MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: DaveR on August 19, 2014, 12:24:35 PM
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Hi Ya Swaggers.
As I have found my self reading lots of interesting things here, from many interesting folks, i thought I'd try my bit to add to the collection by sharing some pics etc from here at work.
It will take a while to put it together, but will try it out.
Work, where is it exactly?
Here
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/14777989979_c4482b3cf7_c.jpg)
It is a DPDSV, that is, Dynamically Positioned, Dive Support Vessel.
Looking at the above pic, the vessel can be divided into 3 parts, the very forward is accommodation etc for just over 120 crew. The center section is the Dive System, with the aft end being the back deck for project related work.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3908/14778131967_f6409d5a6d_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5557/14777989939_d600fb64df_c.jpg)
Here is the bridge, no steering helm to be found up here.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14777989829_373700a9c8_c.jpg)
Now the aft control, where the crew typically control the DP operations from.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14778148467_99264d8ea5_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3885/14941693636_77dccc4e1a_c.jpg)
Now for the Meals area.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/14778154457_728acbc218_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/14778021220_bbf1b3a648_c.jpg)
Now some lounge areas. We have 4, plus thearter room and internet room. Also a gym.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3837/14964701455_be102bc9ce_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/14961600011_b0f5759cef_c.jpg)
Now for the Dive System. there are 4 x chambers, each with a shower toilet. the 2 x larger chambers are for 6 guys, and 2 x smaller are 4 each. Maximum of 18 guys in all.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3916/14961603551_fca8ecc044_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/14778039089_1086864156_c.jpg)
All aspects of the living environment must be controlled, the breathing gas for the divers is Helium and Oxygen, so yep, they sound like the chipmonks.
We store the helium mixtures in 200 bar gar tubes, each is 3 cubic meter in volume and there are 32 of them.
The gas tubes, Brown and white, are at the end of this next pic. Before it is the gas management panel.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3839/14964728415_df509b6cab_c.jpg)
This next pics shows some of the machinery we use for the gas management. There are 4 x compressors in this pic, each can move about 110 cubic meters per hour at 200 bar (rounded figures).
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3842/14961617001_573016d4e1_c.jpg)
Now the control room for the chambers and gasses, all aspects of the divers living environment is controlled from this control room.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/14778121638_46e036c3b5_c.jpg)
When the divers go to work, they transfer into the diving bell which is lifted of the dive system and lowered through the middle of the vessel into the water to the depth they are working at.
This is the bell when locked onto the system.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5585/14964739695_1ce092ce3a_c.jpg)
Now the other side, and in the lower section is the Moonpool, this is where the bell is lowered into the water through the center of the ship.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3840/14778057910_a1c0a1b60f_c.jpg)
Now what the bell hanger looks like when the bell is in the water. In the foreground is the special clamp which connects the bell to the dive system on the deck below.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3894/14778197077_e7dd314939_c.jpg)
Here is is out the bottom of the ship. This pic was taken when the ship was in a dry dock.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/14778060169_7d381fec62_c.jpg)
Edit, got a key board now that works a bit better.
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I got more to come, but the seas are getting higher at the moment and needed to post the above before the internet was lost, and I lost it all, a 2nd time......
To be continued.......
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Here is what the bell looks like at depth. Photo taken by a ROV.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3881/14778067620_125d2c6594_z.jpg)
Now for the Dive control room.
We have 2 x diving bells, with this picture, the guy on the left is talking to the 2 x divers in the water, the monitors show what the divers see and he can track the position of them to the nearest 100 mm on the survey screen.
The guy on the right is preparing to launch the bell and going through the rigerous pre dive checks with the bellman inside the bell. We have 3 man bell runs, that is, 3 guys are in the bell when launched.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3874/14961634001_a8e7bbdd50_c.jpg)
Some more of the control room, and showing the bell launch controls also.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3895/14941748366_e160bb6582_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5578/14941748526_a3a9fa23e2_c.jpg)
Now the helmet they wear, it is a bit different to the usual SCUBA divers gear. Cost for this is about $50,000 Aussie..... Just 1 helmet, we have 9 here.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5590/14941756516_63f39b9acb_c.jpg)
So, what is all the fuss about? On this project we're altering existing 24 inch gas pipes buried below the sea bed. The are being dug up, cut open, new joints added, and new sections bolted on.
This next pic shows some bolts, each with the 2 x nuts on weigh 50 kilos, that is my glove in the pic for scale.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3856/14778147628_74349ff2c9_c.jpg)
Now for a spanner to hang on the nuts, this is driven by hydraulics, not arm strength.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/14964754065_e01d0385c5_c.jpg)
When the pipe work is done, they then need to bury it all again and cover it with the concrete mattresses stacked on deck. When this lot is in, we going key side to get more.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5574/14961646671_7d4786888b_c.jpg)
Now an action pic of the 150 tonne crane in action.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3865/14941760766_6b73598448_c.jpg)
That's it for now, shall try to get more of what the divers are doing and post up.
Cheers
Best do a bit of work now.
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Very interesting, thanks for posting.
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A great view of a working ship, thanks for taking the time to put it up. Would be great to see some photos of the divers at work
GG
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I got more to come, but the seas are getting higher at the moment and needed to post the above before the internet was lost, and I lost it all, a 2nd time......
To be continued.......
Awesome dude :cup:
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That's awesome dave. Beats my job by a long shot. Thanks for sharing mate
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Gee mate looks like ya got all the comforts of home . Must admit I was startin to break out in a cold sweat lookin at those chambers. I think I would get the heebie jeebies locked up in them. Thanks for sharin.
Gary
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WOW - never seen anything like that before - thanks for posting!!
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TOP STUFF... :cup:
Bugger this concreting game.... get me a job on that thing will ya.! ;D
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I say that's a good place for a national meet ;D
Swannie
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I reckon thats fascinating, the engineering is incredible. Thanks for posting. Any idea what the charge out cost is?
Isa B
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Hi DaveR
Good pics I've been at sea 21 years this December. I'm an IR/GSO on the FPSO Ningaloo Vision off Exmouth. At the moment thought we are Kepler Dock yard in Singapore for a refit.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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That's awesome Dave, thanks for sharing those pics and details.
Cheers :cup:
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Hi DaveR
Good pics I've been at sea 21 years this December. I'm an IR/GSO on the FPSO Ningaloo Vision off Exmouth. At the moment thought we are Kepler Dock yard in Singapore for a refit.
From what I know of FPSO's in that ship yard, your going to know Singapore well by the time you leave. ;D
My Fav city to be stuck in
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Nice work! I spent over 10 years offshore in Seismic Survey. Was great fun. The last boat I rode on:
(http://images.vesseltracker.com/images/vessels/hires/Geo-Celtic-545620.jpg)
Wazza.
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Thanks for sharing that Dave. It blows my mind the amount of knowledge and training that goes into designing and operating such systems.
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We sailed in the River Forth earlier this year, here we are under the bridges at Edinburgh.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3836/14943454206_2b75852dee_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3899/14779757849_eb335ceb14_c.jpg)
Now some numbers.
Length is 115.4 m
Beam is 22m
Aft deck area, 1120 meter square. Room for lots of CT's. We'll put the fire pits up on the Helideck.
Displacement is 12,565 t
Fuel capacity = 1,440 meters cubed. Times that by 1,000 for the litres.
Engines, all are generators, thrusters are electric.
3 x 2,510 e/kw
2 x 1,880 e/kw
2 x 835 e/kw
Fuel consumption
full speed of 14 knotts = 25 t per day. or, 25,000 litres per day
cruising speed 11 knotts = 18 t per day
in DP mode = 10 to 12 t per day.
DP mode is when the vessel is sitting stationary, there is a very sophisticated computer system which uses many different navigation aids to accurately fix the vessels position and keep it there. We often have a need to move the vessel 1 meter at a time in a specific direction, it is easier then moving the crane.
Divers gas, can store 18,000 m3 of gas.
Just knocked of work for the day, if I got an easy night tonight I shall get some screen grabs of the divers in action.
And as any post here is :worthles: I 'll get more pics of the place to, for planning the national meet.
My job?
I'm a mechanical technician who maintains the diving equipment. This means I play with High Pressure Breathing Gasses, Compressors, Gas Pumps, Hydraulics, Winches and Load Tests, refrigeration, Diving Helmets and gas regulators. Make gas pipes and manifolds, welding and building things. Servicing some of the gear the divers use in the water.
In the dive tech crew, we have sparkies as well. We all work together and everything we do is documented in a detailed data base for record keeping.
I shall try to find out the $ value of all this.
My Cabin. I work a 18:00 to 06:00 shift, the cabin has 2 bunks, so I share it with another tech who is on the other shift. Will get some pics of it and share tonight.
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Yep we will be in Singapore till about April next year. Been here since January.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Fascinating Dave. Keep the photos coming
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Fascinating Dave. Keep the photos coming
x2 from me
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Brilliant Mate.
Very interesting.
Thankyou for sharing with us.
Bill
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amazing thanks for sharing your work with us
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Thanks for sharing your job details with us. Amazing what jobs people do
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That looks like a great place to work Dave thanks for sharing. Just a question is that the boat that was of WA looking for the lost aeroplane earlier this year?
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Love it Dave, thanks for taking the time to post. Looking forward to the next instalment.
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Thanks Dave. Its a great read and very interesting. Look forward to the rest. ;)
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Just a question is that the boat that was of WA looking for the lost aeroplane earlier this year?
No, looks similar but not so. That vessel is a multipurpose type and I think is capable of deep southern ocean work which gives it a level of tolerance for ice.
The vessel I am on there are 4 sister ships that I know of, 1 has the same diving set up on it which this company owns also.
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Grabbed some pics this morning after shift.
Here is my Cabin.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3901/14784656497_1252e56fd8_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3839/14971192505_1fa2ca106e_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3854/14784517100_9866292e18_c.jpg)
1 of the many hall ways. Note the bag on the door, that is the cleaned laundry being returned, yep, we just drop the bag with dirty laundry out side the door and it is returned clean for when we wake up.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3848/14971193965_94b7fcf318_c.jpg)
Shall get the diver pics today I hope.
The cost for this vessel is about US$ 200,000 per day. Plus fuel, gas and food.
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Thanks for the peep into your world , it all looks strange & confusing . As long as it makes sense to you everything will be good .The technology is brain snapping to be able to have people work in such conditions , & return :cheers:
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Thanks Dave great post. I love seeing what other people do for work.
So how long are you out to sea for at a time? Do they fly you in & out of the ship?
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Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
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Amazing Dave, thanks for posting. never seen anything like it. Although am familiar with the hi torq hydraulic nut runners you are using.
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Great thread. Taught me heaps.
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Thanks for posting Dave.
How did you get into job?
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I got more pics to play with but has proven difficult to get screen grabs. I'll have to get 1 of the wiz kids onto it for me and help out.
I'm working a 6 week rotation, 12 hour days. They pay for the flights (in the back of the plane) and wages door to door.
The project we're working can be shown in scale model, they have onboard a 3d printer and built an exact scale of the sub sea frame the divers are working inside of. The frame is to protect the important pipes and valves from debris, sunken ships etc. Yep, there is a lot of ships that have been lost over the centuries here.
For added measure, so it means something, the clever engineers added an exact scale of a London Double Deck Bus for good measure. The yellow frame has some sections removed from it.n Clever things these 3d printers.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3912/14973056931_8a96a494b3_c.jpg)
I'll put some more on here later this morning.
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Thanks for sharing Dave.
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Another installment.
The divers live inside the chambers, here there are 4 chambers.
Everything for the chambers is controlled in the Saturation Control Room, everything the divers need whilst in the chambers must be provided for them as they can't leave the large Tin Can they are in.
Food is sent in via the medical lock,
Shower water is pumped in at a pressure above the storage pressure.
Even the toilet is controled from the outside also.
The pressure they live at is relevant to the depth of water diving work is being done at. Here for example, the divers are living at 38 meters of sea water pressure. This happens to be 3.8 bar (55 psi), the sea bed is about 50 meters of water, = to 5 bar pressure. Most of you have about 33 psi in your tyres. This dive system is designed to have divers working to a depth of 300 meters = 30 bar pressure.
Some simple physics for you, every 10 meters of sea water in depth is conveniently 1 bar of pressure.
The food and drinks are sent into the divers via a special lock, called medical lock. A hatch is opened and then the items are placed inside, all bottles must be opened. The hatch is secured and safety devices fitted, the the lock is pressurised to equal the storage depth inside and then the internal hatch can be opened to retrieve the food etc.
Temperature and humidity is if great concern also, as well as removing carbon dioxide (expired gas we breath out). Here special machines are fitted on the deck below the chambers.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3870/14975103935_c1bc3a6a84_c.jpg)
These are called regen units, we have 5 of them.
The gas the divers breath is pumped from the chambers where it is passed through a chemical called soda sorb which removed the carbon dioxide, the 2 x pots shown below are pressure vessels which can be opened to access the cannisters which contain this product. When the product is saturated with the CO2, it is replaced. You will notice 2 pots, 1 is on line at all times.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3876/14788518188_8721aacfbd_c.jpg)
After the pots is the fan which is an electricaly driven blower, the same as an engines super charger but bigger, and this is inside a pressure vessel.
Following this, the divers gas passes through a set of chilled coils which allows the moisture to condense on the coils and be drained away. This is the same as an Air conditioner when you see the water running out the bottom of it.
Now that the divers gas has been chilled, it needs to be heated to the desired room temperature.
At the top part of this blue frame are the 2 devices which alter the temperatures of the gas.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/14788446780_c23a645f58_c.jpg)
Inside the ring of bolts shown below is the blower and electric motor, an oil indicator can be seen which is for the blower gears.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/14788568247_66019b031b_c.jpg)
Everything which happens for the divers is done with the pressure difference in mind. Showers, the water is pumped in, the shower water lies in the bilge and then a series of 3 x valves are opened both inside and out and the chamber pressure then pushes the water out.
Toilet, the same thing goes for this, but with additional safety measures, 1st important 1 (which the ladies will like ;D) is that nothing can happen until the lid is down. This is so no one is sitting on it when flushed as ...... well, Ummm, it is not nice and death will be the result.
To be continued......
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When it all goes wrong.
Actually, if it goes wrong.
WE HOPE NOT!!!
All of us on the ship can get of, jump into 1 of many life rafts, or climb into a life boat.
This pic shows the 2 life boats for all crew at the top towards the bow.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3908/14778131967_f6409d5a6d_c.jpg)
But, the divers don't have such freedoms, they require a special life boat which has a chamber.
The above photo shows a larger life boat in the center of the ship, this is for the divers. The other side of the ship has the same life boats in the same positions.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5564/14788511290_75acdd33da_c.jpg)
The Life boat for the divers can each take all 18 divers inside. they enter by following a special trunking, get inside and close the hatch. The pressure is removed from the trunk and the life boat can be lifted of the ship and driven away.
The divers inside the chamber still require support, so a crew of 4 rides in the life boat also, to operate the life boat and its many functions.
The life boat is self sufficient for 72 hours, this can be extended if the need for self propulsion is removed, being towed by another vessel reduces fuel cosumption.
Inside the life boat is a generator and the main propulsion engine. There is a system to maintain the temperature and humidity with an independent back up as well. In addition are the gasses required, food and water for us all.
In my position, and depending on my shift at the time, I ride in the Hyperbaric life boat to assist.
Here is what it looks like inside for the divers.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3874/14788507119_b72054e522_c.jpg)
Imagine being 1 of 18 excited blokes climbing in here in a hurry???
In the middle on the floor is the hatch where they climb in, at the far end is the toilet, and to the right is the medical lock which food water etc can be passed inside.
More to come.....
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Thoroughly enjoying this Dave although, the missus did raise the issue of me getting a job with you for 6 weeks away! I don't know why ???
Thanks for the story
Steve
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Great thread Dave. I would assume the divers are on good coin but does that job have a high turnover ( of divers ). i wonder whether breathing and living in the those conditions ultimately is bad for your health (and sanity) or do you get in , make some dollars and then get out and do some " normal " diving work - what ever that is .
Raider
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Now for some diver action.
I took these pics of the monitors whilst the divers are working.
The pic shows 3 x monitors, the top is for the bell internal camera, it is at the top of the bell inside and looks down.
At the lower end of the bell is the hatch which opens when the bell reaches the depth required and the pressures from the outside and inside become equal.
When open, the divers put on the helmet and pass through the hatch into the water.
The middel and lower monitors show what the diver sees.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3870/14973057521_f42c60d2e2_c.jpg)
The monitor in the middle above shows the pipe flange they are assembling, you can see the 2 halves and the holes where the bolts must pass.
Remember, each of these bolts weigh 50 kilo's, 1 guys is grabbing them out of a basket, walking over to the pipe and fitting them.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3914/14789603207_45fc68fe30_c.jpg)
The divers umbilical, this is how the breathing gas is supplied, another gas from a gauged called pneumo which measures the water pressure where the diver is and therefore the supervisor knows the exact depth. Also there is the hot water supply for the suit as it is very cold on the sea bed here in the nth sea. A special cable has the hat light, round robin communications, and camera wires in it. The last hose is the gas reclaim hose, we recover the divers breathing gas because most of it is helium and we want to reuse it.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3864/14789557888_36f70001e8_c.jpg)
This last pic is of the other bell, I had just finished opperating the launch system and the divers are getting ready to go to work for their shift.
The top monitor shows the 1st diver getting dressed in by the bellman, the helmet is being placed on his head.
The middle monitor is that helmet, so the vision shown is of the bell looking up inside.
The diver shifts.
There is 4 x 12 hour shifts per day, 1st 00:00 to 12:00, 2nd 06:00 to 18:00, 3rd 12:00 to 00:00, and the 4th is 18:00 to 06:00, my shift.
The divers are structured so that we have 2 divers in the water to covers 24 hours of the day.
1st team goes in the water up till the end of the in water shift which is at 09:00, by then the 2nd team is all ready down in the other bell and the 1st diver goes out to the job which allows the 1st diver of the 1st team to return to the other bell.
This leaves 1 diver from team 1 to show what is going on to the diver from team 2.
As the 2nd diver from team 2 locks out, the 2nd diver from team 1 goes back to the bell and they shut the hatch and are raised to the vessel and locked on.
This routine goes on all day for all 4 teams. They go for a swim at the same time each day.
Here is the view out the window from where I operate the launch controls. The bell trolleying over can be seen and the clamp that it locks onto can be seen to the right.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3892/14789474499_a7ccd84829_c.jpg)
Now it is time for my bunk.
Shall find more interesting things tonight.
Cheers
Dave
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Thanks Dave that's really good of you to give us tour of something that we would never normally get a chance to see.
Its very cool!!
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Thanks again dave very cool, and i guess thank to your employer, I know a lot of these situations don't let the staff take photos and share.
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This is awesome. Very interesting read Dave, keep it up :cheers:
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Fantastic insight, thanks Dave
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Dave thanks so much for sharing that info with us and the pics are fantastic, so is your rotation six weeks on the ship and then how many off the ship? Have you ever been a diver and then went into the role you have now? I can imagine it takes a lot to keep it all going. Thanks again
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WOW, thanks for sharing this with us all. Totally amazing :cheers:
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Amazing... Thanks for taking the time to edumacate us land locked people
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Brilliant post.
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Very different from I do.
Very interesting. Cheers
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Nice work! I spent over 10 years offshore in Seismic Survey. Was great fun. The last boat I rode on:
(http://images.vesseltracker.com/images/vessels/hires/Geo-Celtic-545620.jpg)
Wazza.
Hi Wazza, that Seismic caper is very interesting stuff. I've been of various vessels when you guys have shown up with boxes of trick-a-logics. It is always impressive toys alright.
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Great thread Dave. I would assume the divers are on good coin but does that job have a high turnover ( of divers ). i wonder whether breathing and living in the those conditions ultimately is bad for your health (and sanity) or do you get in , make some dollars and then get out and do some " normal " diving work - what ever that is .
Raider
Ultimately it is the money which attracts the guys to do the saturation diving.
Surprisingly, it is good for your health being a diver, typicaly the diaphragm must work harder to breath, which has an apparent knock on effect for you other organs and stomach muscles, and then health. there are no over weight divers getting around.
As for state of mind, we're all nut cases for being here in the first place, but trust me, you good folk wouldn't want us types in the typical work place.... ;D
OH, yes, the Ladies, there are a few Ladies who dive, with the guys in the chambers.
BUT. there are a few problems with this, these are:
1. Cameras, everywhere. Privicay is little, it is worse than that big brother rubbish.
2. Being outnumbered by guys in a small tin can, not many ladies are happy with that.
3. The guys, the conversations inside the tin can are now ..... umm.... well, restricted. (Its alright guys, I wont let the secret mens business out)
4. Strength, as i showed, the guys now are lifting 50 kilo bolts and working with them, by hand. many tasks that are done required a lot of strength and importantly, the knowledge of how to apply that strength. there are many guys who can't do the work also.
5. The big problem I have found with having the ladies upon a ship is the women at home, they always seem to think that all us guys a queuing up for a bit of what ever, so at the moment, there are 2 x women on board, and 112 (I think) guys. These are both decent and respectable folk who happen to be women. There are many women who join a ship in the best friday night stepping out shrink wrapped cut of gear, they typically get sent home for causing no end of trouble. Causing trouble, yes, for dressing in such a way.
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Dave thanks so much for sharing that info with us and the pics are fantastic, so is your rotation six weeks on the ship and then how many off the ship? Have you ever been a diver and then went into the role you have now? I can imagine it takes a lot to keep it all going. Thanks again
I have equal time off, but in that time is the travel days, It takes about 36 hours to get home from the nth sea on average.
I was a diver, but chose to not be a Saturation Diver, I did the more shallow surface diving instead. I worked in Sydney harbour for a long time, spent 4 month below the opera house on a concreting job. yep, concreting under water, makes the form work interesting due to timber wanting to float.
I'm a mechanic turned vessel engineer, then diver, then dive systems technician.
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Got time for a short 1 now.
This drawing represents the chamber layout in Plan View. it shows the compartments and the volumes for the chambers.
The numbers are the door numbers. Doors 7 and 22 are what is called equipment locks, this is where the diving suits and such things are passed into the divers as these locks are bigger then the small medical Locks which are for the food runs.
Total system floodable volume is 145 m3. Knowing the volumes is important as is effects the quantity of gas required to be kept in storage.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14794929617_6b2e2abe7d_c.jpg)
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I have equal time off, but in that time is the travel days, It takes about 36 hours to get home from the nth sea on average.
I was a diver, but chose to not be a Saturation Diver, I did the more shallow surface diving instead. I worked in Sydney harbour for a long time, spent 4 month below the opera house on a concreting job. yep, concreting under water, makes the form work interesting due to timber wanting to float.
I'm a mechanic turned vessel engineer, then diver, then dive systems technician.
Bloody Hell , the North Sea ! Here I was thinking you were doing this off the coast of Australia somewhere and not reputably in one of the wildest places in the world.
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When I stepped outside before shift I was in time to see this.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3857/14981477055_f265f0ddb6_c.jpg)
It is the only time any of like the horrible things as it did this.....
But sadly left me behind.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3889/14958481336_a700cd3fc8_c.jpg)
Just got asked today if I would mind heading off to Singapore in the new week for a week prior to going home. As we need the money, looks like a week in Singers coming up. ;D
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Bloody Hell , the North Sea ! Here I was thinking you were doing this off the coast of Australia somewhere and not reputably in one of the wildest places in the world.
It can be wild here alright,but we have just had about 4 weeks of warm and calm conditions. It seems the pommes had them selves a nice 4 week summer.... ;D
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A bit more trivia to share.
The breath gas the diver breath is a mixture of helium and oxygen.
Oxygen is easy to find, Helium is not, so this is recycled as must as possible.
Gas from the chambers that is exhausted is captured in a large 50 m3 bag. The when full, a compressor cuts in and pumps this gas via special filters into the high pressure storage gas tubes.
Here is the bag, shown completely deflated.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3907/14788542198_5683045c9f_c.jpg)
Here is the filters it is pumped through at high pressure, the silver cylinders. The filters are multi layer types, for removing a lot of contaminates and moisture so that the gas is dry.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3895/14788541448_a5fec834e3_c.jpg)
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This stuff is cool, and I'd like to meet the guy that said, hey we need to recycle someone's breath, then meet the guy that said, yep no drama bloke I'll knock this up. Should work. Lol
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I saw a documentary on this sort of thing ages ago. Fascinating stuff. I especially like hearing the divers talking like chipmunks on the helium/oxygen! But the whole process was, to me, an interesting process.
Thanks for sharing. I have a long list of "things I'd like to try but never will" and I have this sort of diving on it, somewhere below ice road trucking!
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This stuff is cool, and I'd like to meet the guy that said, hey we need to recycle someone's breath, then meet the guy that said, yep no drama bloke I'll knock this up. Should work. Lol
Then the bloke who said 'yeah, I am happy to be first to try it'
Awesome post! Makes my job seem very very boring.
What trust these guys have in the engineering and the other workmates.
Thanks for sharing!
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that is really cool. Thanks for sharing.
Marty
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Hi Dave,
Been meaning to say thanks for giving us an insight into what you do for a living.
What an amazing job, I am sure it is incredibly tough at times and by no means easy to do for a living.
In saying that what a view to wake up to!
Just a quick question, I am presuming that the divers "live" in the chambers due to the depths that they work in?
Is this so they don't have to adjust to the pressure every time they dive? (as I understand that at those depths going down and coming back up safely is a long process if you have to depressurize)
Cheers
Evo
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Thanks Dave,
Very, very interesting. Obviously not a regular 9 to 5 on board. Different lifestyle to most. Thanks for the insight.
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This stuff is cool, and I'd like to meet the guy that said, hey we need to recycle someone's breath, then meet the guy that said, yep no drama bloke I'll knock this up. Should work. Lol
His name was Krasburg, he made the first divers gas recovery system and was first used on the recovery of the gold from the Royal Naval Ship Edinburgh which sank in the Baltic sea during WWII. A salvage hunter found the ship and as it was deeper and more remote then usual diving operations, consumption of breathing gas was going to prevent the gold salvage from going ahead.
In steps a guy with an idea.....
As I am sure you all know, a SCUBA diver breaths out and this gas becomes bubbles which float to the surface.
No bubbles here, if there are, something is amiss.
The helmets have a recovery system, and a set of filters, gas pump, more filters and scrubbers are used to recycle the gas, it is a different set up to what is pictured above which is for the chamber gas.
This is the system Mr Krasburg invented.
By the way, the helmet weight is about 18 kilos. Even has weights added to it. Why? Well, it is just an up turned bucket of gas, which when under water, wants to float, we need it to be neutrally buoyant when under water and on the divers head.
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Just a quick question, I am presuming that the divers "live" in the chambers due to the depths that they work in?
Is this so they don't have to adjust to the pressure every time they dive? (as I understand that at those depths going down and coming back up safely is a long process if you have to depressurize)
The storage depth does not change, it stays at the same pressure.
If you think to when you drive up a hill and your ears pop, this is due to the reduced atmospheric pressure. Children typically have trouble with this in a plane on approach for landing. It is due to clearing the Eustachian tube behind the sinuses.
For the divers living under pressure, any change in that pressure is noticed, they are the first to notice of there is a small leak in the system.
When the work period is over, they transfer from the living chamber to a decompression chamber. Looking at the drawing above, the living chambers are DDC1 and 4, the other 2 chambers are for decompression.
The time for decompression varies, but it is about 30 meter per day + 24 hours. For us at the moment, about 2 and a 1/4 days. The time they are in the living chamber, the depth does not change.
A diver locks in, does about 26 days work, then a few days deco, then freedom and home.
Us techs don't see the insides of the chambers very often, chamber 1 and 4 plus the Hyperbaric life boats have been down at depth for many months now. Few more to go to as we think that this current project will roll into another.
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His name was Krasburg, he made the first divers gas recovery system and was first used on the recovery of the gold from the Royal Naval Ship Edinburgh which sank in the Baltic sea during WWII. A salvage hunter found the ship and as it was deeper and more remote then usual diving operations, consumption of breathing gas was going to prevent the gold salvage from going ahead.
In steps a guy with an idea.....
Before Bob Ballard's time then LOL. He now has stuff that can pluck that out of the depths.
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Just had to google who Bob Ballard is, I assume out of the several answers google gave it is a guy who did something for the US Navy.
Aha, and something with the Titanic, got it.
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I got some screen grabs of the divers in action.
it is from some older black box recordings i found on the ships network.
The black box is something which records all activities with the divers in the water, both audio and visual.
Here is a pic of the Bellman getting a diver ready for his swim, the photo is from the camera mounted at the top of the bell which looks down.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5596/14971693776_45a7b47203_b.jpg)
Now the diver is below the bell sitting on the bell guide weight, he is about to join the 1st diver on the sea bed below by following his umbilical. the guide weight, white frame, is a device which is on a different winch wire and is the back up means to recover the bell should there be something wrong with the primary means of recovery. The divers swim through this to go to work.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3907/14991590301_0deaa70ae5_b.jpg)
Here is a pic from 1 divers camera of the other diver.
They are wearing yellow protective suits over the wetsuits, it is a disposable thing which is removed before going back into the bell. The idea is to keep from bringing oil, mud or other debris inside the bell.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/14971693126_a1d267d38f_b.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5581/14807987019_be8d864da1_b.jpg)
This mission of the divers on this day was to recover a broken ROV which sunk to the sea bed. An ROv is a remote Opperated Vehicle, a robot which we have on board that helps with many tasks, mostly to look for things as it can see with many forms including sonar.
Here they find the ROV.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5577/14994310082_386fcc94f0_b.jpg)
Now 1 of the guys is lying onto trying to hook up a crane so it can be recovered to surface.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/14808072218_6de8491035_b.jpg)
Now they are looking up back toward the diving bell. The other lights in the distance may be the other diving bell also.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5577/14991590271_054240b018_b.jpg)
Now the 2 divers are back below the bell getting ready to climb back in, he is looking at the contents gauge which displays the pressure in the cylinder he wears on his back which is know as a "Bail out Cylinder", meaning, it is the reserve gas supply the diver carries around with him.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3865/14808026580_a05cd87a53_b.jpg)
Shall try for more action shots later.
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Just had to google who Bob Ballard is, I assume out of the several answers google gave it is a guy who did something for the US Navy.
Aha, and something with the Titanic, got it.
Yeah that's him. He basically stays at home now in the US and controls everything from there. His set up is unbelievable and he watches everything basically in "real time " , even across the globe.
Does it ever go pear shaped for you blokes or are you that prepared that you see off any mishaps with the systems you have in place ?
Raider
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When we put a pipeline across the Spencer Gulf (max depth 20m and most less than that) the divers just free dived with air supplied by a surface hose and decompressed on the way up when necessary - we had a decompression chamber on site for emergencies. You are talking about divers working in 38m and needing He/O mix and doing saturation diving - at what sort of depth do you need to change from free diving to saturation diving?
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well done very interesting stuff. gotta admire some occupations. man eating sharks and squid the size of 747 jumbos lurk in these depths
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Awesome pics and read mate :cup:
Makes my job look like playing with Lego ;D
:cheers:
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When we put a pipeline across the Spencer Gulf (max depth 20m and most less than that) the divers just free dived with air supplied by a surface hose and decompressed on the way up when necessary - we had a decompression chamber on site for emergencies. You are talking about divers working in 38m and needing He/O mix and doing saturation diving - at what sort of depth do you need to change from free diving to saturation diving?
It is not decided by a depth as such more along the lines of time in the water required for the job.
You may remember the in water time for the divers (Surface Supplied Divers) on the project was limited by decompression tables.
For example, at 20 meters, they may have had just 40 mins for work duties each before having to surface.
Saturation divers can dive that shallow and are only restricted by the working hours of the day. This project we're on now had the divers at about 17 meters for a few dives which brings a new set of problems. More on that below.
If the job required 2 blokes, 24 hours of the day to perform the duties, you would spend the money have have a circus such as ours show up.
The cost may blow out a bit, from a few $1,000 per day, to close to $300,000 per day, but we'd get the work done more quickly.
A big problem for us having the divers so shallow. Well, the vessel is kept in place by propellers, lots of them, and they are BIG. It pays to keep well away from them.
The length of umbilical allowed for the diver is restricted depending how shallow they are, so the more shallow the dive, the shorter the umbilical.
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Now the good stuff.
Engine room.
There are 7 engines down there, different sizes.
Here is are 2 of the biggest, this end of the engine is the generator.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5584/14809165349_9260f2f3f6_c.jpg)
Now the other end.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/14995490882_2fcdba5db0_c.jpg)
The engine on the right is slightly smaller.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/14809329827_1bd9866a95_c.jpg)
Now standing on the deck above, looking through the removeable grating, is a turbo from 1 of the large engines, with my size 12 boot for measure.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3854/14995495922_6f93dd58d7_c.jpg)
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Mmm is that a boot or a shoe?? Lol
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Mmm is that a boot or a shoe?? Lol
Took a while, but I get it now, good for a laugh on the oher thread.
Umm, well, i took my "Deck Shoes" off and dressed more manly for this pic...
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Lol
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Here we go folks, some great pics coming now.
I have failed to get good pics here on this project. >:(
But good news is I have a good collection for other projects in the past, so here we go.
The first pic shows a diver and above him are the 2 x diving bells are depth.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14818635907_7029eb3ec1_o.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5560/14818533848_72e34829c2_o.jpg)
Here a diver is standing on some concrete matresses, which they are currentlly laying on the sea bed as I type.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/15004771952_053e7c0c0c_o.jpg)
Now the 3 divers are posing for the photo. The 3rd guy would normally not be in the water, he is the bellman but does act as the recovery diver should something go wrong.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3890/14818506030_19545ec760_b.jpg)
I know the following pics look fake, but these are real I can assure you, I am not that clever with computers. ;D
They are take from when I was on a job in Trinidad about 4 years ago.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5594/14982165656_5a9c997131_b.jpg)
What you see here is a gas pipe lying on the sea bed, the task was to alter the set up.
The divers had to raise the pipe up of the sea bed, this is done with left bags, the balloon looking things, they are just filled with air and lift what they are attached to. Behind the lift bags is a temporary cradle with hydraulic lifting hoists in it, such as engine removing equipment in a truck repair place.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/14982166096_824eb213ff_b.jpg)
This next pic below shows the flange they are working on, the divers had to align the 2 pipes to ensure the flanges align perfectly prior to bolting it closed.
To the left of them is the tool basket which is lowered to the sea bed.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3859/15005166495_caea0370db_b.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/14982169346_a5e85ffc3f_b.jpg)
Here is a parts of the hydraulics for the lifting frame. The frame has a large fott print so it wont sink into the sea bed when the weight is on it from the pipe.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3845/14818644687_f2bdf600c6_b.jpg)
Now for the local Barracuda which did laps of the Bells the whole 3 months of the project.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/14818447119_f62d61646a_b.jpg)
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What.
No shark sneaking up behind the drivers.
I thought it was a must.
salt water, sand = shark. Driver tasty treat
but really great pic's
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It took a few goes to get the above pics done, internet keeps dropping out. ???
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Some times, the divers must sit around waiting for things to happen.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/15004789732_b2c9020596_o.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5581/15004789862_62bddc5fe4_o.jpg)
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Now for some rough seas.
Here is a different vessel I worked on for a few years.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/14818458259_eed4cee6fe_o.jpg)
Now here is the view from the bridge windows when we were "Punching into it" to get to Aberdeen harbour in time before it was closed due to bad weather and many of us missed our crew change day. The day to go home......
Guess why I was up the bridge ;D
Yep, making sure there were no messing about on the throttle I was, soon found the captain was due off to.
We made it, many folk were not happy about it either..
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3894/15004795272_03ece425a7_o.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5595/15004795142_4072a5e2a0_o.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3850/14818523860_147e5c93d5_o.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3857/14818659097_190e135d97_o.jpg)
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Now for some rough seas.
Here is a different vessel I worked on for a few years.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/14818458259_eed4cee6fe_o.jpg)
Now here is the view from the bridge windows when we were "Punching into it" to get to Aberdeen harbour in time before it was closed due to bad weather and many of us missed our crew change day. The day to go home......
Guess why I was up the bridge ;D
Yep, making sure there were no messing about on the throttle I was, soon found the captain was due off to.
We made it, many folk were not happy about it either..
How come they weren't happy?
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They didn't crew change, but suffered several hours of terrible conditions so some of us could get off and go home.
Normally, the vessel would just find a comfy place and sit it out till the weather passes.
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G'day Dave,
Thanks for posting that, I enjoyed that heaps, so did the young fella.
:cheers:
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Yeah, very cool Dave. Thanks for the insight into something that happens every day but which most of us never get to see or understand.
I guess being a diver is not a job for anyone with a short fuse ;D Everything would happen in slow motion. 26 days on the job at 'depth' takes a special person. Not like you can say you've had a gutful, drop tools, and walk away.
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Dave - very impressive but just feel that money good - but I bet you love getting back here and strapping on your 4WD!!
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Gee, some people have boring jobs…. oh wait, that's me!!! :o ::)
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This reminds me of that movie when a mining crew went to the astroid to blow it up, these divers would make great astronauts. Dave this is a top 10 post which I enjoyed alot, im always love watching the shows on mega ships. I have a couple of trades and nearly scored a gig on an oil rig years ago,yell out if you are ever looking for someone. :cup:
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Looks really interesting.
Beats the ship I was last on, was glad to see it blown up
(http://rs1353.pbsrc.com/albums/q675/aussiex/Mobile%20Uploads/14087998193340_zpsd420c815.jpg~320x480)
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Dave that is beyond amazing.
Thanks for posting that, fascinating and enjoyable.
Cheers
Parry
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Looks really interesting.
Beats the ship I was last on, was glad to see it blown up
(http://rs1353.pbsrc.com/albums/q675/aussiex/Mobile%20Uploads/14087998193340_zpsd420c815.jpg~320x480)
Would have been interesting to watch that at least, hope you got to do so.
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Unfortunately we weren't even told.
A lot of the crew would have loved to see it & were still serving in WA.
Was fun pulling it apart with axes & sledge hammers, getting it ready to be sunk ;D
It even made it to a movie -
The torpedo hitting Torrens was used in the 2001 film Pearl Harbor as part of a black-and-white 'newsreel' montage.
Only found that out recently
If you want to see the video - search for "HMAS Torrens sinking"
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Dave, in the Trinidad photos I assume they are in wetsuits (as opposed to dry suits)? I realise the Caribbean water is warm but I would think they could still suffer heat loss working in water for hours at a time?
I bet the North Sea divers don't go exposing themselves underwater, regardless of how hairy-chested they are ???
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Dave, in the Trinidad photos I assume they are in wetsuits (as opposed to dry suits)? I realise the Caribbean water is warm but I would think they could still suffer heat loss working in water for hours at a time?
The suits are a neopreme type material, without the shrink fit, more like lose fitting overalls. Under the suit they wear a variety of things, each guy has something different, but it all has a name of "Wooly Bear".
The suit material is strenghtened and has a capiliary system in it for the hot water to circulate.
We pump hot water to the divers for several purposes, these are:
1. To keep the gas from freezing in the Bell Umbilical
2. Keep the bell and divers insdie warm
3. keep the divers warm
The temperature is set by what the inwater divers ask for and the adjustments are made top side at a controller.
I bet the North Sea divers don't go exposing themselves underwater, regardless of how hairy-chested they are ???
That pic was in the nth sea, up past the shetland islands actually. They wern't uncovered for long.
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That pic was in the nth sea, up past the shetland islands actually. They wern't uncovered for long.
Lot of sunken ships up there - my dad was based at Scapa Flow 1940 with RN on a cruiser - when Battle of Norway started.
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Well folks
I am glad you have enjoyed this.
I don't have anything else of interest to add for now, 1 and half shifts to go then I head of to Singapore for a week prior to going home.
Then I shall tinker with the CT, and get ready for a trip to Straddie....... I hope ;D
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Well folks
I am glad you have enjoyed this.
I don't have anything else of interest to add for now, 1 and half shifts to go then I head of to Singapore for a week prior to going home.
Then I shall tinker with the CT, and get ready for a trip to Straddie....... I hope ;D
Thanks Dave, was amazing. Safe travels home, and hope you enjoy the r & r. Look forward to a beer with you some time whilst camping.
Cheers.
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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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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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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.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3923/14858280389_9d4daaa3a6_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3842/15041927921_6a9a2ff93e_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/14858352300_c47472d310_c.jpg)
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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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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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.
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. I think you take the cake here on MySwag for the world's coolest job.
:cup: :cup: x2
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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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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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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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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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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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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
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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.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/15033556138_835951c245_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5571/15197137586_bb9b72886e_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5583/15033369259_06eb4eea80_c.jpg)
That is what it looked like before.
Now here's what we did to it.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3840/15217056921_c810240aa7_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/15220191345_8c7154088f_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3886/15219797262_13e887b9bc_c.jpg)
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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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
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Dave fantastic pics and thanks for the insight into your job.
Everyday you spend with your wife is priceless. :cup:
Mark
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Thanks for the insight into your world
bazt
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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.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5565/15252353092_1c4e121d90_c.jpg)
Here are the stern thrusters, they are for the main propulsion and for maneuvering. These can be swung around 360 deg.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5589/15066203508_cd639898fd_c.jpg)
Here is the bow and the 2 fixed thrusters and a drop down Azmith thruster which can be swung around 360 deg also.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3896/15066125619_714c3551c9_c.jpg)
Now for a perspective on size of what you see, here is a pic of yours truly in front of the bow thrusters.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5551/15249854651_dd26baba32_c.jpg)
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
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/15252842315_3e52cd19a7_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5574/15252867285_f16368b71c_c.jpg)
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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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.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/15253007205_e608ba2f5a_c.jpg)
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Thanks Dave, its fascinating stuff (to me anyway). Enjoy the few weeks off, looks like you have earned it. :cup:
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Dave that was all fantastic, thanks for taking the time to share.
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Just amazing I was riveted the whole way
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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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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
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5607/15309646458_e9dc9accd5_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2948/15493251661_4d78552103_c.jpg)
Now looking the other way inside the same chamber.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2946/15473260526_ac97da95c1_c.jpg)
In the above pic, you can see through a Hatch into the adjacent chamber. This is that chamber.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2946/15493271261_6fc4cff915_c.jpg)
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?
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3951/15496413355_36ff6300db_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3936/15309675660_85be26d8fa_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3938/15493255151_5291af4cf5_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5599/15309652798_faaca74feb_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3942/15309676388_b4e151bbcd_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2947/15309612880_780d95af48_c.jpg)
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.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3942/15496342095_15cfc1cfc6_c.jpg)
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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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.
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Outstanding as always.
By far the most interesting thread.
Thanks for sharing.
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Good one again Dave, keep them coming mate. Awesome.
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I'm glad the My Swag community is enjoying this, I'll try to get some pics throughout this trip, should be a few things of interest happening.
Today is the "I wish I could have gone for a walk-a-bout" set of pics.
Sadly, there is much work to be done. :(
This is a lap of the upper deck, the deck above the bridge, looking at what surrounds us in port here in Leith.
Needless to say, it was a glorious day here, about 15 degrees though.
Just out of sight in this first pic is the Royal Yacht that Queen Elisabeth had made, it is on permanent display here. Ironic isn't it, that vessel is here in Scotland......
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2946/15493284126_b31ce31342_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3928/15329786728_8e843ebdf8_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15329764148_2fb037b453_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5602/15329843817_32699d283b_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3939/15516036762_fb6b4d8fac_c.jpg)
It is a part of the job I do like, the many beautiful sights I get to see, but, I do prefer the view I was having last week......
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2947/15513909361_5a46381473_c.jpg)
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Dave what fuel is the main engine burning?
That is a small piston mate. ;D
When I was an apprentice the main egine was a B&W L90MC something. 5 cylinder with 900mm piston, stroke of 3.5 meters.
Fun to work in....
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Dave what fuel is the main engine burning?
It is close to a regular car diesel fuel, but in other parts, such as the Americas, a sub standard is used. Strict emission laws here.
The vessel has many small engines as it gives greater redundency when there is a failure or sorts, I have been on a DSV with 2 big engines but when a small fault occurs, the vessel can't work on DP, so it is rather useless as a DSV etc.
That is a small piston mate. ;D
When I was an apprentice the main egine was a B&W L90MC something. 5 cylinder with 900mm piston, stroke of 3.5 meters.
Fun to work in....
I'm yet to see that sort of donk, hope to do so 1 day.
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Will find an old picture and scan it for you.
We were using HFO 380Cst, the most horrible stuff you could get. it needed heating up to 120 degrees to keep it flowing.
Luckily our aux engines were on gasoline.
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Just a quick bit of info.
This pic shows 24 hours worth of our movements, it is from the Marine Traffic web site, where all registered commercial vessels can be tracked.
We had an exciting 48 hours stooging up and down the same track trying to test the thrusters. Not going to plan sadly, faults which we have had are not showing them selves for the specialist techs we have on board.
We just sailed into port to drop a guy of with the data to interrogate the info on a more capable computer system. Gone are the days of simple fixes........
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5609/15348945259_567c96b760_c.jpg)
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Funny how bad things can go so quickly.
There was a reputable firm on board who did the refurbishment works to 1 engine.
Runs like a Swiss Watch now.
Then it was decided to commit to a 2nd engine over haul to see why it worked well.
BUT
The 1st firm was no longer available, in steps 3 different contractors to do the job....... oh it went so horribly wrong.
1 of them left the rings of a piston when assembling it. How this can be done is beyond my capacity to reason with, but it was....
so any way.
We're of to Gdansk, Poland today and we're sailing through the canal in the north of Germany, it is a short cut across the tip of Germany, southern Denmark. It saves a lot of fuel but takes longer. The fuel saving makes it worth while.
It should be nice to sail through the German country side me thinks... ;D
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Map_of_the_Kiel_Canal.png/450px-Map_of_the_Kiel_Canal.png)
And this is what I hope it to look like...
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/KielCanalView.jpg)
(http://footage.framepool.com/shotimg/901578040-kiel-canal-northern-germany-bridge-architecture-village.jpg)
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Funny how bad things can go so quickly.
There was a reputable firm on board who did the refurbishment works to 1 engine.
Runs like a Swish Watch now.
Then it was decided to commit to a 2nd engine over haul to see why it worked well.
BUT
The 1st firm was no longer available, in steps 3 different contractors to do the job....... oh it went so horribly wrong.
1 of them left the rings of a piston when assembling it. How this can be done is beyond my capacity to reason with, but it was....
so any way.
We're of to Gdansk, Poland today and we're sailing through the canal in the north of Germany, it is a short cut across the tip of Germany, southern Denmark. It saves a lot of fuel but takes longer. The fuel saving makes it worth while.
It should be nice to sail through the German country side me thinks... ;D
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Map_of_the_Kiel_Canal.png/450px-Map_of_the_Kiel_Canal.png)
And this is what I hope it to look like...
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/KielCanalView.jpg)
(http://footage.framepool.com/shotimg/901578040-kiel-canal-northern-germany-bridge-architecture-village.jpg)
I hope for you it is as well. ;D
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Funny thing is, we're still at the dock, something wrong with a Bow thruster now........
Engine room lads are running about the place.
May miss the high tide we need to leave.
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Always the next high tide....lol or tomorrow! When all this is happening, what are you and guys up to. Is it kick back an relax or checking and double checking gear?
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No, not exactly, I went to the mess room, had a nice meal, chat with the lads, came back to my cabin and called it quits for the day, woke to the sounds of the vessel on the move this morning (UK Time) and assume it is all sorted.
Sailing over a perfectly flat and calm nth sea as I type.
I hope it is day light hours we sail the Kiel Canal.
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Are they still saluting each vessel in the Kiel Channel?
They had the wrong flag for us. ;D
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Are they still saluting each vessel in the Kiel Channel?
They had the wrong flag for us. ;D
Not sure, I did ask 1 of the guys up stairs but he wasn't sure.
We didn't go that way thanks to the Bow Thruster playing up, the Ol Man wasn't taking any chances, long way it is.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3952/15437967837_699bc58a6b_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5607/15600272276_49128c5434_c.jpg)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3951/15600272136_f5c1f6cb9f_c.jpg)
We turned the corner around the Nth Point of Denmark, it is not quite the same as our Cape.... Rather ummm... Bland by comparison, so I won't be recomending it as a destination for the next CT Trip away.
On the right of this next pic is the Sandy Point of the cape, my camera can't zoom in for it.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3940/15600249436_de1cc7bc2e_c.jpg)
At least the weather has been near perfect for the trip.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5612/15437825448_442f07b2ce_c.jpg)
We get to Poland Monday Morning I think.
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I am realy realy REALY happy to be back at work now.... ;D
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7467/16203723216_f6e8ae9e68_c.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8594/16042110298_e197ff2201_c.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8682/15609765383_23e034f1d7_c.jpg)
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Dave do you know a bloke called Karl who lives in Cairns. He is in your line of work and coincidently is over where you are ATM. I think he is due back in Cairns in a week or so.
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I do work with an Aussie lad with the name of Karl, doubt the same guy though. The bloke I know likes to jump out of planes.
I am aware of 2 guys in Cairns, not sure the names
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Back again, hard at it.
Home next week YEY!
Just finished sending pics home for the Kids, and thought I'd put a few more here.
This is where I am.
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8867/17623999163_57de44dc7a_c.jpg)
I am working the night shift, 18:00 to 06:00 and this is the midnight sunlight, and it is not the longest day light hour day yet. Bit hard to get my head around blazing sunlight at 04:00.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/391/18252656415_f59cf7672b_c.jpg)
The weather is glorious at the moment, but not for long, due to be back to normal tomorrow., a bit like this from few days ago.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/492/18254149881_04a9e3bda6_c.jpg)
This is an old gas terminal, looks a bit shabby I know, but is in good condition still.
We've got the divers working to replace some clamps that hold pipes to the structure, they wear out and need changing. The wear is due to the structure moving around, they do move a bit and flex.
This is a clamp the guys have cut out.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/370/18253928281_ce7a199566_c.jpg)
The steel thickness is 12mm. It was cut out with this tool, hydraulically drive grinder with 300mm diamond tipped blades, two of them on a frame making 2 seperat cuts at once. One blade can be seen lower right, the other is opposite.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/406/18226260136_7f3db93d51_c.jpg)
The frame is clamped into an exact position, then the grinding begins and as they cut away, the grindings heads slide along the frame.
When they are done, they need to fir this in.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7792/18253865171_96bb92f6a6_c.jpg)
Here is another pic of the Platform where we are.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7760/18064567749_d86dd7b2d0_c.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7733/18249098062_4c98dcac1e_c.jpg)
Before we came out to work, we loitered in the small town of Montrose, Scotland.
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8777/18065280380_fb3305681b_c.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8799/17632341723_4b2aff7571_c.jpg)
Hopefully in a few days we'll sail into Lerwick, so I can fly home. I hope they don't send a chopper out for us.
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G'day Dave, I've been waiting for an update and here it is. ;D
Thanks mate, one of my favourite threads. :cup:
:cheers:
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Magic, thanks Dave for taking the time to share.
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thanks Dave, love this thread :cup:
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Very cool Dave, just read through the whole thing.
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us
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Agreed - love seeing this stuff. Also never ceases to amaze me how rust just takes hold of everything. Purpose built gear still has the dreaded red...
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I have also just read from start to finish. Just an amazing write up and photos on your job. Thanks so much Dave.
Duncan
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Glad the Myswag family is enjoying this.
I have more to share, but not able to upload pics now as we're on the move to Lerwick.
It seems a bearing is vibrating in one of the thrusters. Opppps!
That means the engine room guys are going to be busy when we get to port, from what I have seen it is about 300mm in size. Several hundred kilo worth of kit to remove first to get to it.
Good news out of it is that I hopefully will walk down the gangway. ;D And no Chopper.
Then I must go to Aberdeen to play a game of "Renewing my Sea Survival". This is a fun day out where we play with fire in a confined space, swim about in horrible cold water immersion suits. Oh, and get tipped upside down under water strapped into a seat where we must then find our own way out of a mock helicopter.
Great fun....
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Here are a few pics I have Liberated from the web sites of the training facility to show, as I doubt I'll have time to play with a camera.
They strap us in to the seats, drop us into the water, tip the frame over upside down, when it stops, we must find our way out.
The tip is to NOT open your eyes, they will deceive you and make you go the wrong way.
(http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Survivex-to-provide-training-services-to-Hercules-Offshore.jpg)
(http://n-s-t-c.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/121218_BOS_2.jpg)
(http://survivex.com/images/made/images/assets/headers/New%20Headers%2015thFeb/new_subheader_services_survival_training_928_360_80_s_c1_c_c.jpg)
In perfect conditions this is what is meant to happen.
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSb-ZrQ-2A5il2w8TiWwxLehji1ZD5X66Q0XxyU3PjGhWQi5sDh)
Did I mention I don't like choppers..
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Reality and training .... At least they can say " you were trained ". Enjoy ;D
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I just went through this whole thread as well... Amazing job! Good stuff, thanks for sharing...
Cheers, ironcobra
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I got a bit more to share now.
The offshore Oil and Gas industry has many and varied support industries, such as Seismic Survey as a fellow Swagger mentioned already.
Another area is Anchor Handling. These vessels go about the oceans deploying anchors for various purposes and then recovering them for inspections.
The anchors can be the size of a small home.
The Black and Yellow vessels shown are from one company which specialise in this field.
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8799/17632341723_4b2aff7571_c.jpg)
The vessel is built around a series of winches, these are of varied sizes and purposes with one being a very powerful and large capacity type. I have no specs on hand for these just now. Here is what the deck looks like, sorry about the poor pic....
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7767/18321967145_fa37786325_c.jpg)
The vessels can recover very long lengths of very large chain and store the chain in special holds below deck. I can assure you, you will have trouble thinking straight with the sound throughout these vessels of the chains being moved about the place.
The following is the same pic, 2nd is where I have tried to zoom in to show the chain being recovered from below deck.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/464/18333239716_228ac30e3b_c.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8804/18359639725_9421ccdc6b_c.jpg)
When these are unloaded from the vessel, the anchors and chain are being kept in a specialists yard where they are checked for servicability etc.
These pics are to try to show the size of the gear they are dealing with. Look at the yellow container and the chain behind it.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7757/17701297033_0c3a5747b9_c.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7768/17701230133_fa900a3886_c.jpg)
Now a close up of the above pic to show the heavy low loader semis in the back, look at the size of the 2 x anchors on it.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/255/18321887835_7d30545c07_b.jpg)
In need of some CT security?
Just hook one of these chain links to the front, they'll never be able to nick it... ;D
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This round of updates is at a close. Heading home soon.
Here's the first light (not that it stopped from day before) at 02:30. Just before the storm rolled in. ;D
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8770/18184709019_b6757c906f_c.jpg)
In Lerwick now
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/489/17750214423_dd2bb22cd2_c.jpg)
The Shetland Islands is not the place to go for a "Tree Change".
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7776/18372468691_4241c95af5_c.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7752/18370834015_011818ecd4_c.jpg)
Its FREEEEZZZZING here.
Last time my flight was cancelled, thanks to the great weather.
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Back at it again.
Got a few different things on the go here now.
No Diving, well, with the Human type anyway. Got the ROV's in the drink doing the work and us dive Techs are busy with maintenance whilst we're diver free ;D
Here is where we are.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5798/20376146928_6ea5699a93_c.jpg)
What we're doing is placing a new manifold 120 meters down on the sea bad, it is the Yellow structure in the next pic.
The structure gets nailed down to the seabed with some piles that are inserted into the 4 corners. The piles ae the rusty looking cylinders on the right.
A Hydraulic Hammer is used to drive the piles in, this is in the lower left of the pic below the crane hooks.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5626/20377377159_98236e5e9e_c.jpg)
When the structure is in place, some control umbilicals are connected to other existing structures, these are the Yellow Hose looking thing in the next pic.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5785/20555143232_34fff86dcd_c.jpg)
All of this work was done with the ROV, Remote opperated vehicles, I'll go and get pics of them soon.
That task is done, now we're on a job with our Sister Ship removing old structures from the sea bed. Yep, old disused gear is pulled out.
This is the sister ship in the back ground.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5772/20376148228_8a91d3a40d_c.jpg)
We're removing concrete mattresses, they are used to burry the gas pipes etc.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5671/20376166230_1ef80999e9_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5662/20570670371_ef258dfe23_c.jpg)
The sister ship is moving along behind us cutting the pipes up and lifting them to surface. They are using an over size pair of garden Shears to do this.
In the mean time, yours trully is on a most glamorous job with a needle gun inside the chamber...... Well, just for the one day, got it painted now.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5781/19943210183_12971a99af_c.jpg)
I'll find some more pics now of the ROV's.
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As always, super interesting Dave. Thanks for taking the time to share :cup: :cup: :cup:
KB
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Yes another great story. I have been looking forward to the email notification of an update. It is all very interesting work. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
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Not a nice day today.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5719/20592339345_0be0488e39_c.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5633/20598926711_9c9fb918c8_c.jpg)
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/717/20404342158_25beeb27f2_c.jpg)
If you look on the horizon, the Sister ship is parked there, the above 3 pics show a bit of the bouncing around we're getting today.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5667/20405640869_a7b47a0b47_c.jpg)
In weather such as this, we have the wonderful experience of rocking and rolling, with a bonus that normal vessels don't have.
As this is a dive ship, we have 2 large holes through it which the dive system is wrapped around, each of these holes (Moonpools) are about 4 x 4 meters. The swell is moving up and down 4 to 5 meters at the moment inside the moonpools.
This means we have approximately 130 - 160 cubic meters of water drawing and pushing the same volume of air around the dive system every few seconds. When walking around, we need to wait for the swell to allow the door to be opened, and also, for the pressure differential to equalise also.
Love my job....... ;D
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Again - thanks for updating - amazing stuff.
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This means we have approximately 130 - 160 cubic meters of water drawing and pushing the same volume of air around the dive system every few seconds. When walking around, we need to wait for the swell to allow the door to be opened, and also, for the pressure differential to equalise also.
I would never have thought of that. Amazing. Certainly a different experience!! Thanks for sharing.
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Yep, amazing stuff. Thanks for sharing, I always look forward to this thread.
:cup:
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I got a few more pics to share.
I just got home from Trinidad, normally I update this when at work but the internet was real bad for some reason when there.
Anyway...
Here is where we were working (Red Square lower right), also in close to the sth east coast. Actually, we went to many locations but in that general area.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5754/22700084420_daf5269808_c.jpg)
The diving I have mentioned so far has been the Saturation Diving, some times our vessel is used for surface supplied diving which can be either air or Nitrox.
Nitrox is the same ingredients as Air, but in altered ratios.
We did some shallow air diving for a few weeks adding some protection strips for corrosion monitoring.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/593/22639930094_131f87ef69_c.jpg)
Here it up close.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/704/22874220627_f1abd0140a_c.jpg)
The shallow diving we did uses a "Wet Bell".
Here is a pic which looks along the side of the ship whilst sitting alongside the platform, we stay in position with the DP System, no mooring ropes.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5661/22972496350_f08d08f7b0_c.jpg)
The bright ligths in the water are the lights on the Wet Bell. It is from there the divers swim over to the platform to do the work required.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5635/22900372719_5401363c54_c.jpg)
Here is the Wet Bell. It is a cage of sorts which 3 divers are lowered into the water, there is a space at the top which can be flooded with a breathable mix if there are any problems, a diver can be helped in the water, a helmet can be take of his head. From the shoulders up there is a cover over head with controls, communication and lights.
This next pic shows the frame it is lifted with and lowered into the water.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/766/22875472647_7bdbea5521_c.jpg)
Now inside
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5807/23269599645_0fc0c34948_c.jpg)
Now the control panel.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5731/22875483357_9297a18eaa_c.jpg)
On the deck below the launching equipment is a garage door that can be opened, here is where the divers get on or off the stages to get to the water. This pic shows the door closed, to the left is the entrences to the 2 decompression chambers.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/591/22875488257_568fd36dcb_c.jpg)
Here is the chamber looking inside the entry lock, behind the door is the main lock.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/569/22641188944_f1d915078f_c.jpg)
There is a main frame for the Wet Bell which 3 divers go into the water with, there is also a back up cage for a 4th diver to go in and assist if there is something wrong.
It can be seen on the right here.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/624/22901643429_0c335674df_c.jpg)
More to come soon.........
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Here is a few action shots of yours truly, hanging out almost over the side sorting out the main umbilical for the wet Bell.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5810/22267000633_9665b6be97_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/700/22265398934_8e9572615a_c.jpg)
More later....
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COOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLL :cup:
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Why three divers ? Does one distract the sharks ? :-*
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Why three divers ? Does one distract the sharks ? :-*
Yep.
Well, the Barracuda's in this case.
They keep 1 guy in the Wet Bell, and 2 leave to go onto the job, the guy in the wet bell tends their umbilical s. Have to be cautious of the big things underneath the ship which turn around, can't be letting the divers near them....
Speaking of which.
We have had a slight miss hap with the big things that turn around, 1 of them stopped turning....
more to come with pics
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A job we were getting ready to do in close to the coast was to work on this yellow thing.
It is a SPM, Single Point Mooring.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5726/22640698994_c2f727747b_c.jpg)
Here is a borrowed pic from the net to explain what it is.
(http://maica.or.kr/reference/files/SPM-2.jpg)
The yellow float is an over sized buoy, there are anchor chains below keeping it in place, then there is a PLEM (pipe line end manifold) on the sea bed, from the PLEM is a riser hose which flexes with the SPM movement connecting the 2. The SPM can rotate around 360 degrees and still have the gas or oil passing. On the surface is a floating hose which connects to the vessel for loading. Also is the floating mooring line.
We went in side the anchor pattern to do some position testing to see if we could squeeze our 120 meters in between two chains close to the SPM sideways.
It kind of went wrong.....
The top pic which I took a few hours before it went tits up shows a small orange thing floating to the left, this is the mooring line which the ships tie up to.
The small Grey Vessel had the task of holding that mooring line and the hose out of our way.
They kind of ..... ummm....... let the mooring line go and it floated around and wrapped around 1 of the 2 main stern thrusters.
The fun bit is, we lost a thruster as it tripped out. That makes it hard to keep in position, but, we had to stay in position precisely to cut ourselves away from the mooring line.
The mooring line is 8 strand rope about 150mm dia.
The guys on the bridge managed to keep us in position so that the rest of the surface lines could be recovered, and we then cut ourselves away and move out.
We moved into sheltered waters and dropped anchor. The ROV went for a swim to have a good look about.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/609/23242984506_4560756298_c.jpg)
The Propeller is in a Round housing called a nozzle.
Here is some of the rope leading down to the Prop.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5633/22640695784_78bb896c14_c.jpg)
And now showing the prop and its housing that holds it to the vessel. It is shaped like the lower end of your typical outboard motor with a ring around the Prop.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/727/22874997917_65917b930f_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/671/23242985546_042f5acacf_c.jpg)
We had to put the divers in to cut it away, took a large chunk of the day to do it.
Thankfully no damage, and we went back to work.
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150mm dia heavy steel cable wrapped around the shaft ..Wooaahhh and here we get blokes complaining about mongrels cutting fishing line loose and having to cut it away from around the prop on the outboard mtr.. ;D ;D I know wich one I'd rather cut loose ..
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This is my favourite thread.
Thankyou for sharing.
Bill
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150mm dia heavy steel cable wrapped around the shaft ..
Not steel wire rope, normal rope. There was about 30 - 40 wraps around the shaft, plus some wedged between the tip of the blade and inside face of the nozzle.
There is chain and shackles which make up the mooring line, thankfully we missed that. The chain links are about 180mm long, each link. If we got that it would have been a trip to Curacao for dry dock.
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The most stressful thing about my job is writing report cards twice a year. I look forward to these updates Dave. Keep them coming.
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Glad your back at it Dave, I've been missing your regular updates. It's nice to be interested in someone else's work, cause my job is boring as batcrap.
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I hated those SBMs and SPMs.
Close to shore but too far away to get ashore. :'(
Our vessel was too large to get closer.
Brings back good memories, especially the Caribbean.
Did one trip there: Trinidad, Jamaica, Ponta Cardon, Willemstad, Havanah, Mantanzas......
Nice rum there.
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Another great story. Always very interesting.
Thanks
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Awesome updates.
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Thanks for sharing. Love the updates! :cheers:
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Here is a few action shots of yours truly, hanging out almost over the side sorting out the main umbilical for the wet Bell.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5810/22267000633_9665b6be97_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/700/22265398934_8e9572615a_c.jpg)
More later....
Still loving the updates Dave such a different everyday life than most live. Have to say though with these pics not sure if it is just the time of the year but first look I thought why do they have santa suits on haha.
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not sure if it is just the time of the year but first look I thought why do they have santa suits on haha.
Not quite Santa Suits, more like Circus suits of sorts, my role is the guy who changes everything between the various acts.
I got to share the circus story for you, hope to find time in the morning to type it out seen as I didn't go camping this weekend.
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Not quite Santa Suits, more like Circus suits of sorts, my role is the guy who changes everything between the various acts.
I got to share the circus story for you, hope to find time in the morning to type it out seen as I didn't go camping this weekend.
Not good on the no camping. I have loved reading all the things you have put in this thread.
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I chickened out on camping thanks to a dicky knee and the weather forcast.
Whimp i know...
I shall now try to explain some of what can only be described as a circus for you.
Sadly, no pics, but I am sure you can picture stupidity for yourselves.
Names are being left out to protect the stupid etc etc.
The job we were doing was to do inspections on the existing oil or gas pipes which are Sub Sea, below the sea bed. The pipes are lengths of steel pipe and have concrete weight coat around the outside to make them heavy and to ensure they don’t float up.
Oil companies conduct periodical inspections on these pipes with a variety of methods, an easy method is to send some thing down along the pipe which is known as a “Pig”. One of these Pigs is a tool which is sent along the inside of the pipe and can measures the wall thickness and reports any concerns.
This type of check had been done recently and some concerns were identified.
The oil company then finds various contractors with the specialist tools to do the additional checks and rectification works.
For me, I work for a company which has the diving ship and divers. The special tools are from 3rd party contractors.
The 3rd party contractors on this job were all found by the oil company.
There were 3 of these 3rd party contractors which make up the circus story.
1. The 1st company were on-board to provide various bit of general machinery, which they hire in for the occasion, and then they find guys from around the place and put it all together on-board and send them out to make it work. The machines were 650 cfm (cubic foot per min @ 10 bar) compressors, grit blaster and various hydraulic power packs. The 2 guys they sent were nice blokes, but were stuck trying to make rubbish work. The equipment is not checked in the yards before being sent away. The thing is, the yards where this equipment is found is in the US of A, we were in Trinidad. Out of all the equipment supplied by this company, only the most basic hand tool or hose reel functioned. EVERYTHING else was in need of repairs to make it function.
This is where I come in, as a dive tech, remember there are a few of us, we get the call on the phone to attend the deck and make what ever it is work. So this recent project, it was me out 4 nights a week to sort rubbish out. I’d be robbing stuff from one machine or joining other machines together. Remember the wonderful bush mechanics show on the telle with the guys sorting cars out in the bush, that’s me, in the multi gazillion $ oil industry. These machines I am referring to are what can be found on any large building site in Aus, but would never be allowed on site due to be crap.
2. The 2nd act of the circus is a mob of 6 hill billies from gawd only knows where in the US. They were on-board to oversee a special tool which cuts an exact length of weight coat from around the pipe outer surface with out causing any damage. These guys are over paid specialists technicians in the use of this 1 tool. They spent 3 weeks on-board the vessel loitering in the TV lounge rooms hogging all the couches; they were the 1st in the mess room and due to where they are from, the loudest sods by far.
Twice a day at the various project meetings they were asked if the equipment was ready and fit for use?
The answer was always Yes, and for 3 weeks it was the same thing each day.
Until we went to use it………
Nothing worked.
They had no idea how to operate it.
It was then discovered it was the wrong equipment.
The tool is a hydraulically driven motor powering a cutting disc, it needs large volume of oil, at low pressures. It was connected to hose which is far too small for the job, a ½” rather then ¾” and there is 300 meters of it. So to compensate for the small hose, they turned the pressures from the pump up to max.
This caused the oil to overheat, all 1,000 litres of it, to the point where it was boiling in the tank and we had a full blown fire drill out on the back deck. Best thing is, on top of this over temp oil tank is the 100 litre fuel tank. Thankfully it was just a drill where us regular vessel crew guys got prepared for the possible outcomes.
Now, ya don’t get this sort of fun in normal sensible work places do you?
It was over to me to sort it out, plugging their equipment into other machines, building a cooling system which meant hanging a long length of hose over the side of the ship, and just typical “She’ll be right” sorting of stuff out.
Funny thing is, the first hour of this gear being in the water, the boss called me up and asked to meet in the dive control room. I showed up to find him very unhappy, he asked if I could attend the back deck to sort it all out, and throw these guys over the side.
In the world of hydraulics, no matter what your language or culture is, there is a uniform code for various functions in Hydraulics, the most basic 5 are: Pressure line = P, Return or Tank line = “T”, bleed off lines or control lines back to tank = “D” then the thing your controlling from the valve is either A or B, that is up or down.
Well it was this until I had to work with these yanks. Pressure is now apparently A, I can’t begin to describe how much that confuses things when trying to communicate over the top of loud engines.
The specialist tools they sent out to the job were not compatible at all, think of it like this. Take a Great looking Kia Family Wagon, 25’ of bushmaster offroad caravan, and a standard 750 kg garden trailer tow coupling. Each are a great bit of kit in the correct use, but try to join all 3 together and then drive the CSR. It aint goona happen, well, that is what this specialist company had supplied for the job.
3. The 3rd and final act comes from some folk who provide a tool which clamps the outside of the pipe to add some strength and then a special adhesive in injected inside this clamp holding it all in place. These guys, 2 of them, had 2 weeks resting in the Hyat Hotel, which has an infinity pool with bar, on full $ per day whilst waiting to load the equipment from the key side to the vessel.
There was 2 weeks to check it out, make sure it is there, make sure it works, make sure they know how to use it.
Guess what???
Getting the picture???
No, it didn’t work, nor did they know how to sort it out, nor did they check if everything is there. A Vital bit of specialist gear was left behind back in the UK.
These guys managed to overheat a hydraulic machine as well, giving us another fire drill……
Welcome to the world of offshore work, please don’t ask why it is this way, but if the average citizen knew about the $ being wasted they’d be horrified.
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So what you're telling us..........
Even in a cool job you still have to put up with ummm.........other types of humans!
Love the thread. Interesting stuff.
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Sounds familiar.
That's we have our own little vessel.
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Even in a cool job you still have to put up with ummm.........other types of humans!
Humans? I wish.....
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So, do these rocket scientists still get paid? At least you weren't bored. ;D
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So, do these rocket scientists still get paid?
yep, a motza!!
At least you weren't bored. ;D
I'd start my day by asking the deck foreman what this days entertainment will be.
Admittedly I am not known for my diplomacy when it comes to idiots, there was a day there when I got the call up to deck and the lads grabbed me and asked to go easy on 1 of them as they thought he was about to cry and when he heard I was on the way he started a melt down of sorts. So i told him to ummm, go away whilst I sorted his kit once .................. again.
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I hated those SBMs and SPMs.
Close to shore but too far away to get ashore. :'(
Our vessel was too large to get closer.
Brings back good memories, especially the Caribbean.
Did one trip there: Trinidad, Jamaica, Ponta Cardon, Willemstad, Havanah, Mantanzas......
Nice rum there.
Hi wilSurf
That looks like a shell tanker. What's the name of that ship. I've been a merchant Seafarer on the cost for a bit over 20 years now. SPMs never much fun.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Back at the pickle factory again after a nice Christmas at home.
Sadly I just spent hours finding away to add pics but the inet is not co-opperating.
We've left Trinidad and are due to sail back to Scotland..... BUT
A devopling trypocial cyclone in the middle of the Atlantic in our way is goona be a party pooper for the trip, so, it seems we may have to go hide in Barbados for a few days.
Oh what a shame.
Me, Na, no chance, don't see it myself, the big boys in the office will tell us to keep going around the cyclone, or go somewhere else which is less glamerous.
One thing in a favour is we don't have enough go go juice for long windy road type trip nth, we are already calling into the Azores for fuel.
So folks, I'm doing the "Please take me to Barbados dance" at the moment.
May not be working though, as I type, we've stopped moving and are just bobbing around somere of the nth east cost of Tobago.
I don't want to go work in the snow, I wanna stay in the tropics......
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So much for Barbados...
Sadly we went within 5 miles of it, then were refused port entry due to too many tourist boats.
We were on our way back to the snowed in Scotland, stooging along behind a big storm in the Atlantic.
Reached the halfway mark, near the Azores, sadly without calling in, the weather is getting cooler, my moaning about the snow has begun.
And then…
We stop.
In the midst of 5 m seas, we’ve been stopped for most of the arvo now waiting……
Waiting for the office and oil company to decide on us going back to Trinidad or not
Bit of a circus isn’t it, we’ve just had 11 days of stooging north, burning 26 tonnes of fuel per 24 hour period.
Now, we’re likely to go back, at a faster pace, into the weather, and burn about 35 tonnes per day.
Still waiting as I type.
I don't want to work in the snow again....
Everything hurts >:(
Sadly, I can't share any pics, inet isn't working well enough for that.
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Sounds like " SNAFU " situation normal all farked up .
& they wonder why we drink ??? :cheers:
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Hey Dave, did they ever find your luggage, or are you still wearing the same clothes? :D :-[
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I've been promoted.
Look out, desk jockey for me it is now.
I got pics of my flash new office, but I can't get them to load and share on the net.
So the biggest worry for me now is needing to read through the weight loss group thread ;D
I was clocking up 11,000 meters a day walking about the boat.
The new job is the Dive Technical Supervisor, this means I need to ensure all is in order for the bubble heads to go for a swim. There is a bit more to it but that is it in a nut shell.
Have done this before and enjoyed it. This has come at a good time for me and the family as there are massive cut backs in the entire oil industry now. We have gone from a crew of 7 to 3. I was a bit worred for a while there about money, now this helps a lot.
Just got to sell my CT and then the wife may even get her big palace after all.... ;D
Hey Dave, did they ever find your luggage, or are you still wearing the same clothes? :D :-[
yep, I got it, then can you believe they lost my bag again this trip. Took 5 days to get it from London to Aberdeen....
Love my job.
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Congratulations on the promotion Dave :cup:
When you get home, you'll have to get someone else to do all your CT work - without the practice, you won't remember how to use tools any more >:D
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Welcome to the world of offshore work, please don’t ask why it is this way, but if the average citizen knew about the $ being wasted they’d be horrified.
Haha I think any one that has worked in Heavy industry knows how much cash is wasted and it is horrific!
Congrats on the promotion hopefully you don't miss being on the tools too much.
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Hi wilSurf
That looks like a shell tanker. What's the name of that ship. I've been a merchant Seafarer on the cost for a bit over 20 years now. SPMs never much fun.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sorry for my late reply, didn't see it until now.
Yes it was a Shell tanker. That particular trip was on the Entalina. That was a little conventional product tanker which carried Avgas, Avtur, A1 jet fuel, Mogas etc.
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I chickened out on camping thanks to a dicky knee and the weather forcast.
Whimp i know...
I shall now try to explain some of what can only be described as a circus for you.
Sadly, no pics, but I am sure you can picture stupidity for yourselves.
Names are being left out to protect the stupid etc etc.
The job we were doing was to do inspections on the existing oil or gas pipes which are Sub Sea, below the sea bed. The pipes are lengths of steel pipe and have concrete weight coat around the outside to make them heavy and to ensure they don’t float up.
Oil companies conduct periodical inspections on these pipes with a variety of methods, an easy method is to send some thing down along the pipe which is known as a “Pig”. One of these Pigs is a tool which is sent along the inside of the pipe and can measures the wall thickness and reports any concerns.
This type of check had been done recently and some concerns were identified.
The oil company then finds various contractors with the specialist tools to do the additional checks and rectification works.
For me, I work for a company which has the diving ship and divers. The special tools are from 3rd party contractors.
The 3rd party contractors on this job were all found by the oil company.
There were 3 of these 3rd party contractors which make up the circus story.
1. The 1st company were on-board to provide various bit of general machinery, which they hire in for the occasion, and then they find guys from around the place and put it all together on-board and send them out to make it work. The machines were 650 cfm (cubic foot per min @ 10 bar) compressors, grit blaster and various hydraulic power packs. The 2 guys they sent were nice blokes, but were stuck trying to make rubbish work. The equipment is not checked in the yards before being sent away. The thing is, the yards where this equipment is found is in the US of A, we were in Trinidad. Out of all the equipment supplied by this company, only the most basic hand tool or hose reel functioned. EVERYTHING else was in need of repairs to make it function.
This is where I come in, as a dive tech, remember there are a few of us, we get the call on the phone to attend the deck and make what ever it is work. So this recent project, it was me out 4 nights a week to sort rubbish out. I’d be robbing stuff from one machine or joining other machines together. Remember the wonderful bush mechanics show on the telle with the guys sorting cars out in the bush, that’s me, in the multi gazillion $ oil industry. These machines I am referring to are what can be found on any large building site in Aus, but would never be allowed on site due to be crap.
2. The 2nd act of the circus is a mob of 6 hill billies from gawd only knows where in the US. They were on-board to oversee a special tool which cuts an exact length of weight coat from around the pipe outer surface with out causing any damage. These guys are over paid specialists technicians in the use of this 1 tool. They spent 3 weeks on-board the vessel loitering in the TV lounge rooms hogging all the couches; they were the 1st in the mess room and due to where they are from, the loudest sods by far.
Twice a day at the various project meetings they were asked if the equipment was ready and fit for use?
The answer was always Yes, and for 3 weeks it was the same thing each day.
Until we went to use it………
Nothing worked.
They had no idea how to operate it.
It was then discovered it was the wrong equipment.
The tool is a hydraulically driven motor powering a cutting disc, it needs large volume of oil, at low pressures. It was connected to hose which is far too small for the job, a ½” rather then ¾” and there is 300 meters of it. So to compensate for the small hose, they turned the pressures from the pump up to max.
This caused the oil to overheat, all 1,000 litres of it, to the point where it was boiling in the tank and we had a full blown fire drill out on the back deck. Best thing is, on top of this over temp oil tank is the 100 litre fuel tank. Thankfully it was just a drill where us regular vessel crew guys got prepared for the possible outcomes.
Now, ya don’t get this sort of fun in normal sensible work places do you?
It was over to me to sort it out, plugging their equipment into other machines, building a cooling system which meant hanging a long length of hose over the side of the ship, and just typical “She’ll be right” sorting of stuff out.
Funny thing is, the first hour of this gear being in the water, the boss called me up and asked to meet in the dive control room. I showed up to find him very unhappy, he asked if I could attend the back deck to sort it all out, and throw these guys over the side.
In the world of hydraulics, no matter what your language or culture is, there is a uniform code for various functions in Hydraulics, the most basic 5 are: Pressure line = P, Return or Tank line = “T”, bleed off lines or control lines back to tank = “D” then the thing your controlling from the valve is either A or B, that is up or down.
Well it was this until I had to work with these yanks. Pressure is now apparently A, I can’t begin to describe how much that confuses things when trying to communicate over the top of loud engines.
The specialist tools they sent out to the job were not compatible at all, think of it like this. Take a Great looking Kia Family Wagon, 25’ of bushmaster offroad caravan, and a standard 750 kg garden trailer tow coupling. Each are a great bit of kit in the correct use, but try to join all 3 together and then drive the CSR. It aint goona happen, well, that is what this specialist company had supplied for the job.
3. The 3rd and final act comes from some folk who provide a tool which clamps the outside of the pipe to add some strength and then a special adhesive in injected inside this clamp holding it all in place. These guys, 2 of them, had 2 weeks resting in the Hyat Hotel, which has an infinity pool with bar, on full $ per day whilst waiting to load the equipment from the key side to the vessel.
There was 2 weeks to check it out, make sure it is there, make sure it works, make sure they know how to use it.
Guess what???
Getting the picture???
No, it didn’t work, nor did they know how to sort it out, nor did they check if everything is there. A Vital bit of specialist gear was left behind back in the UK.
These guys managed to overheat a hydraulic machine as well, giving us another fire drill……
Welcome to the world of offshore work, please don’t ask why it is this way, but if the average citizen knew about the $ being wasted they’d be horrified.
Haha just found this post. I spent a good few years on and off the MV Cape Grafton (Now MV Southern Supporter), building navaids, deploying buoys, underwater concrete pours and running suction dredges on hookah, carrying out maintenance on lighthouses etc. When you have helicopters flying around with concrete kibbles, larcs carrying hydraulic batching plants and mountains of hired equipment to make work it always invariably ends up as a Shit fight. And the seat shiners back on land on the sat phone "you know this is costing $150k a day, you've got to make it work blah blah blah"
Your post just took me straight back 15 years. Enjoy your Shit fight :)
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Well fellow Swaggers.
It has been a while now for this thread, but seen as it was popular I thought I'd dig it up once again so I can say SORRY in advance.
It seems my photos are possibly going to go the way of the Dodo and other photo sharing sites.
Given I don't have the time to hook the Van up and go away, I wont have the time to fix threads such as this. As i no longer work in this industry, I can't do it at work either.
I'll keep an eye out for a way around this, but for now I can only say sorry as it is a bit of a shame for things like this to happen.
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Thanks for this thread. The photos do take us to a place most will never see or even think about as we put around in our little steel cages. Shame if they disappear - but good reading again. I'm assuming you're not keen to join the game again?
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Haha just found this post. I spent a good few years on and off the MV Cape Grafton (Now MV Southern Supporter), building navaids, deploying buoys, underwater concrete pours and running suction dredges on hookah, carrying out maintenance on lighthouses etc. When you have helicopters flying around with concrete kibbles, larcs carrying hydraulic batching plants and mountains of hired equipment to make work it always invariably ends up as a Shit fight. And the seat shiners back on land on the sat phone "you know this is costing $150k a day, you've got to make it work blah blah blah"
Your post just took me straight back 15 years. Enjoy your Shit fight :)
I used to work for the lighthouse service back in the 80's. I was a Mechanic Maritime Aids ( electrical) and used to travel on the Cape Don along the west coast .Fondly enjoy those time as well as seeing parts of the state by road and helicopter that even today is hard to see.
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I'm assuming you're not keen to join the game again?
Yep, never again, the flights were killing me. It took 3 days for me to recover when getting home which is hard when there are small folk wanting to jump all over me.
I found how to keep my pics on the host site, I just have to delete 395 to get it below 1,000 all up and then they will be saved.
May have to lose my CT thread perhaps..... ?
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I used to work for the lighthouse service back in the 80's. I was a Mechanic Maritime Aids ( electrical) and used to travel on the Cape Don along the west coast .Fondly enjoy those time as well as seeing parts of the state by road and helicopter that even today is hard to see.
Yes they put navaids in some interesting places. I enjoyed my time but it is a single blokes game. We were often over 180 field days a year, double and triple swings depending on blokes booking off crook and work etc.