This is my new workplace, I think it was sea explorer although down inside the legs there are markings of 713. It is at present drilling for Shell UK in the Penguin oil well which is 8 miles southeast of the Magnus Platform. At the end of the month we`re due to go with Oilexeco for a 2 year contract. Ive often wondered what the Port side looked like from below !!!
Launched June 1983 in two sections deck/pontoons and legs then joined together at the "Tail of the Bank" on the Clyde, The Sea Explorer was Hull No 2001. A Sedco 700 series semi-submersible drilling rig with dynamic positioning thrusters fore and aft.
Ryan, she is drilling near the Scott Platform 100 miles ene of Aberdeen, owned by Diamond offshore, contracted to Oilexco. I think its another explorer youre meaning !!
The rig was built by Scott Lithgow and was partially finished in 1985 then went to Invergordon for completion. It was the last BP rig to be built. I spent my first seven years offshore on her prior to her being sold.
Dears...The rig just left Malta and is on its way to the Republic of Congo. Left on 25/06/08.
Added by Lorna Pace on 26 June 2008.
Lorna, this rig is east of Aberdeen 2.4 miles from the Lomond gas Platform. It is at the moment, on completions work on the Moth well. It will be pulling anchors around the 13th-19th July & heading to Invergordon to have some much needed maintenance work completed on her. I just came off her on Tuesday so sorry Lorna but you info is wrong.
Good work Gus. Oilexco is a Canadian company with a ton of reserves in the North Sea. This company should be turning some heads. Do you know when the OG is going back in to service if it already hasn't.
Added by Alex B. on 22 August 2008.
No idea mate, I resigned from my post at the end of last month, but I do know she is still in Invergordon having passed there an hour or 2 ago.
Added by Gus Mackay on 27 August 2008.
Ive just been informed they will be setting sail on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week-2nd or 3rd of September 2008, if that helps?
Ocean Guardian used to be called "Sea Explorer" and was built at the Cartsburn Dockyard of Scott Lithgow in Greenock, Scotland. She was hull number 2001 and was followed later by hull 2002, "Ocean Alliance". Sea Explorer was my first taste of rig building and I worked on the vessel from the first pontoons being laid down to the day she sailed away for the last time.
I completed my Engineering apprentiship on her and the Alliance.
Great to see that both of these rigs are still doing what we hoped they would. Clyde built :)
Somewhere I have photos of her on the "ways" and at other various stages of build.
The legs and pontoon section were built at Cartsburn and the deck assembled at Inchgreen, not far from the "repair" quay, where the rig was berthed for completion after the float out and "mating" operations of the deck and pontoon sections at the tail o' the bank.
I worked as an apprentice engineer/mech fitter on the pontoons and legs at first, so for me the rig started life at Cartsburn and was out fitted at Inchgreen. Those who worked on the deck sections in the early days, may have a slightly different view.
But you are right. Not just Cartsburn, but Inchgreen and the Repair Quay.
I also served my time as a Plater on both Rig Nos 2001 and 2002 working from 55 shed at the Cartsburn Yard in Greenock From 1980 and left Scott Lithgow in 1989 (Although Cartsburn had closed by this time).
Added by Jimmy McKenna on 27 August 2009.
She's back in Invergordon again
Added by Jimmy Rae Moore on 11 September 2009.
Off to the Falklands for Desire and Arcadia hopefully in November 2009. If you are near Jimmy can you let us know what's being done and when she is due to leave? Thanks
Added by Jeff Harris on 15 September 2009.
The 713 or Ocean Guardian is about half a mile east of the Sedco704. I just came off 704 last Monday - wonder if she's in better nick than the old 704!!!!
Does anyone have an idea of the extent of the works being done and the timeframe for these works to prior leaving for the FI's. I am trying to get an idea if a departure in November for drilling in February is likely to be pushed out.
The rig leaves on tuesday 24 November, my hubby is going on the tow to Brazil!
Added by Drillers wife :-) on 17 November 2009.
The Sedco 711, 712 & 714 were built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Pusan Korea 1982-83 as joint ventures with BP, Philips & Ranger Oil respectively. The hull number 713 was the exact same design but as stated built at the same time in Glasgow for BP.
Their owned & operated rigs all began with the word "Sea" cf Sea Quest (another Sedco 3-leg design). Construction began around the same time but rig entered service later than the others. The thrusters previously mentioned are not for dynamic positioning but primarily to aid station-keeping in adverse weather - they can also add a boost to speed when under tow if required. Bon Voyage to Penguinland !
IG-FI etd 18:00 24.11.09 w/crew changes offshore Las Palmas and Recife. Balance of spud drlg crew dep UK 5 days prior OGs ETA first location, via charter a/c [& towing crew retn to fieldbreak] to Stanley. Presently: Waiting on icecream machine[s]... Source: Mrs Anna Madmudman - LOL
We had bad weather last trip and believe you me the thrusters are [word meaning not very good] for station keeping.. Sedco 704 might get a knot with all four azimuths on.
Ocean Guardian just left the Queens Dock, Invergordon. The rig looks great - pristine fresh new paint. Unfortunately the nearby houses and cars are covered by the overspray from the work done here.
Ocean Guardian left IG/Cromarty Firth 12:00 today 26th November, eta Las Palmas 14:00 16th December - towed by Maersk Traveller. Thence to offshore Recife, Brazil for crew change etc and onwards to the Falklands Islands to drill [10] wells for Desire Petroleum and Rockhopper Exploration. THINK she is going via English Channel but too soon to be sure. Both ice-cream machines working now...
Is moving and listed as destination Las Palmas. Look for yourself on, www.shipais.com. Type in the top box Maersk Traveller. I am looking closely to se if it goes English channel or round top of Ireland. Me thinks the Channel
That's good about the ice cream machine Madmud man. I remember pme trip I was on her & someone stop carded the fact there was only chocolate flavour & no vanilla??? How could they work in conditions like that? No Mr Whippy either - shocking
Shrek n Boaby fae Colin Lawson Transport are on a mission to get a tow wire fae EMM in Abdn to Falmouth docks before 8am. If we don't make it we're possibly bound for France to rendevous wie a boat. Happy days!!!
Are you working on Ocean Guardian or Maersk Traveler? or is your Man working on them. If so input to the Ocean Guardian Facebook page would be welcome.
FOGL will maybe drill one well using the OG, but that is not sure. They have the option for the third slot of a (minimum) 5 well campaign.
First (and last) wells will be payed mainly by Desire Petroleum (LSE:DES) and Rockhopper Exploration (LSE:RKH) on their prospects, without any FOGL interest.
Also, the most interesting (interesting is a better definition than your "best" definition) prospects for FOGL are not drillable by the OG, as they are too deep (water depth) for the rig.
There is some rumour that FOGL might farm into the RKH prospects, though.
Falkland does have the "best" prospect(s) out of all license holders. It is unfortunate the market cap of FOGL will be determined by others' (Desire / Rockhopper) success or failure.
What prospect is the best can be only determined by the drill bit. Until then, all prospects only have a theoretical value. That is what I wanted to state. Desire and Rockhopper will now try to move their theoretical values into proven reserves. That's a great step forward, a multi million project. A positive result for sure will also leverage FOGLs share price up, but they still would have to prove that they also have something of value. We will get a more detailed view into the geological structure of the FI through this extensive drilling campaign. And you are right that this will also affect FOGLs share price. But until they stick the drill bit into their prospects, it will only be a dream about possible resources. Anyhow, the Ocean Guardian should be in Brazil by now, any information around, confirming this?
Thingo, I agree with your visceral vs. corporal assessment. Well stated. Do you have any thoughts to a share price for FOGL for a 1B barrel P1 (maybe P2) discovery?
It won't take 3 days either end of trip travelling, it will take a day down then 2 days on way back. I will be on these flights.
Added by Anon on 28 January 2010.
So will I & you are talking nonsense Anon
Added by Monkeyboard on 29 January 2010.
The travel time WILL be at the very least 2 days to get on the rig by the time you have waited around for chopper flights etc depending where you have started from in the world of course. If you think its only a day's ride to get on a rig in the South Atlantic from UK then you are in for a shock dude.
[Editor's note: nice to see a civil post on this point - there have been a few less polite ones which I haven't published - let's play nice eh!]
Is there not a daily flight provided by the her majesty's RAF from the UK to the Falklands? I thought there was.
Editor's note: indeed, an anonymous poster left this:- "i will depart brize norton at 11pm check in at 8am and will be on rig 24 hrs later.i have the flight schedule in front of me. leave rig 7pm on monday and back in london 7am wedensday.this is all facts.]"
Does anyone have any update info on the drilling program. I am a keen investor in the project and have been over 6 years, but any news of the progress has gone quiet.
Argentina should have thought of that before they unilaterally decided in 2007 to scrap an agreement with the UK to share the proceeds of any oil discoveries in Falklands waters. No point in complaining now!
Added by Anon on 18 February 2010.
I hope the OG gets all its chemicals and tubulars from out of Argentinian custody. Hasn't the OG miscalculated the weather window for these 4 wells? Winter is starting to set in. I was on the rig floor aboard the Sea Quest, Sea Conquest, Buchan Alpha and the Forties Platforms. ¡Buen suerte malditos!
OG and its charterers have all the tubulars and drilling/testing equipment they need for the 10 well campaign. NONE of the Techint Group [seamless] pipe loaded onboard 'Thor Leader' arrested in Campana are destined for the Falklands operations - all her cargo [3,970 tonnes] is for customers in Egypt and N. Africa. As for the weather window: the relatively shallow NFB, where almost all of OG's 10 holes will be drilled, is very well sheltered from the worst Antarctic weather; unlike the South Falklands Basin [SFB] which will be drilled, necessarily, in the next summer season - utilising a deepwater d.p. modu/drillship from BHP Biliton and its 'partners'.
OG presently setting anchors on her first prospect, 'LIZ' for Desire Petroleum and should spud tomorrow, Sunday 21st February, or at latest on Monday. Buen suerte Guardianos...!
Britain in the early 19th century provided massive funding to most of the Spanish colonies to help liberate the continent from this power. That did include help to present day Argentina. Argentina never had control of the FALKLANDS before their independence. It had long been a whaling and seal station after the small Spanish garrison withdrew. We have firm allies in the region, namely Uruguay and Chile. Both these countries gave us sterling assistance during the 1982 Falklands conflict. Argentina would be foolish to attempt any repetition of that and just drop their claim once and for all. ¡ No Las Malvinas, Si las Falklands ! Good luck with the drilling OG.
Max, you are not informed correctly. There is not a single item for the FI campaign in Argentinian custody. Here's a citation from en.mercopress.com. --- But Director of Mineral Resources, Phyl Rendell, was not unduly concerned: “Action taken by the Argentine Government this week will not prevent oil exploration continuing as planned.
“This is due to the fact that the rig and the equipment needed to drill wells has been supplied and shipped directly from Europe and much of the drill pipe and casing is already in the Islands. It is business as usual for all involved in the drilling programme” pointed out Director Rendell. --- And another one from www.tradewinds.no. --- But he says the ship had come from the Falklands but was taking the steel cargo to the Mediterranean. Techint, an Argentine steelmaker, has made similar claims in denying that the shipment was bound for the Falklands. ---
Meanwhile, the old rusty bucket has arrived north of the FI and is anchored right above the first drill location. Spud is shortly ahead or even already done, see this Channel 4 reports: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj8c9A9A_Og&feature=player_embedded www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Y-m4mZ1kA&feature=player_embedded
Added by Anon on 21 February 2010.
Yes my mistake ! I did read that a vessel with "drilling equipment" on board had been impounded in an Argentine port and assumed it was somehow linked to the OG's first exploration well. I would imagine that none of the exploration program would ever have been signed-off unless there was in place a guarantee of uninterrupted supplies and support for this undertaking. What is the water depth at this location ? and what typically are the depths of the potential pay-zones ?
Hey Toroa any updates? Are you at TD yet? hope you lads are covered in the black stuff. Kind regards.
Cheers for that Oim.
Added by Oil Brat on 26 June 2010.
It's all gone quiet on this website.....
Too much at stake!
I'm hearing good vibes onboard the ship I work.
Added by Andy - Hydrographic Surveyor on 06 July 2010.
Yo good people, any idea of the current location of the Ocean Guardian, it's next destination (Sea Lion or Ernest) and the ETA?
Added by Drill Dude on 21 July 2010.
OG is within hours of entering the 500m exclusion zone of Rockhoppers Ernest location and we are expecting a spud announcement on/about next Monday 26 July. Following the drilling of Ernest OG will return to Rockhoppers successful Sea-Lion location for an extended Well Test, on completion of which OG will be handed back to Desire for three further wells, locations as yet unclear.
Editor's note: We've had a flood of comments adding, confirming and denying rumours of the success or otherwise of current operations in the Falklands. I've no way of knowing whether there is any truth in these, or whether they are simply trying to raise or dash the hopes of investors. For that reason I won't be publishing any other similar comments on this page.
Does anyone knows when the 713 OG will finish drilling for FOGL in Falklands islands? It seems to be shipped to start drilling a deepwater well in the northern waters of Peru, for Karoon Gas.
Added by Eduardo on 13 October 2010.
The OG is currently drilling for Desire in the Falklands and will probably remain there for at least the next 6 months, with either them or Rockhopper.
Added by Jon on 29 October 2010.
Og currently expected to spud Rachel 2 in the next day or 2. TD was reached in 20 days on Rachel 1. Another hole to drill for Desire after that.
Added by Jono, Durham on 11 November 2010.
My dad was on this rig for many years, Tony Plows chief engineer, died Sept 24th 2008, loved his job, was a great engineer.
Added by Ronald Young on 31 March 2007.