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concept, which uses ice reinforced tankers with the framework modi- fied considerably to give the unit the stability of a platform. The tanker would be cut in half, with each half placed side by side with the capacity for two drilling pack- ages and oil storage. Water depth would be about 100 ft., which could be increased if the structure rests on a berm.

There are a few more rig designers with semisubmersibles and Arctic class submersibles on the drawing boards, but the units mentioned earlier typify the type of designs currently being touted. These de- signers and/or rigbuilders are count- ing on the offshore industry to move toward deeper waters and harsher environments, and this already is happening to a degree. Unfortu- nately for the rig designers (who receive a fee when their design is built), and for the rigbuilders, oil companies are not in that much of a hurry to drill in the frontier areas which will require the new semisub- mersibles and Arctic submersibles as described earlier. That time will come, however, and these designs will become the next generation of mobile rigs.

For additional information and free literature on new rig designs,

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Bethlehem's Newest Jackup Design

Can Drill In Water 600 Feet Deep

Bethlehem Steel Corporation's design for the world's largest mat- supported jackup drilling rig, the

Bethlehem 600, will open an addi- tional million square miles of outer continental shelf to jackup opera- tions. That's a 30-percent increase from current jackup territory, rep- resenting an area nearly double that of the Gulf of Mexico, spread out along the coastlines of the world.

Developed to drill in offshore waters as deep as 600 feet, the 600 is the newest mat-supported jackup rig design to come off the drawing boards of Bethlehem's Beaumont,

Texas, rigbuilding yard.

According to a Beaumont spokes- man, the new design "is one more in a long string of successes for the

Beaumont Yard in the offshore in- dustry." It began in 1954 when the yard delivered Mr. Gus, the indus- try's first jackup designed to oper- ate in waters to 100 feet deep. The

Mr. Gus design tripled the acreage that could be drilled offshore.

The Bethlehem 600 is a heavy- duty, world-class cantilever mat jackup designed for exploratory and developmental drilling in hostile— including arctic—environments and in remote areas difficult to resupp- ly.

For additional free information on the Bethlehem 600.

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Congressman To Address

OMSA Meeting On

Warehouse Vessels

Rep. W.J. (Billy) Tauzin (D

LA) will discuss standby boats and warehouse vessels at the next quar- terly meeting of the Offshore Ma- rine Service Association (OMSA) to be held at the Sheraton New Or- leans Hotel on September 24.

Capt. W.A. Mayberry, USCG (Ret.), executive director of OMSA, said the association is pleased to have Rep. Tauzin as a speaker because of his background in energy and marine legislation. "He was an energy specialist in the Louisiana

Legislature for eight years," said

Mr. Mayberry, "and now he has national impact through his active membership on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and

Merchant Marine and Fisheries

Committee."

OMSA, with headquarters in New

Orleans, is a national trade organi- zation that promotes the goals and interests of firms providing vessel support to all phases of the offshore oil, mineral, construction, and pipe- laying interests. Its members oper- ate more than 3,000 vessels and employ more than 30,000 person- nel.

For additional information on the

OMSA meeting, telephone (504) 523-7363.

Electric Boat Awarded $616-Million Navy Contract

To Build Trident Sub

The Electric Boat division of

General Dynamics has been awarded a $616.4-million Navy con- tract for construction of the 12th

Trident submarine. The 560-foot

Trident has a submerged displace- ment of 18,700 tons, and is powered by a nuclear reactor and geared tur- bines producing 60,000 shp on a sin- gle shaft.

The Navy also awarded Electric

Boat $28.9 million to design the planned SSN-21 attack submarine, $4.3 million for engineering services for the SSN-21, and $3.8 million for engineering work for an existing

Trident submarine.

In today's world of super high-tech systems, you have to con- sider the whole range from hardware to software, integration to installation, training to support, wherever you may be.

Who do you call when the system goes down? Will the software supplier have any interest in your hardware problems? Will your hardware supplier train your personnel in software operation? Will the system designer handle installation? Or, who services any of it on the other side of the world?

The answer to all of these questions is really quite simple.

Nav-Com. Your focal point of responsibility for integrated com- munications, navigation and computer systems.

If we design your system, then we are the only people you'll ever have to call. For any question.

Let us quote on your next system project.

Maqnavox

Marine and Survey Systems

Nav-Com Incorporated 9 Brandywine Drive, Deer Park, NY 11729

Tel. 516-667-7710/Telex 645744 Navcom NY Deer 24-hr Facsimile 516-667-2235

The Magnavox Special Systems Group.

Sometimes you need all your eggs in one basket.

September 15, 1985

Circle 200 on Reader Service Card 19