Booming Rig-Building Industry Due To Oil Demand And Storms, page 1

posted on May, 14 2006 @ 12:10 AM

link

The rig-building industry is booming. The growth is attributed to the increased oil demand and the destruction of rigs by storms. In Texas they have just started the construction of a 7,000-ton rig which is supposed to be more able to withstand hurricanes. The construction work is expected to be going on for 20 months.

Rigzone: Big Plans Await Oil Rig in Orange, Texas

May 12, 2006

She already weighs 120 tons, but she is only a baby. The oil rig growing in Signal International's shipyard in Orange doesn't have a name yet, but people already have big plans for her. The rig, given life Thursday in a keel-laying ceremony, likely will be a bigger, better replacement for one Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wiped out last year, the builders say.

The $140 million, 7,000-ton rig needs 20 more months of work before she can be tested and make her way into the Gulf.

A name will be assigned at the christening ceremony. Then, the 30-year exploration odyssey for the hurricane-tough vessel begins.

David Russell, Rowan Companies Inc. vice president, said the rig-building industry will continue to grow. He attributed that growth to increased oil demand as well as destruction of rigs by the storms. Rowan lost four rig in the Gulf of Mexico last year due to hurricanes.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

I assume they'll need to build many more new rigs to replace the ones getting destroyed by the storms. I heard they have predicted 17 named storms for the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane season. 9 of them becoming hurricanes and 5 of those becoming major hurricanes...

Related ATS Threads:
Thunder Horse Listing Bad - Might Sink (with pictures)
Special Report On The Katrina Offshore Damage Assessment

chissler

posted on May, 14 2006 @ 12:13 AM

link

When I lived in Alberta for a few summers I worked on the rigs, nothing off seas obviously if you understand geography, but in the industry.

I remember seeing a picture like this with a rig missing a limb, thankfully I believe everyone was safely evacuated before any damage was done.

Alot of these will no doubt be created in the future to correct the damage already done.

[edit on 14-5-2006 by chissler]

shots

posted on May, 14 2006 @ 12:13 PM

link

History, Discovery and the Learning channel have been running a series on the repair of the rigs that were damaged during Kartrina etc., and most (not all,) are already back in service. One rig as I recall was even said to be the most modern to date and is now considered hurricane proof, but only that can really be determined after a big one hits it.

From the looks of the pictures you used one of those was one that was repaired. Rather interesting to see all the efforts that have taken place in so little time.

You might want to check the channels out if you have access to them and watch the reruns when they appear. Not sure but as I recall they were under the Mega disaster, modern marvel series but will not swear to it.