A team of eight salvors have finally made it aboard the stricken semisubmersible drilling rig, which grounded off the Isle of Lewis, off Scotland, a week ago today.
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Transfer of equipment to the rig continues by helicopter as part of the ongoing salvage operation, which is led by SMIT Salvage and Transocean. The 33-year-old semi-submersible had just finished a contract with Marathon Oil in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea in July, and was under tow from Norway to Malta when the incident occurred.
The team of eight, from salvage firm Smit and Transocean, boarded the rig, Transocean’s Transocean Winner, on Sunday, and were due to carry out a full assessment, as well as make it habitable in order that they could remain on it overnight, according to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).
The rig’s owner and Hugh Shaw, the official overseeing the salvage operation, are set to meet members of the local community on Thursday evening.
Mr Walls said much has already been accomplished by the 15 people who are now working aboard the rig, with emergency generators, pumps and internal cameras among the systems already up and running. Compressors needed to provide buoyancy for the refloat are expected to arrive on the island by ferry on Friday.
The Transocean Winner, which is expected to remain at Dalmore for some time, was carrying 280 tonnes of diesel – more than 300,000 litres – when it ran aground and salvage teams have since discovered that two of its four fuel tanks have been breached.
“Dave Walls, operations director with Transocean, told the meeting in nearby Carloway: “‘Once we’re ready to float we then need the ideal conditions to float – and that’s a suitable weather window, no wind, the right tide.
No pollution has been reported.
He vowed that no trace of the rig would be left when the salvage operation – including a sweep of the seabed – is complete.
In the meantime, an exercise to test out procedures in case of a fuel spill is to start today at approximately 9 AM.
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A Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigation has been launched into the incident.
