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Author Topic: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News  (Read 4643 times)

bobk

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600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« on: July 15, 2011, 02:42:04 pm »

Wow !   I just read about this 600,000 ton gas production ship on BBC News -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13709293

Thinking of this as a model, the superstructure alone would have shareholders in Plastruct rubbing their hands with glee.  Guaranteed to keep any modeler locked in the shed for years.  Only problem is the 'ship' is 488 m long, for a 1/96 fan that comes out just over 15 metres.  Beam would be over 30 inches.  Can't get that on my car rear seat - Oh, well, nice thought while it lasted (tee hee!)
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philk

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2011, 10:46:54 pm »

think you might need to check your calculator thats 5 metres

phil
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2011, 07:29:40 am »

What a monster!   :o
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cloggie

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2011, 08:39:46 am »

If the rich old company wants me to knock up a 1:72 scale model of her, I'll gladly lock myself away in the shed....Oh..damn it..I'd need a bigger shed...oh well, back to me small builds {:-{
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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2011, 09:27:24 am »

I'd be interested to see the mooring system for the beast.

Barry M
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nick_75au

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2011, 09:53:33 am »

Especially as its going in Australia's most active cyclone region.

Nick
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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2011, 11:43:19 am »

I assume that pile anchors and pre-laid moorings will be involved.

Barry M
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Bryan Young

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2011, 04:14:30 pm »

And what a boring model it would be. The only thing a "ship" this size and purpose has in common with proper ships is that it sort of floats. I know that well run gas carriers have a pretty good safety record......but. BY.
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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2011, 09:17:38 pm »

If they are following N Sea precedent it will not be registered as a ship in order to avoid the regulatory regime that that notation brings with it.

Barry M
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derekwarner

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2011, 12:50:11 am »

....BY notes........ "I know that well run gas carriers have a pretty good safety record......but"

Bryan....does this not imply that not so well run carriers have a less than good safety record?   <*< ........& did not some or the earlier gas carrier vessels disappear from the face [sea] of the earth without a trace? .......  <:( ....Derek
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Derek Warner

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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2011, 08:56:21 am »

Derek,

Remind my fading brain - which ones disappeared without trace?

Regards

Barry M
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derekwarner

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2011, 09:50:10 am »

Sorry all....Barry....I am not able to qualify this on line......just my Goverementail training.......Derek
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Derek Warner

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pugwash

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2011, 10:46:36 am »

Its a case of so far so good as far as these ships are concerned - there have been no losses of any of the modern refridgerated gas tankers,
though the potential for a mega explosion from the rupture of one or more of the pressure tanks is considered the worse case scenario,
The ships are relatively modern and safety precautions are improving all the time.  Who knows what could happen when these ships
get sold on to less safety conscious "flag of convenience" type operators as has happened with oil tankers.
Then of course there is always Murphy's Law waiting in the wings. It is thought that an explosion on one of these ships in a busy harbour
would dwarf the disasters of the munition ship in Halifax NS in 1917 which killed 2000 or the amonium nitrate ship in Texas City in 1947
which killed nearly 600.  It would be like a mini nuclear bomb

Geoff
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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #13 on: July 17, 2011, 01:01:14 pm »

.... or an aircraft might land on a nuclear power station or an oil installation is hit by a cruise liner or yon ammunition ship sunk in the Thames may go bang.

The list is almost endless but we just live with the risk; explosions on gas carriers are no worse than many other possibilities.  The world still turns.

As far as 'flag of convenience' vessels go, this does not necessarily signify bad management and skipped maintenance. I have sailed under the Liberian flag on a well-managed, well-found and well-maintained vessel, classified by a reputable Society and with a British fully-certificated complement. Conversely I have sailed under the Red Ensign on a vessel whose decks were unsafe to stand on in several places, patching cargo tanks with Thistlebond on the seaward side while the Class surveyor approached from the shore.

Frankly. I think it unlikely that Class, terminal operators and charterers would accept sub-standard gas tankers. It's a specialist trade with, as you rightly say, huge consequences if things go wrong.

Regards,

Barry M
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Bryan Young

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #14 on: July 17, 2011, 06:39:08 pm »

The one that always comes to mind is the "Royston Grange" incident.
OK, I know it was a long time ago, but basics remain.
For one thing.........there is no such thing as an "accident" in open water. At least one ship is culpable. And although it pains me to say it, we now have many incompetents (and undermanned ships) ploughing the oceans. Many "Radar Assisted" collissions have occurred over the years. I (for myself) put this "vessel" at least one notch above the new mammoth "cruise" liners in my league of "accidents" waiting to happen.
How many "near misses" do oil/gas rigs report?
Just because a megga "incident" hasn't yet happened doesn't mean it never will. This "thing" is just too big. BY.
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farrow

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #15 on: July 18, 2011, 02:50:13 pm »

The Royston Grange, was a general cargo vessel which collided with a petrol carrier and it's ventilation system sucked in petrol vapour released by the collision. There was no Gas Carrier involved.
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pugwash

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #16 on: July 18, 2011, 03:36:39 pm »

I don't think Bryan ever suggested a gas tanker was involved - he was using it as an example that collisions like that happen
- it is one of many that have happened over the years due to bad seamanship or steering gear breakdown etc etc.
If it happened with  more volatile cargo like LPG it would be a potential bigger disaster.  When you read about the MCA
putting movement prohibition orders on ships visiting Britain which are not fit to be at sea.  Not many nations do this
so there must be some right old scows running around the oceans with not properly qualified officers. Accidents waiting to happen

Geoff
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Bryan Young

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #17 on: July 19, 2011, 06:35:38 pm »

No matter how much we rumble on about this (these?) ship, it appears likely that these behemoths will operate around the globe. In Oceanic waters this isn't likely to pose a problem. But how about operating in congested areas? I haven't a clue where this ship will load up, but if it's going to the east coast of Aussie then it has to traverse some pretty narrow strips of water...and not particularly safe ones at that...politically or navigationally. The only ships of a roughly similar size going through "dangerous" waters that I can think of are the large American carriers. These things, for obvious reasons, are protected by a fleet screen. Perhaps this idea may be employed here. But another thought intrudes. Typhoons. Ship killers, no matter what the size.
My own preference would be to see a "train" of smaller vessels travelling at slow speeds.
Another observation on gas carriers....even oil carriers can be used to carry fresh water on a return journey...what can a gas carrier do? I'm not convinced as yet. BY.
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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2011, 08:10:56 pm »

Bryan,

You've missed the point here which re-reading the original link will clear up. This so-called ship is not going anywhere once on station. She will remain permanently moored on location at the gas field to process and store the gas extracted from the field below her. Shuttle gas tankers will back-load from her and transport their cargo to shore.   

Barry M
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richtea

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2011, 11:29:20 pm »

According to Shells account of the projected build, this is a Floating Facility.
When built it will be towed to its destination.
A ship by definition has to move under its own power.
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Bryan Young

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2011, 11:41:44 pm »

Ah, sorry Barry. Now the mud is clearing. I did latch on to your mooring concern, but thought that "she" had to get "on and off" (as it were. So in effect it's much like a gas filled "Bonga". Still, being ever the pessimist, somebody'll hit it. Bryan.
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bobk

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #21 on: July 20, 2011, 01:05:48 am »

"When built it will be towed to its destination."

That's probably because as a 5m model four Graupner 500 motors would not be enough to drive it then?   {-)
I guess I would need to consider building 4 large tugs to tow it, and maybe that Planet Tx multi-boat convertion I was just reading about.  If only I had that 40 ft shed mentioned in another thread this evening, but I would still require a 5m wide back seat on my car, or an HGV license.

This Shell 'floating facility' is SO over the top size-wise it beggars belief.  The all-plumbing superstructure looks straight out of a SciFi movie.  However, the Seawise Giant - scrapped in 2010 - was 657,059 tonnes fully laden, and navigated both Suez & Panama canals.

Getting that back to the side of the lake when the battery died must have been fraught.   ok2
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bobk

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #22 on: July 20, 2011, 01:22:42 am »

Just read elsewhere the Seawise Giant was NOT able to navigate Suez or Panama, or the English Channel either !
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BarryM

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #23 on: July 20, 2011, 08:49:03 am »

Ah, sorry Barry. Now the mud is clearing. I did latch on to your mooring concern, but thought that "she" had to get "on and off" (as it were. So in effect it's much like a gas filled "Bonga". Still, being ever the pessimist, somebody'll hit it. Bryan.

To quote a certain authority, "Doomed, we're all doomed!"

Regards

Barry M
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: 600,000 ton gas production "ship" on BBC News
« Reply #24 on: July 20, 2011, 09:37:08 am »

Topic renamed.  :-)
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