Author Topic: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. No more off shore for me.  (Read 60889 times)

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Offline Matto

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #100 on: August 26, 2014, 02:49:33 PM »
That's fantastic Dave - thanks very much for sharing. Hugely interesting. I was amazed to see the drivers with bare hands - for some reason I thought the pressure would have dictated them being fully suited up. I'm amazed that there's so much light available down at those depths too.

You've spoken about the troubles with operating in shallow water - how deep do you go?

Good luck for the home trip and the stop off in Singapore - enjoy your shoretime!

Cheers,
Matto :)
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #101 on: August 26, 2014, 04:06:46 PM »
You've spoken about the troubles with operating in shallow water - how deep do you go?

The system is built for working at 300 meters. This is something that does not happen often, the deepest I have seen is 240 meters which was a very difficult operation.
The difficulty is communications, understanding the divers as the more depth means less % of oxygen and less dense gas to allow vocal chords to function.
Modern techologics have us complex bits of gear called "Unscrambelers", these digitally alter voice to allow it to be understood.

Also, the equipment the divers use in water alters, they have re-breather and other things.

This type of diving is not something which is planned, it is for when something is wrong typically speaking anyway.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Lot of pics
« Reply #102 on: August 27, 2014, 05:46:07 AM »
Time for the last bit of interesting pics before I jump on a chopper.

We're working to put together a shinny new gas terminal.
This 1st pic shows a Jack up Rig parked over the 1st of the 3 new terminals which will be eventualy joined together.
Jackup rigs float into place, lower legs to the sea bed and rasie them selves up.
 


The tall structure is the drilling derek, but not in use at this time. It would normaly be used to drill through special pipes called caissons into the sea bed to tap into the gas - oil etc.
the horizontal red and white thing is a crane on the new terminal.


Then, when were finshed the pipe work on the sea bed, they going to come back with a big boat and crane to lift on the top packages for these last 2 structures, then all 3 are linked together with walk ways.



All this that you see is pre fabricated elsewhere and shipped into location.
The 2 structures in the last pic are placed on the sea bed and large piles are driven through the lags to nail it down to the sea bed. When the piles are driven in, they weld the 2 togther.
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Offline Matto

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #103 on: August 27, 2014, 08:23:47 AM »
That's so cool.

Those drilling platforms look mighty small to be in the middle of the north sea. Not sure I'd like to be on one in the middle of a decent storm.

How does the jackup rig get out there - does another ship tow it, or does it ride on the deck of a semi-submersible carrier?

Also, re: the depths above - I assume that to operate below ~300m you would switch to divers in pressure suits? I'm amazed that the diver's bodies can stand up to the pressures at ~240m below sea level with pretty much only a wetsuit on. Amazing stuff.

Cheers,
Matt
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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #104 on: August 27, 2014, 01:05:39 PM »
Hi Dave,  Thanks heaps for all these fantastic photos.  So interesting to see your line of work.  I think you take the cake here on MySwag for the world's coolest job.

Offline oldmate

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #105 on: August 27, 2014, 08:46:54 PM »
.  I think you take the cake here on MySwag for the world's coolest job.

 :cup: :cup: x2
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Offline McTavish

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #106 on: August 27, 2014, 10:32:32 PM »
Great thread DaveR - I hope you don't mind me asking - when you say Helium is hard to come by - does it do your head in to see helium balloons being used for a party event??   I think I remember an article about how scarce it is and difficult/impossible to obtain.   I assume it's the same substance??
 
Also - I take my hat off to you for the travel - it's up there with one of my clients who does FIFO Brisbane to Argentina - 2 weeks on 2 weeks off.   You deserve every $ you get mate !!    Keep the posts coming - thank you.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #107 on: August 27, 2014, 10:36:24 PM »
Well swaggers. Normaly I moan about my travels and lack of sleep.
Today has proven to be rather special.
The chopper came into land at Humberside Airport just in time for us all to get out and stand on the tarmac to watch aLangcaster Bomber take off
It is a truely memorable sight i can tell you.
There are just 2 left that can fly.
Certainly eased the pain of travel.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #108 on: August 27, 2014, 10:44:59 PM »
Great thread DaveR - I hope you don't mind me asking - when you say Helium is hard to come by - does it do your head in to see helium balloons being used for a party event??   I think I remember an article about how scarce it is and difficult/impossible to obtain.   I assume it's the same substance??
 
Also - I take my hat off to you for the travel - it's up there with one of my clients who does FIFO Brisbane to Argentina - 2 weeks on 2 weeks off.   You deserve every $ you get mate !!    Keep the posts coming - thank you.

We hold about 18,000 cubic meters of it. A baloon stand at a market gets weeks out ot a 50 litre bottle. So it not to bad.
I think it can be made now. Not to sure.
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Offline WilSurf

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #109 on: August 28, 2014, 10:08:24 AM »
Nice work Dave.
Finally on page 4 pics from the engine room!!!!
As an "old" merchant vessel engineer I was waiting to see them.
A few vessels I have been on in my first profession.
Now I have a desk job but planning the work for ISVs and DSVs.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #110 on: August 30, 2014, 08:32:49 PM »
Nice work Dave.
Finally on page 4 pics from the engine room!!!!
As an "old" merchant vessel engineer I was waiting to see them.
A few vessels I have been on in my first profession.
Now I have a desk job but planning the work for ISVs and DSVs.

Sorry about the wait for the good pics, I figured not everyone would appreciate the important bits.
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Offline FNQBunyip

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #111 on: August 31, 2014, 09:39:52 AM »
Thanks so much for your post Dave , a great read and informative pics of a job not many people would ever get too see or read about .

cheers

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Last pics before chopper comes
« Reply #112 on: September 13, 2014, 10:12:05 AM »
The adventure continues, not home yet.
Presently in Texas City, Texas, USA.
Do not put this place on a Visit list....
On my way here, I spent 10 days in Singapore for the purpose of dismantling an old dive system.
It is no longer going to be used so the various parts were salvaged and the metal work scrapped. Here are a few pics of it.







That is what it looked like before.
Now here's what we did to it.







Now I am in Texas so help out with refurbishment of a different dive system the company has upon a vessel similar to the 1 I normally work on.
This vessel has killed 4 out of its 5 engines.
One engine through a leg out of bed, or, for the non mechanics reading this, a piston and its connecting rod decided to separate it from where it would normally be.
So it is in the dock yard for a lot of work, which means us dive techs can catch up also.
I am here for extra work, normally I'd be on my 6 weeks of now, but due to us suffering extreme finical loss following the wife's victory over cancer, I am doing some extra work (4 weeks) to try and get some big bills sorted.

I'll get some pics of around the ship yard, and the busted Cat engine, (S#&T Boxes).
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Offline Nay-DMAX

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #113 on: September 13, 2014, 03:09:08 PM »
Thanks for the continual updates Dave hopefully you get a bit of time home soon but I am sure it will feel good to get those bills out of the way, good to hear there has been some butt kicking of that cancer. Hope that your wife is going well

Offline McGirr

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #114 on: September 13, 2014, 03:27:00 PM »

Dave fantastic pics and thanks for the insight into your job.

Everyday you spend with your wife is priceless.  :cup:

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Offline bazt

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #115 on: September 13, 2014, 05:09:56 PM »
Thanks for the insight into your world
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #116 on: September 16, 2014, 10:43:55 AM »
The boat is high and dry now in a floating dry dock.
The dock can be ballasted down deep into the water, then the vessel to be lifted is moved into an exact position, the dock is prepared for this before hand.
When in position, the ballast is pumped out of the dry dock and it rises up lifting the vessel out of the water.
Here are a few pics looking around underneath.


Here are the stern thrusters, they are for the main propulsion and for maneuvering. These can be swung around 360 deg.


Here is the bow and the 2 fixed thrusters and a drop down Azmith thruster which can be swung around 360 deg also.


Now for a perspective on size of what you see, here is a pic of yours truly in front of the bow thrusters.


Whilst we're in the dock, there are some broken engines to fix due to this.
I'll get more pics of the cylinder block it is from. Cat engines, say no more.........  ;D





Only a few days left. Fly out of Houston Thursday arvo for Dallas and a QF flight to Brissy. Home Sat morning in time for the kids to wake up and jump all over me for the day.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #117 on: September 16, 2014, 10:48:29 AM »
I mentioned previously about being at the Airport in Humberside in time to watch a Lancaster Boomer fly.
Here is a pic I took of it whilst she was taxing around before take off.

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Offline db

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #118 on: September 16, 2014, 11:16:09 AM »
Thanks Dave, its fascinating stuff (to me anyway).  Enjoy the few weeks off, looks like you have earned it.  :cup:
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Offline waz78

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #119 on: September 16, 2014, 01:26:13 PM »
Dave that was all fantastic, thanks for taking the time to share.

Offline jono

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #120 on: September 18, 2014, 10:57:25 PM »
Just amazing I was riveted the whole way

Offline speewa158

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #121 on: September 20, 2014, 07:08:25 AM »
DaveR  Thanks for the report , makes you think about all the things that are going on around us that we take fro granted . :cup:
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #122 on: October 11, 2014, 04:00:57 AM »
I'm back in the Pickle factory, and have a little bit more of the adventure to share.
I had just the 2 weeks at home for the School holidays, now am on board the Vessel I normally work on and are along side in Leith, near Edinborough, UK



The vessel is in downtime now, for maintenance.
It is nice onboard without the Dive Crew here, we get lots of work completed.
The dive system is now open, the system is "On the surface". So I climbed around with the camera inside 1 of the Larger chambers.
Here are the 6 bunk beds. The mattresses are removed.



Now looking the other way inside the same chamber.



In the above pic, you can see through a Hatch into the adjacent chamber. This is that chamber.



The black thing you can see below the open hatch is the toilet, this chamber is the Entry Lock, it is where the divers can transfer from 1 chamber to another, up to the diving bell, or across and up to the rescue chamber.
The open hatch is the equipment lock where the large items they require are transferred in.

Now another view inside the same chamber.
The hydraulic cylinder (long silver thing) is to lift up the top door into place as the doors weigh the best part of 200 kgs. How would you like to have to open and close a 200 kg doors x 2 every time you go to the toilet?



Next pic shows a trunking, the tunnel from 1 chamber across to another. If you had to move across, you must crawl through so that you can open the 2 x latches, the swing open the door. When you pass through, you must close the 1st door you opened.
The doors ( hatches) must never be left open.



Now for the tunnel one hopes to never need. It leads up to the rescue chamber, known as a SPHL, self propelled hyperbaric life-boat.




The engine room is getting a work over at the moment. Periodic maintenance sometime means engines get stripped down to see why they were working.
Here is 1 of the large engines in bits.



Yes, that is a man head you see, he is assembiling a cylinder head. To his right, 2 of the head and cylinders are removed.
Here is a combined cylinder and cylinder head ready for installing.



A side view of the engine with the access covers off. The top covers are the cam shaft, lower for the con rod connections to the crank.



Now looking inside the engine toward the bottom of the sump.
Notice anything?
Clean, and this has not been cleaned, it is how you would expect to find the insides of these sorts of modern ship engines.



I got 6 weeks today before I am home, the count has begun.
We're of for sea trials over the weekend, then when that is done and everything works, we're sailing to Poland for major works to be done on the main crane. They are taking the main winch off I think. Should be an interesting exercise.

More later.

Happy camping Swaggers.
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Offline achjimmy

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #123 on: October 11, 2014, 06:42:01 AM »
Thanks again Dave. Love marine motors, everything made for a purpose and old school engineering like the red paint to seal the castings.

Also amazing to see the Lancaster?  There would not be too many every sighted one fly.
Here for a good time, not a long time!

Jim

Offline jmorgan1981

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Re: Walk-a-bout at work with a camera. Adventure continues.
« Reply #124 on: October 12, 2014, 06:30:18 AM »
Outstanding as always.
By far the most interesting thread.
Thanks for sharing.
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