Discoverer Enterprise
| Discoverer Enterprise in the foreground on May 26, 2010, directly over the blowout preventer during the top kill procedure in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. | |
| Career | <tr valign="top"><td>Name:</td><td>
Discoverer Enterprise</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Owner:</td><td>
Triton Asset Leasing GmbH</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Operator:</td><td>
Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc.</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Port of registry:</td><td>
Marshall Islands, Majuro</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Builder:</td><td>
Astilleros y Talleres del Noroeste (ASTANO) |
|---|---|
| General characteristics
<tr valign="top"><td>Type:</td><td>
DNV 1A1 Ship-shaped Drilling Unit Storage Unit HELDK CRANE E0 DYNPOS-AUTR</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Tonnage:</td><td>
69,500 DWT; 63,190 GRT</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Length:</td><td>
254.4 m ({{#invoke:Math|precision_format| 834.645669291 | 1-2 }} ft)</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Beam:</td><td>
38.05 m ({{#invoke:Math|precision_format| 124.835958005 | 1-2 }} ft)</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Draught:</td><td>
13 m ({{#invoke:Math|precision_format| 42.6509186352 | 1-1 }} ft)</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>Propulsion:</td><td>
6 x Cegelec 5500kw, 1260vac | |
Discoverer Enterprise is a fifth generation deepwater double hulled dynamically positioned drillship (Astano FPSO design) owned and operated by Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc., capable of operating in moderate environments and water depths up to 3,049 m (10,000 ft) using an 18.75 in ({{#invoke:Math|precision_format| 47.625 | 1-1 }} cm), 15,000 psi blowout preventer (BOP), and a 21 in ({{#invoke:Math|precision_format| 53.34 | 1-1 }} cm) outside diameter (OD) marine riser.[2] From 1998 to 2005 the vessel was Panama-flagged and currently flies the flag of convenience of the Marshall Islands.[1]
Discoverer Enterprise has two sister ships, Discoverer Spirit completed in 1999, and Discoverer Deep Seas completed in 2000.
The ship was the first to offer dual rigs. The dual rigs which simultaneously perform various aspects of drilling a well eliminated the traditional one step at a time process and according to Transocean increased efficiency by 40 percent.[3]
The US$360 million ship gives its name to the Enterprise Class of large deepwater drillships.[4]
Contents |
Deepwater Horizon spill response
The ship currently operates in the Gulf of Mexico under contract to BP. On June 3, 2010 after the lower marine riser package (LMRP) cap was placed on the ruptured undersea Deepwater Horizon oil spill it was connected via a drilling riser to the ship where oil was collected and gas was flared.[5]
Although Discoverer Enterprise is capable of handling 15,000 barrels per day ({{#invoke:Math|precision_format| 2,384.80942392 | 1-3 }} m3/d), the Deepwater Horizon spill is believed to be producing more than that.[6] The Helix Energy Group Q4000 is being configured to handle the excess. Q4000 is onsite because it was used in the failed top kill attempt.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Discoverer Enterprise". DNV Exchange. Det Norske Veritas. 2010. https://exchange.dnv.com/exchange/main.aspx?extool=vessel&subview=owner&vesselid=19643. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ↑ "Discoverer Enterprise". Transocean. 2010. http://www.deepwater.com/fw/main/Discoverer-Enterprise-61C14.html?LayoutID=17. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
- ↑ Transocean Dual Rig Promotion Video (video). Transocean. http://www.deepwater.com/_filelib/FileCabinet/movies/Ent2.mpg?FileName=Ent2.mpg. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
- ↑ "Transocean Offshore Inc. Drillship Discoverer Enterprise Begins Five-Year Contract With BP Amoco.". PR Newswire. 13 December 1999. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-58171730.html. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
- ↑ "Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico". USA.gov. 7 June 2010. http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa_ict.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8738. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
- ↑ Laura Meckler; Jonathan Weisman (Tuesday, 8 June 2010). "Obama to Reopen Oil Drilling". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703303904575292210472764880.html?mod=rss_Today's_Most_Popular. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
- ↑ "Day 48: The Latest on the Oil Spill". The New York Times. Monday, 7 June 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/science/earth/08latest.html. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
External links
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