Oil, Sweat and Rigs

**James** · #1 (**permalink**) 03-22-2006, 03:09 AM

Anyone catch this show last night?

It was about the MARS oil platform, where they had to lift a drilling rig that was damaged during Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The drilling rig weighs 700 tons. The had to bring in a barge crane from the Netherlands and this thing is huge, it has a platform size of 4 football fields and they have 2 cranes that are 370' in height and can lift an average sized navy warship.

FNG · #2 (**permalink**) 03-22-2006, 06:48 AM

I remember reading on this forum about an oil platform that was supposed to be blown up for a movie about the Navy SEALS. Is that the same platform? If so, what happened to the movie project? I can't remember which thread I read that in.

Robert Kulinski · #3 (**permalink**) 03-22-2006, 08:57 AM

Different platforms. The platforms used in tyhe movie were gas platforms set up to look like oil platforms (Kharg Island actually).
I think that was one of the Heerema rigs thatt picked MARS. I think the hotel barge is as interesting as the lifting rig. It's a big old hotel built on a barge.
At one time the MARS platform was the tallest structure ever built. Now it is the 5th tallest.
I was on this rig once. It can pick 14,000 tons. It has a crew of 460.

http://www.saipem.eni.it/module.asp?...pag=Saipem7000

**James** · #4 (**permalink**) 03-22-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Kulinski

I think that was one of the Heerema rigs that picked MARS.

Yep that is correct. They were lifting the drilling rig tower itself that collaspe. It was impressive.

FNG · #5 (**permalink**) 03-22-2006, 01:40 PM

I take it from the above post that the other platform was blown up as planned. Is there a link to some footage? That would be cool to see! Also, do you have any info on the film that it will appear in? I assume that plenty of pyrotechnics were used considering that it's Hollywood.

Robert Kulinski · #6 (**permalink**) 03-22-2006, 02:05 PM

It was more Bollywood than Hollywood. It was a British production. The footage (once it is cleared by th powers that be) will be posted on this site if somebody wants to see it and James says it's okay and my website. The way my web developer moves it may be quicker just to see the film. It is in post production now, so it will be released in the sometime in the summer.

FNG · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2006, 08:59 AM

Mr. Kulinski,

I'm not in the blasting business but I'm definitely interested in explosive demo and implosions. You sound like you're experienced at blasting. I was curious which company you're with, since I understand that there aren't that many in the world that do operations like the ones on TLC and like the oil platform blast mentioned above.

Robert Kulinski · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2006, 11:42 AM

If I had to venture a guess, I would imagine there are very few "Super" heavy lift marine companies in the world that are capable of lifting something as big as the MARS platform. I only know of 3 working in the Gulf.

Companies that blast offshore platforms are a dime a dozen. I've got a sheet here that lists 14 that operate in US waters and I am sure there are more who work in International waters. As we speak, another 150 offshore platforms are going to have to be demolished because of hurricane damage. Once the platform is found to be structurally unsound the operator has 1 year to have it removed. The problem is that the inspectors are at least 6 months behind.
I worked directly for the operator. It was much more streamlined that way.