The search for clues to the cause of damage to a tanker in the Gulf of Mexico led to the discovery of a submerged mobile offshore drilling unit missing since HurrThe U.S. Coast Guard said Sunday that it's too early to say whether the tanker struck the submerged unit before it began taking on water late last week about 65 miles south of Galveston.
Nearly 41 million gallons of crude oil are being transferred from the 900-foot tank ship SKS Satilla to two other ships so that the tanker can be hauled in for repairs. The operation was expected to be completed Tuesday.
The Coast Guard said that a remotely operated underwater vehicle retraced the tank ship's course to investigate and found the ENSCO 74 near where the ship was before the accident.
Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Tim Tilghman said it was too early to say whether the mobile offshore drilling unit caused the damage.
ENSCO International Inc. said the jackup rig was located about 92 miles from shore in 230 feet of water at the time Ike hit in September. The company plans to place a marker buoy at the site and to salvage the unit as soon as possible, the Coast Guard said.
"Right now, we are achieving all of our objectives. The vessel remains stable and the crew is safe. No oil has been released into the water," said Cmdr. James Elliott, commanding officer of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit at Galveston.
"The sunken mobile offshore drilling unit that we discovered today will be properly marked with a buoy to prevent additional accidents, and ultimately salvaged," Elliott said.icane Ike.
via yahoo
Nearly 41 million gallons of crude oil are being transferred from the 900-foot tank ship SKS Satilla to two other ships so that the tanker can be hauled in for repairs. The operation was expected to be completed Tuesday.
The Coast Guard said that a remotely operated underwater vehicle retraced the tank ship's course to investigate and found the ENSCO 74 near where the ship was before the accident.
Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Tim Tilghman said it was too early to say whether the mobile offshore drilling unit caused the damage.
ENSCO International Inc. said the jackup rig was located about 92 miles from shore in 230 feet of water at the time Ike hit in September. The company plans to place a marker buoy at the site and to salvage the unit as soon as possible, the Coast Guard said.
"Right now, we are achieving all of our objectives. The vessel remains stable and the crew is safe. No oil has been released into the water," said Cmdr. James Elliott, commanding officer of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit at Galveston.
"The sunken mobile offshore drilling unit that we discovered today will be properly marked with a buoy to prevent additional accidents, and ultimately salvaged," Elliott said.icane Ike.
via yahoo
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