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Strange tow (now known to be Hutton TLP)

11K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  5036 
#1 ·
Seen a very strange tow today, appeared to be the 6 legs of a semi-drilling rig.............but no top sides whatever, the legs didnt appear to be joined above the water. it appeared to be going north. was spotted in the northern north sea aprprox 5 miles east of the north west hutton platform(its legs are still there).
does anyone know what it was , or where it was going or even came from?????
 
#9 ·
Article in Aberdeen newspaper says that tug President Hubert towing legs of North West Hutton platform to Lerwick, Shetland for decommisioning is having problems with tow. Tow was breaking according to skipper but has been recovered. Russian tug Vladimir Ignatyuk also on standby. Shetland Coastguard are monitoring situation. At 22:00 on 22nd tow was 90 miles NE of Shetland.
This I think is the the "strange tow".
 
#18 ·
Hutton TLP

It is the Hutton TLP minus the topsides. I saw a photo of the Vladimir Ignatyuk in the gallery yesterday along with one of her and the tow under way. Apparently her and the President Hubert towed it to Murmansk but for some reason could not enter the port so set off for Cadiz, only to be caught up in the recent severe weather. They slow steamed up the west of Scotland and Shetland, ending up to the NE where the tow got into difficulties and broke, the wire hanging under the water posing a threat to offshore pipelines. A third vessel, Havila Saturn was chartered to assist and she presently has the TLP in tow, lying to the E of Lerwick. Both the Vladimir Ignatyuk and President Hubert are in Lerwick for repairs, bunkers, etc and are expected to return to the tow today. Rumours have it they are possibly heading to Invergordon and the Gulf of Mexico has also been mentioned!
 
#23 ·
Rumours have it they are possibly heading to Invergordon and the Gulf of Mexico has also been mentioned!
And it was to Invergordon, or at least the Cromarty Firth that the "strange tow" came. It arrived in January 2009, and was connected to an anchor pattern just a mile from the yard at Nigg in which it was constructed by Highlands Fabricators, and where it remains to this day.
 
#20 ·
absolutly none at all...........but it is the legs of the Hutton TLP that was under tow.

The North West Hutton was a platform (fixed to sea bed) that had its top sides removed this year, although it had been in lighthouse mode for a few years now. Now only the legs are there.
 
#22 ·
absolutly none at all...........but it is the legs of the Hutton TLP that was under tow.

The North West Hutton was a platform (fixed to sea bed) that had its top sides removed this year, although it had been in lighthouse mode for a few years now. Now only the legs are there.
The jacket of the NW Hutton is due to be removed (down to about 40m footings) commencing early April 2009. HLCV Hermod will carry out the work, lifting the Module Support Frame off in one section, thereafter cutting the subsea sections into small(ish) sections until they are about 100m below the surface.

The accommodation module from NW Hutton was removed in one lift, and skidded ashore at the Able yard to become office accommodation within the yard - a far better outcome than scrapping completely.

Al
 
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