties to help update the state's oil spill response strategies tailored for the Strait of Juan de Fuca and for Washington's outer coast. The existing site-specific strategies, also known as "geographic response plans," identify sensitive natural and cultural resources. The plans also help prioritize how equipment and cleanup crews should be deployed during an oil spill response.
Arctic Voyage Underway for Both Shell Drillships
In the last week, both of Shell’s drill ships departed Unalaska for the Arctic. The Noble Discoverer drill rig, which made headlines when it dragged anchor and almost came aground on Airport Beach in June, is bound for the Chukchi Sea. The Kulluk drill ship is now halfway to the Beaufort Sea. But the drilling season is already almost over, with only a month left to drill in the Chukchi, and two months left in the Beaufort
Damen Shipyards Open Norway Office
Arnout Damen, COO of Damen Shipyards Group, officially opens a new office in Norwegian Stavanger. When asked why Dutch headquartered Damen Shipyards sets up an advanced base in Stavanger, its new Sales Manager said: “It is the European Oil & Gas capital and the place the ONS Exhibition and conferences are held. Stavanger is, so to speak, a mini-Houston”. The opening gave Mr Hottentot a chance to show what Damen is about and in particular that it is becoming more and
Ecology Proposes Spill Prevention and Response Readiness Rules
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is seeking public comment on a set of three proposed rules designed to prevent oil spills into Washington waters and to improve response readiness. Ecology is proposing to update state rules regarding how oil will be transferred over water involving tank vessels, cargo and passenger ships, oil storage facilities, marinas and, for the first time, tank trucks and rail cars.
Ship Fined for Failure to Have Oil Spill Readiness Plan
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has levied an $8,500 fine to the Greek shipping firm Marmaras Navigation Co. Ltd. for operating a cargo vessel in Washington waters without a state-approved oil spill readiness plan. The penalty against Marmaras Navigation marks the first time Ecology has levied a fine under its new oil spill contingency plan rule adopted in October 2006. Ecology requires that cargo and passenger ships, tank vessels
U.S. Navy Opposes Repeal of Jones Act
The news that the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Navy League support the Jones Act and oppose its repeal was applauded by Maritime Cabotage Task Force (MCTF), the national coalition representing the U.S.-flag fleet engaged in domestic waterborne commerce. Both organizations dedicated to the defense of the United States have reaffirmed their support for the law, which is directly responsible for half a million U.S. jobs and vital to national security.
Harvey Gulf Contracts to Build First U.S. LNG-Powered Vessels
Today, Harvey Gulf International Marine became the first U.S. vessel operator to contract for construction of vessels capable of operating exclusively on natural gas. The agreement is for two, 302’ X 64’, Dual Fuel Offshore Supply Vessels, with an option for a third. The contract was signed with Trinity Offshore, which will build the vessels at their Gulfport, MS shipyard. In addition to being powered by cleaner burning natural gas
Arctic Council Sign Oil Spill Agreement
At their recent meeting the circumpolar states of the Arctic Council have agreed to tackle oil spill disasters as a team. The Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic—the Council’s second ever binding agreement—was signed by all
NOAA Report Examines Shipwreck Oil Pollution Threat
NOAA presented to the U.S. Coast Guard today a new report that finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation’s coastal marine resources. Of those, 17 were recommended for further assessment and potential removal of both fuel
TY Offshore Launches Eighth of Eighteen FMT Industries Barges
TY Offshore, LLC launched the FMT 3256, the eighth of eighteen 297’6” x 54’ x 12’, 30,000 barrel tank barges for FMT Industries, LLC, one of the several companies within the Florida Marine Group. FMT Industries recently exercised its option for four additional barges from
Damen Stan Patrols 5509 for Guardia di Finanza Corp
Together with its Italian partner yard Cantiere Navale Vittoria S.p.a., Damen Shipyards are building two Stan Patrols 5509 to the Italian Guardia di Finanza. This Italian law enforcement agency deals with financial crime, smuggling, illegal immigration and narcotics traffic and maintains a fleet
Belize Court Stymies Offshore Drilling Plans
Belize's Supreme Court declared offshore drilling contracts issued by the Government of Belize (in 2004 and 2007) null and void. The ruling, handed down by Justice Oswell Legall , was in response to a case brought by Oceana, COLA, and the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage
Innovation Driven by Demand - Oil Spill Response
Oil spill equipment manufacturer Elastec brings new and sophisticated tools to a market in need of better, faster, more efficient and environmentally sound tactics. Just what the doctor ordered. Elastec/American Marine may well be the largest manufacturer of oil spill and environmental equipment
Gardline and OceanPact Enter Joint Venture
Gardline Marine Sciences, an independently owned survey group, and OceanPact, a Brazilian oil spill response company, have announced the establishment of a joint venture. The new company is to be called Gardline Marine Sciences do Brasil S
Director Watson Leads Deepwater O&G Containment Exercise
As part of the Obama administration’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the oil and gas industry’s ability to respond in the event of a deepwater blowout and ensure that offshore oil and gas production can continue to expand safely and responsibly
Van Heck Launches “Green and Easy Oil Recovery”
Van Heck revealed its newest world premiere, a complete pump system that enables the controlled, contained, fast oil recovery after incorrect or off-spec fueling and in the event of grounding or calamity at sea. The pump, named Sea Trophy, ensures a fast
Subsea Well Blowout Response Tested in GofM
The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Noble Energy, Inc. and the Helix Well Containment Group (HWCG) participated in the exercise. A full-scale deployment of critical well control equipment was employed to assess Noble
Steam Beats Hot Water to Keep Heavy Oil Viscous
Tests by Parat Halvorsen on oil spill response equipment (OSR) for offshore supply vessels reveal significant deficiencies with systems using hot water coils. Norway's Parat Halvorsen undertook a series of trials after a number of lower cost hot water coil alternatives came on the market the
Aker Arctic Brings Oblique Ice Breaker to Market
With construction underway on the first ever Oblique Icebreaker, research specialist Aker Arctic Technology has unveiled a new version of the vessel type that will bring ice management and pollution control in thick first year ice to a new level.
Kvichak Deliver Oil Spill Skimmers to the US Navy
Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. recently delivered fifteen 30’ Rapid Response Skimmers to the U.S. Navy. With the addition of these skimmers the Navy will be operating over 85 Kvichak-built skimmers worldwide as the Navy’s tier one response asset.
Emergency Personnel Participate in Oil Spill Response Program
Nearly 250 first responders participated in a National Preparedness Response Exercise Program in Los Angeles including U.S. Coast Guard, Chevron, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and Response, NOAA, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
Shipwrecks Pose US Sea Pollution Threat
New NOAA report presented to the US Coast Guard examines national oil pollution threat from shipwrecks in US waters. The report finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation's coastal marine resources