Monday, 25.05.2009

 

07:47: Landing on the helicopter deck of the Thialf;

the installation ship is at position N 54° 21’ 63’’ E 6° 01’ 36’’

 

08:37: A small tour around the deck after safety instructions; afterwards we bring our luggage to the cabins.

 

09:30: The second helicopter of the day lands. In parallel, we start our major tour of the entire ship including all work equipment on deck, the two large cranes and so on as well as a tour below deck of the warehouse, food storage, machine room, control centre, crane operator’s cab, the bridge, cinema, fitness room and more.

 

14:45: The last helicopter of the day lands and our construction supervisor comes on board.

 

16:50: The barge with the platform and jacket can already be seen on the horizon.

 

21:09: The tugboat formation slowly moves closer. On board, preparations are underway to moor the barge as well as for the subsequent work.

 

00:30: It looks like it won't take much longer until docking.

 

03:00: The barge with the jacket and platform moor on the short side of the “Thialf”. Giant fenders protect both ships.

 

04:10: After analysing the weather report of 3.00am, the captain decides to put the work on ice because high waves are reported and that means danger for the jacket and the technical systems on the platform.

 

05:20: After docking, part of the crew was initially transferred to a so-called guard vessel because of the height difference between the barge and the Thialf. It monitored the “construction site” at sea. From there, the men were "swung over" to the Thialf with a "crew basket". The barge is already heading back.

 

06:00: The tugboat formation with the platform and jacket disappears into the fog. Because of the weather forecast, it is heading back to Emshaven. A time period of at least twelve hours is needed to continue the work.

 

Tuesday, 26.05.2009

 

08:33: The weather report didn’t promise any improvement to the weather for a long time, which means we have to wait. It is actually raining at the moment, but the size of the waves is still reasonable.

 

17:11: The wind increased sharply, and the waves are correspondingly bigger. No change of plan in sight.

 

Wednesday, 27.05.2009

 

07:47: It is still very windy outside, but the sun can be seen again. Based on the 3.00am weather report last night, the plan is for the barge in Emshaven to start again on Thursday morning. Work can start when it arrives at the Thialf.

 

Thursday, 28.05.2009

 

08:42: The status after the last weather report is that the barge can only start around midday because the swells are still too high.

 

14:10: The barge with the platform and jacket departed around 13.00.

 

21:30: The barge can be seen on the horizon.

 

23:30: Only around 500 metres separate the “Thialf” and the tugboat formation.

 

Friday, 29.05.2009

 

06:18: The tugboat formation is still close to the ”Thialf”, but has not moored. Later we heard that the swells are still too high. The weather report promised improvement.

 

07:03: The tugboat formation moves towards the stern of the “Thialf”.

 

08:36: The first lines are tied on.

 

09:00: The barge has moored on the stern of the “Thialf”.

 

09:36: Some men cross over with the crew basket and start preparations. For example the so-called sea fastening was released. The jacket was welded to steel beams for transport. It will be separated with the help of welding torches. Ropes and steel cables will be used to hoist the jacket.

 

12:02: The steel cables with which the jacket will be hoisted are being prepared for the four individual crane hooks and hooked onto them. Men are constantly being transported with the crew basket. They, for example, take care of attaching the cable right at the top. This is assuming that they don’t suffer from dizziness.

 

14:25: The jacket is slowly raised with the crane until it is hanging freely.

 

14:40: The barge – now only with the platform – is towed out of the 500 metre zone. That area must be kept free all around the “Thialf”.

 

15:05: Positioning the jacket begins. To do this, the “Thialf” turns westward almost unnoticeably. Thanks to the dynamic positioning system with six diesel-powered propeller gondolas, the ship always remains in the desired position, normally without any additional anchors.

 

15:33: The jacket is lowered slowly. Metre by metre is slips into the water.

 

15:45: The jacket is lowered down to three metres above the bottom of the sea.

 

16:30: After final alignment, the jacket is now on the bottom of the sea. Afterwards, the ropes and cables are removed. Everything takes until the evening. Afterward, the Thialf is positioned so that the jacket lies to the port side.

 

22:00: Actually, things should get started again. The so-called piles are to be hoisted and lowered. They are 69 metre long pipes that are inserted into the four, nine metre high pile sleeves on the bottom end of the jacket. The pile sleeves work like guide bushings into which the pipes are to be inserted. The piles will then be hammered into the sea floor with a pile driver. Finally, they will be set with a special concrete so that the jacket has a permanent solid footing.

 

Saturday, 30.05.2009

 

3:00: The first pipe is raised by using a special grabber and crane and heaved towards the port side. First, a ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is lowered to monitor the exact positioning of the pipe in the pile sleeve. The operator sits in front of the monitor and sees exactly where it has to go via an underwater camera and can instruct the crane operator accordingly. At quarter past four, it is in place and lowered to the bottom of the sea. Around 30 metres are still protruding out of the water.

 

6:30: The last of the four piles is raised and heaved toward the port side and then lowered.

 

8:20: The ROV is hoisted back on deck.

 

9:30: Preparations are made to attach the hydraulically driven pile driver.

 

11:00: The pile driver is raised with the crane and slowly placed on the first pile.

 

11:20: The first impact is not at full power. The pipe sinks right away by several metres. Gradually, full power is applied to the hammer. The deeper it goes, the shorter the pipe becomes. From then on for the next several hours, work continues centimetre by centimetre and pile by pile deeper into the bottom of the sea.

 

15:25: We are informed that the work with the hammer hast to be interrupted. According to the project manager in charge from Heerema, a valve has to be replaced. The spare hammer is not ready to be used. Therefore the first one will be repaired instead of replaced. That could take a while.

 

23:15: The hammer is ready for use again and is repositioned.

 

00:05: The pile driving continues.

 

01:24: Pile B1 has reached the target of 52 metres.

 

02:05: The ROV moves to pile C1. The “Thialf” turns approximately 25 metres to the north.

 

02:20: The hammer is placed on the second pile.

 

03:07: Work has to be stopped again. The hammer is defective again. This time it is a pressure valve that is causing the problems.

 

Sunday, 31.05.2009

 

07:20: The "crew basket" is used to transfer a small team to the jacket to start removing the temporary frame from the jacket.

 

13:15: The pile driving starts again. The second pipe is being driven into the seabed once again.

 

15:26: Now the second pile is driven in.

 

17:50: After repositioning the “Thialf” once again – this time one time around the platform – pile driving starts again with the third pile.

 

20:20: After not even three hours, it is also in place.

 

22:08: The pile-driving for the fourth and last pile has started.

 

22:42: The pile driver is brought back on board. There is a leak in a seal and hydraulic oil is leaking out.

 

Monday, 01.06.2009

 

03:22: Work can continue and the pile driver is put into position once again.

 

03:55: The hammering, or more precisely the pile driving, continues.

 

05:15: Finished finally. All four piles are firmly driven into the seabed. Preparation for the so-called grouting starts. Grouting refers to setting with special underwater concrete that is pumped through narrow hoses from below into the gap between the pile sleeve and the pile.

 

07:30: In preparation for grouting, the pile sleeves are flushed with 2000 litres of seawater.

 

07:57: Pouring the concrete starts for the first of four piles.

 

09:40: Visit by the coastguard. The officers have a look at the approvals for the installation work and stay close by for a while.

 

20:10: The first part of the grouting is finished. Now, concrete has to be poured from the top as well.

 

20:26: The frame builders are already working on the third corner of the jacket and are preparing to mount the top side. To do this, temporary frames are setup on the four contact points from where work can be done from below, e.g. welding.

 

22:14: The grouting is completed. Now it will take 24 hours to harden.

 

Tuesday, 02.06.2009

 

00:20: Shift change: The frame builders carry on and continue working in the night as well.

 

01:00: The “Rig Express” pulls up alongside the “Thialf”. The supply ship brought several containers for the "Thialf" on board and also takes some away.

 

08:30: The “Rig Express” heads away again.

 

15:30: Work on the jacket is more or less finished. Therefore it is freed of the work materials.

 

17:30: The so-called rigging platform, i.e. the assembly platform, where the work will be done, is de-installed and stored on deck.

 

Wednesday and Thursday, 03/04.06.2009

 

On board there is only maintenance work as well as preparations for the following orders and for the upcoming welding work. The BorWin alpha now has to wait for less wind and smaller waves.

 

Friday, 05.06.2009

 

06:00: The barge has once again departed from the port at Emshaven.

 

12:30: Frame builders are once again transferred over for modifications and additions.

 

17:30: They finish their work and return to the “Thialf”.

 

17:50: The barge is onsite, but cannot moor because of the high swells that still remain even after the wind drops.

 

Saturday, 06.06.2009

 

06:30: The barge pulls up alongside the stern.

 

07:30: The ropes are lashed in place.

 

08:15: The first ABB colleagues come onboard for the first viewing of the platform as well as crew members who will later take care of releasing and removing the transport locks.

 

10:00: The platform is secured to the crane hook.

 

11:20: The dismantled assembly deck of the platform as well as other components are loaded on the barge and made seaworthy.

 

12:30: The platform is raised with the help of the crane. The barge leaves the working area.

 

13:20: Repositioning of the “Thialf”

 

14:40: The “marriage” between the jacket and the topside is competed.

 

16:40: Equipment for the welding work is brought onto the platform in containers.

 

17:30: The ABB employees start their work on the platform.

 

20:20: Erecting tents for the welding work commences on the four contact points.

 

Sunday, 07.06.2009

 

08:50: Welding work on the contact points of the platform begins in the erected “tents”.

 

16:00: The welding is finished. The cleanup can be started.

 

19:00: Inspection by the responsible project managers

 

02:00: Clean-up work finished

 

03:00: The “Thialf” moves on to the next order.