January 4, 1982 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News

British Shipbuilders Introduces New Semisub Drilling Rig

The design of an advanced heavy-duty semisubmersible rig, capable of drilling in 4,921 feet of water and intended for worldwide use, has been announced by British Shipbuilders.

The BS 8000DP series is said to provide very advanced drilling techniques and can sustain itself on station for long periods even under severe arctic conditions.

The hull configuration is designed to minimize heave motion, to maximize load carrying, and to meet all current and proposed safety standards.

The rig, which is said to be economical to operate and maintain, also features a high payload at transit, operating and survival drafts; box-deck structure; below-deck storage for casing and drill pipe; and optional protected storage for risers.

Full dynamic positioning equipment keeps the rig on station automatically. Physical and environmental data on wind speed, wave height, currents, and vertical reference to the seabed are obtained by sensors. The transponders are located on the ocean floor and retransmit pulses to hydrophones mounted on the ship's hull.

Information from the sensors, which is automatically fed to a computer, is converted to commands to the craft's thrusters or variable-pitch propellers which maintain the vessel on location without anchors.

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