~ OILFIELD nila aaa SEAMANSHIP by Michael Hancox© OILFIELD SEAMANSHIP A aia: an = m by Michael HancoxPeas aera on Lial 4 (0) 1224 5 Prac Goa ceca ONCE Ue oti Albert Quay, Aberdeen, AB9 2FS, Scotland U.K. 605 Fax: 444 (0) 1224 584174 {to step back and look atthe bigger picture. The sill privately and products, both on Sometimes youn Craig Group is one of Scotland's top 100 compat red and providing marine service ind offshore to the oil, gas, construction and shipping North Star Shipping (Aberdeen) Ltd. * North Star Rescue Boat S A Department of Trade appre 4 hours a day Dry Dock and a commitment to quality craftsmanship has built a reputation for excellence in the ship repair and dock Grampian Sea Fishing Ltd. The operation of 12 fishin Sea. Ship Chat ure and desig * Craig Grou & Marine Services one-stop’ quality shop for fresh and frozen ble thing liferafis, pyrotechnics and dechi Craig Group International Mooring Systems upply and management sguipment and consultaney in mooring design. Cralg Group International Mooring Systems. 15 North Esplanade East Aberdeen, Scotland U.K. Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +4 (0)PE Nn lll With years of experience in the marine industry, and one of the largest stocks of marine equipment worldwide, Balmoral offer all types of anchors and mooring equipment for hire or sale. Balmoral specialise in the design and supply of deep water moorings complemented by the company’s agency agreements held with ScanRope, Vryhof, Liusne Werken, BEL Grapnel, Feuerstein and Crosby. Balmoral Park, Loirston, Aberdeen AB9 2BY, Scatland. Tel. 0224 891000 Fax 0224 891119TOWAGE OF DRILLING RIGS t Smit London 22,000 IHP Smit Singaport® 22,000 IHP- ‘Smit Rotterdam 22,000 IHP ‘Smit New York | 6,000 IHP —sher Tempest 16,000 IHP I a Typhoon 16,000 IHP The fleet of deep sea, high horsepower —_launchbarges laden with platform jack- tugs is one of the largest and most ets, drydocks and ships of every kind modem in the world today. and design. A tradition of The powerful tugs are SMI T professional seamanship and ideally suited for the towage well maintained equipment of large objects such as dril has made SMITWIS the s : c ing rigs, offshore structures, leader in ocean towage. -WUSs CONTROLLED POWER SmitWijs Towage CV, Waalhaven OZ 119, Harbour 2225, 3087 BM Rotterdam, The Netherlands, ‘elephone 24 hours: (+3 1-10) 4293800, Telefax: (+31-10) 4299564, Telex: 62322 swtow ni rcp conracing sant: © USA, Houser Sit Armrcte. Tal. 719-991-2150, Fx (713-820.9734 @ Sngpore, Sn cero Santor Pes Led Te 77969 | ax T7194 Spore: For Otors Suppor Sardca, CW Marne Serves, Te 721391, Fax 2263909 Utd Kingdom Lend, Sri ineraconl (UK) Lite Tl (71} 930672, Fx (71980947 # Norway, Ose, Sit erations (Norway) KS Tel Q23E2H0, Fax Q2}IEII7E. w hal, Ganon, Agua Martina Cantos & Riso Sr Tol 1O)SHS50, Fax (10581575 Franc Le Chesney Marth Tanger France SARL Te (139633737, Fx () 39550149.jecd 19.04.07 OILFIELD - SEAMANSHIP - Towing by Michael Hancox ©copyright Reordering oe Oilfield Publications Liited Oitfetd Publications tne, POBox 1, Lodoury £888 W. Sam Houston Pray , Suite 280 | Hertordshie HPS TEN, Enoland Houston. 1X 77042 USA | Ta 44 (0) 1591 696568 Tat (9) 334-8870 Fan +44 () 1531 834230 Fax (719) 094-0968 Ema: opl@olbubs.com Email oplisa@al.com www.ollpubs.com ISBN 1.870945 638OURS IS A STORY OF TUGS AND EXPERTISE Savage tage Shama! and Sua oth of 1.000 F110 ene Bord pul are in charge of reiting creation a Prt Quasi, Pakistan OCEAN TOWAGE - SALVAGE OPERATIONS - WRECK REMOVAL - SALVAGE ENGINEERING AND CONSULTANCY i 108, Qnatiman Yusen Bling, 29-6 3-Chome, ® Ku, Towa, Japon, Prone (ias2e7St. USA Suite 224, 908 Town and Country Souler, Hetgion‘ ae 97028, USA. Phone (1 S}IG2 6604CONTENTS PART 1. INTRODUCTION Author’s Note . Oilfield Towing Towing equipment and outfit of gear PART 2. TOWING ARRANGEMENTS Heavy duty semi-submersible drilling unit/support barge Diag 1 Rigging bridles properly Diag 2 Towing gear configuration 1 Diag 3. Towing gear configuration 2 . Diag 4 Flounder plate fabrication details ‘ Diag 5 Heavy duty towing bracket fabrication details . Diag 6 Tow configurations Diag 7 Towing with ‘decked’ anchor ..... Diag 8 Towing rig utilising anchors/towlines and two boats Lay barges i Diag 9 Semi submersible lay barge towing rig Large cargo barges Diag 10 Intermac 627 bridle arrangement and rig Diag 11 Intermac 627 anchor arrangement (sce also diag 10) Cargo barge dimensions . ate Diag 12 Typical towing arrangement Medium and large size jack-up units Diag 13. Tow configuration for medium size unit - Diag 14 Tow configuration for 3 leg heavy duty unit Diag 15 Tow arrangement for large jack-up Multi-Tug Towing .. Diag 16 Infield move for a large jac up —3 boats | Diag 17 Towing ona split bridle ... Diag 18 Towing ona single bridle 19 Multi-tug rig short ficld/nter field move Diag 20. Small jack-up tow gear Retrieval Gear snd common defects — cargo barges, semi subs and jack-ups Diag 21 Snatch block to double powe ear ee Diag 22 Use of fork lifts. a ce Diag 23 Bridle rigged with 3 retrieving wires . Diag 24 Semi submersible bridle rigged with 3 retrieving wires Diag 25 Heavy duty "A" frame for bridle retrieval 1226 Jack-up fore deck ....... Diag 27 Tuggers rigged to back up bridle tuggers Short scope towing practice Table 1 “Junk line spring’ size to bollard pull ratios PART 3 RIGGING AND CONNECTING TOW GEAR ‘Tow gear rig-up — large AHTS for interfield tow Diag 28 Towing arrangementrig up AHTS. Rigging towing gear rig up on an AHT for interfield tow Diag 29 ‘Towing arrangements — AHT with AHTS comparison Diag 30 An AHT rigged for towing ....... Towing gear rig up for jack-up manoeuvring. RUE waa Diag 31 An AHT rigged for manoeuvring a jack-up barge onto or off location . oe 20CONTENTS (cont’d) PART 3. RIGGING AND CONNECTING TOW GEAR (cont’d) ‘Tow gear for manoeuvring a cargo barge . Diag 32 Barge handling tow gear for close quarters ‘nanoeuvting alongside heavy lflay barges 52 Diag 33 Positioning cargo barge alongside a semi submersible heavy lift vessel (SSHLV) — mooring lines prepared for passing to barge crew pee ras Diag 34 Pennant pre-rigged .... 34 Diag 35. Towing rig suitable for an AHTAHTS of 8,000 BHP 34 Towline control — the gog line ne 57 Diag 36. Towline working angles and restraint/eontrol 58 Diag 37 _Karmoy lead block 61 Diag 38 Gog arrangement using Karmoy block - 62 Diag 39 Karmoy towing eye . 6 Diag 40 Karmoy mid wire stopper - 63 Diag 41 Fixed and aft goes 64 Diag 42. Towline restraint — positioning a drilling barge - 65 Diag 43 Live anchor work ae 66 Diag 44 Tow shearing .. 67 Diag 45 Running down wind 67 ‘Towing rig for towing on anchor chains. n Diag. 46 Towing on anchor lines, rig for chain B Diag 47 Working radius problems B Diag 48 Anchor cable fouled on anchor rack stop post B Changing tow bridles a a eA) Diag 49 Rigging bridies to a large semi submersible using an ANT : eo Diag 50 Changing tow bridle 76 Diag 51 Connection of new bridle leg 16 Diag 52 Connection/disconnection bridle legs using riding belt 76 ‘Towing on rig pennants 7 Diag 33. Towing on anchor retrieval pennants (2 methods) 7 Towing scopes ate eee 79 Chafing gear — tow protection 81 Diag 54 Rig-up detail for tow wire controliprotection 84 Diag 55. Specifications for Bridon V-Thane tow rope protectors 85 Diag 56 Anti-chafe set up using surplus armoured fuel hose 86 Diag 57 Anti-chafe set up using timber baulk . 86 Diag 58 Anti-chafe set up using spiral cut Sore nig - 87 Diag 59 Restraint using cruciform bitts ..... 87 Diag 60 Strain and abrasion caused by pitching .......... 88 Chafing gear — operational cautions towing shoes and sleeves 89 Passing tow bridles 90 Picking up tow bridles Connecting tow gear Diags 61-64 Passing bridle stages 1 to 4 Disconnecting/retrieval of tow gear Diag 65. Slack out of retrieving lines Diag 66 Passing tow bridle — 2 boats PART 4. EMERGENCY TOWING ARRANGEMENTS AND TOWING EMERGENCIES Passing tow gear in heavy weather ..... ae me 101 Diag 67 Passing tow gear — semi submersible