Sea Quest

[James Curry]

This maybe of interest , a bit of offshore history
Copied from a H&W site

Sea Quest
The Sea Quest was built for BP at a cost of £3.5 million and launched on 8th January 1966. The entire structure was 320 feet (98 m) high and weighed 150,000 tons, including three legs each 35 feet (11 m) in diameter and 160 feet (49 m) long that could be partially filled with water to control the height of the platform above the sea.
sea-quest.jpg

The Sea Quest was a semi-submersible drilling rig. She discovered the UK's first North Sea oil on 14th September 1969 in the Arbroath Field. She also discovered the first giant oil field named Forties on 7th October 1970
sea-quest1.jpg

In 1977, Sea Quest was sold to Sedco and renamed Sedco 135C. She was towed to the west coast of Africa. In 17th January 1980, while drilling in the Warri area, Nigeria, a blowout occurred and the rig sustained extensive fire damage. The rig was then deliberately sunk in deep water.
sea-quest2.jpg

I do not know if any lives were lost.

Amazing to think in 1966 we still had the skill sets to build a rig like this and launch her from 3 Slipways.

That has to be one hell of a feat of engineering.

[happy daze john in oz]

Think it may have been in the late 60's or early 70's when we were told about North Sea gas.
It is so abundant it will only cost a penny a bucket.
Obviously by the price now something went radically wrong.

[john mc dermott]

James, i was there on launch day it was amazing .There was a large welded structure like a cushion placed between the legs to take the strain as she entered the water. The pressure bent the cushion ,i was told it was put there to prevent the rig from tipping over ,not Shure if that was true or not but i am Shure there was many relieved people when she sat up level in the water .It was the first time a launch like that was ever attempted .