Oil rig Firth of Forth Burntisland

Image: © Simon Johnston Taken: 18 Oct 2008

Looking south across the Firth of Forth deep channel an oil support rig sits just offshore near Burntisland on the Fife coast. It's a 'Flotel'. A portmanteau http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau of the words 'floating' and 'hotel' refers to the installation of living quarters on top these semi-submersible platforms used as accommodation for those working offshore in the gas or oil industry. This rig is called 'Safe Bristolia', http://www.prosafe.com/category.php?categoryID=144 (ex Sedco 600). 'Safe Bristolia' worked in a Russian oil and gas field as a drilling rig then underwent refurbishment at Yantai Raffles yard in China in 2006 which included the enlargement of the deck area. It has about 600 beds on board. The rig is currently a mile or so off the coast of Burntisland. This small town on the Fife coast is home to Burntisland Fabrications http://www.bifab.co.uk/content.asp?ArticleCode=561 which appears to have a commercially viable business happily trundling along in these days of high oil prices. Consafe Offshore http://www.consafeoffshore.com has a 60% stake in the business. It is thought that the vessel might be here for repair or refurbishment work. This article http://www.offshore-mag.com/display_article/232585/9/ARCHI/none/none/1/Consafe-re-emerges-as-a-force-in-offshore-construction-support/ suggests that Consafe Offshore now owns the vessel. (From our own Bob Jones http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/636 site) the following information suggests they are still active in Burntisland http://www.ports.org.uk/port.asp?id=706. "Consafe, located in the West Dock, builds mainly accommodation modules for North Sea oil rigs. The Port can facilitate access for barges of 300 ft by 90 ft which move out the modules." I guess that would explain why it's here at this location. Consafe Offshore is owned by Prosafe. http://www.prosafe.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosafe The vessel seen here off the coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article132933.ece Undergoing refurbishment http://tobbeschon.com/Bristolia1.jpg at http://www.yantai-raffles.com/. The rig is destined for the Buzzard Field in the UK sector of the North Sea http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article148358.ece for a job due to start in April 2010. Apparently, it used to look like this http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2107290340033537986zdXqzb before conversion to a flotel. It's been around for a while and seen quite a bit of the world. Track it here: http://www.shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=565294000 It came in from the North Sea around 10th/11th September http://www.aisliverpool.org.uk/shiptrail.php?mmsi=565294000&map=-1&date=20080910 and dropped anchor in the Forth. It might take me a little while longer to identify the ship passing alongside the rig... It looks at first glance line an 'Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel' or an 'Offshore Support Vessel' It is certainly a VOS (Vroon Offshore Services) Vessel identified by the white 'V' logo against red hull. http://www.vroonoffshore.com/22-offshore.php Another view: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1014586 Similar looking ship to HM Coastguard cutter. Oil rig / Burntisland / Kinghorn / Pettycur Bay / Safe Bristolia / Red / Blue / Forth / Fife / massive / accommodation module / support rig / semi submersible / flotel

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