Page 29: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 15, 1974)

First Semisubmersible Drilling Rig Built On U.S. East Coast

Christened At Bethlehem Steel's Baltimore, Md. Shipyard

Gathered on the christening stand just prior to the christening of the Ocean Scout, from left to right: Father Martin

A. Schwalenberg; Mrs. Alden J. Laborde, wife of the president of Ocean Drilling & Exploration Company; Mrs.

William H. Collins, wife of the general manager of Bethlehem's Sparrows Point shipyard; David H. Klinges, general manager of sales, shipbuilding dept., Bethlehem Steel Corp.; Charles Murphy, chairman of the board, ODECO; Wil- liam A. Hover, group vice president of the Pennzoil Company; Mrs. John W. Colbert, wife of the general manager of the Sparrows Point steel plant; Mrs. William A. Hover, sponsor; Alden J. Laborde; and Joseph D. Ingham, general manager of Bethlehem's Baltimore yards.

The Ocean Scout, the first semisubmersible oil well drilling rig to be constructed on the

East Coast of the U.S., was christened on

December 10, 1973, at Bethlehem Steel's Fort

McHenry shipyard, '.Baltimore, Md. It was delivered to Ocean Drilling & Exploration

Company of New Orleans, La. Sponsor of the rig was Mrs. William A. Hover, wife of the group vice president of the Pennzoil Company, which will operate the rig in the Gulf of

Mexico.

Designed to be a mobile offshore drilling unit suitable for unrestricted ocean service, the Ocean Scout, with a lower hull length of 202 feet and width of 182 feet, carries a drilling derrick on its upper deck and was designed by Breit Engineering, Inc. of New Orleans.

The lower hull consists of two watertight structures 202 feet long, 32 feet wide and 28 feet deep, joined so that they are 150 feet apart on centers. Main members of the structure rising from the two sections of the lower hull are four 32-foot-diameter corner stability col- umns and four 10-foot-diameter interior col- umns all interconnected by truss work.

Atop them is the upper deck, which is 170 feet long, 150 feet in width, and 14 feet deep.

The upper deck is watertight and contains the machinery spaces. Overall, the rig will meas- ure 108 feet from the bottom of the lower hull base line to the upper deck.

The operational draft will be 48 feet in depths of water from 80 feet to 600 feet. Tow- ing will be done with wire towing hawsers.

Provisions are made for carrying drilling water, fuel oil, liquid mud, cement and other drilling supplies. The living quarters, includ- ing staterooms, galley, mess, lounge, hospital, offices and passageways, will be air-condi- tioned. Accommodations are designed for a crew of 59.

The most modern fire-fighting equipment, as well as all necessary navigation aids are provided.

About 7,000 tons of steel were used in con- structing the rig which, with its drilling der- rick installed to full height, will tower 231 feet above the water when under tow. Since clearance under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is only 186.5 feet, the upper portion of the der- rick will be erected at an anchorage just be- low the Bay Bridge.

The Ocean Scout will be moored by eight 30,000-pound anchors, each with 2,500 feet of 2^-inch-diameter stud link anchor chain.

The unit is capable of drilling a hole in ex- cess of 20,000 feet. Major items of drilling equipment include a 147-foot derrick, a 3,000- hp drawworks and two 1,300-hp mud pumps.

The main power plant for both drilling and vessel service includes diesel engines with over 5,100-hp combined capability.

The sub-sea system includes a 20-inch blow- out preventer stack with a 24-inch integral marine riser and a 13^-inch 5,000-psi blowout preventer stack with a 16-inch integral marine riser. The marine riser is equipped with a hydraulic tensioning system. An underwater

TV system is utilized to monitor and assist with sub-sea operations.

Two revolving cranes are situated aboard the drilling rig to provide loading and unload- ing capability.

Following the christening, Joseph D. Ing- ham, general manager of the Bethlehem's Bal- timore ship repair and conversion yards, was the host at a luncheon in honor of the sponsor.

The Ocean Scout nears completion at Bethlehem Steel's

Fort McHenry shipyard in Baltimore, Md.

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January 15, 1974 31