Page 40: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 1969)

Submarines To Explore Under Arctic Ice For Oil Marine Resource Consultants, Inc., Santa Monica, Calif., has announced the development of a unique submarine task force for offshore oil exploration in the Canadian Arctic. The firm has completed negotiations with the Swedish government for the purchase of three Neptune-class submarines. The 1,000-ton subs were released by the Royal Swedish Navy in May and will enter private service in Tuly 1971. "Submarines offer the only economical ap-proach to unlocking the seismic secrets of the ice-covered Arctic," John B. Gustavson, MRC president stated. "Our subs will use satellite navigation, underwater television and modern geophysical equipment to survey the ocean bottom while running at a safe depth under the ice floes." Conventional vessels cannot enter the vast continental shelf areas of the Canadian Arctic islands extending from the northwest passage to within 400 miles of the North Pole. The submarines will utilize patches of open water during the summer months for surfacing. Dur-ing the winter, the subs will operate within a few miles of man-made, sonar-equipped sur-face openings. Hovercraft will be used to con-struct and maintain the surface openings and their electronic docking equipment to allow the oil exploration to continue through the Arctic winter. "The magnitude and sophistication of this regional survey resembles a major space shoot," according to the ocean firm executive, who prior to founding Marine Resource Con-sultants in 1966 made his career in the aero-space industry. "Yet, our service is based en-tirely on fully developed techniques including polar passages of both German and American submarines at the end of World War II." The U. S. Navy continued these operations with diesel-eleetric subs under tight security cover. The advent of the Nautilus nuclear sub-marine made the techniques obsolete for mili-tary purposes and caused a release of much of the data which now form the base for MRC's commercial submarine activity. Marine Resource Consultants, Inc. has of-fered the submarine services on a turnkey basis to the major concession holders among the oil companies. The price per line of mile of seismic data starts at $3,000 for a 5,000-mile sweep and decreases to a $1,200 unit price for a 15,000-mile survey. Consequently, a number of the oil companies have suggested a group effort of regional character to reduce the unit cost and to acquire a broad geological base for the many scattered concession areas. The 200-foot-long submarines will be dry-docked in October in Sweden for general over-haul and modification. An overhead keel will be added based on a U. S. Navy recommenda-tion. This will allow the subs to dock solidly against the ice during re-supply and battery recharging. Bow thrusters will be added to in-crease maneuverability. The snorkel system will be equipped with an ice drill for emer-gency use. The only other major modification will be the removal of the torpedo tubes and all other military equipment to allow addition-al scientific space. Crew training will commence during the summer of 1970. Both the Royal Swedish Navy and the U. S. Navy have offered assist-ance in the form of retired personnel referrals. Mixed crews of Canadian, U. S. and Swedish nationality will fill the twenty-two positions in each sub at premium rates. During 1970, MRC will established the main base at the western shore of Ellef Ringness Island. The submar-ines will surface and dock in a controlled basin inside the main base structure. Marine Resource Consultants, Inc. has per-formed other unusual tasks in the ocean en-vironment. In 1967, the firm made headlines with its dramatic proposal for a tunnel under the Santa Barbara Channel which would re-move all offshore oil production from the sur-face and pay its way through reduced main-tenance requirements. The firm has also pioneered offshore min-eral exploration, having successfully com-pleted geophysical and core sampling pro-grams in the Philippines. An offshore iron de-posit is now under development. Worthington Corp. Assigns Desjardins And Samuelson To Machinery Systems Int. Paul R. Desjardins has been appointed man-ager of operations and A. J. Samuelson was named manager-marketing in the newly-formed Worthington Machinery Systems In-ternational, Harrison, N.J., it was announced by Worthington Corporation. Mr. Desjardins joined Worthington in 1938, and most recently was director of Worthing-ton Corporation research and development planning. Mr. Samuelson joined Worthington's Inter-national Sales Department in 1960 and has most recently been manager of contract en-gineering. Worthington Machinery Systems Interna-tional markets, coordinates, engineers and builds systems, subsystems and turnkey in-stallations around the world, all based on Worthington components. These installations include air and gas compression, pumping, in-dustrial and marine refrigeration and power-plants utilizing diesel engines, gas and steam turbines. HOSE-McCANN RUDDER ANGLE INDICATING SYSTEMS Highest Design, Materials and Manufacturing Standards Provide Unexcelled Accuracy ? Years of Dependable Service TRANSMITTER Up to four indicators can be accurately driven by the MODEL 2710 transmitter. STANDARD RECEIVER Available in a variety of degree read-ings and mountings, the 2720 receiver dial plate is clearly engraved and illu-minated from the back. MINIATURE RECEIVER Where space is limited, the smaller model 2730 indicator offers all advan-tages of larger unit ? is only 6" in overall diameter. PEDESTAL RECEIVER Pedestal accommodates both 2720 and 2730 receivers ? raises receiver to height of 40'/2". OVERHEAD RECEIVER Now available?newly designed rudder angle indicator for overhead wheel house installation. The Hose-McCann rudder indicating system operates from a 115 V AC 60 Cycle power source. It incorporates rugged synchronous motors giving accurate rudder displacement and years of dependable service. All enclosures are watertight. Finished in gray hammertone enamel. OTHER HOSE-McCANN SERVO SYSTEMS Bow Thruster Indicators ? Propeller Pitch Indicators ? Drag Depth Indicators ? Leg Depth Indicators Send for illustrated literature on all Hose-McCann indicating systems. HOSE McCANN TELEPHONE CO., INC. 524 WEST 23rd STREET NEW YORK, N.Y. 10011 (212) 989-7920 (Cable) CYBERNETIC NEWYORK ORIGINATORS AND PIONEERS OF SOUND POWERED TELEPHONES FOR MARINE USE Representatives in principal domestic and foreign seaports 42 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News