The gas platform “Aasta Hansteen” anchored

Aasta Hansteen Platform towTowing of Aasta Hansteen. Photo: Photo: Espen Rønnevik / Roar Lindefjeld / Equinor

“Aasta Hansteen” anchored up in the Norwegian Sea

After eleven days of towing and a week of anchoring up, the 339 metre tall “Aasta Hansteen” drilling rig is finally in place on the gas field 320 kilometres west of Bodø in the Norwegian Sea.

 

Five of the world’s most powerful tug boats have been involved in towing “Aasta Hansteen” more than 500 nautical miles in what, according to Sysla, is the most comprehensive towing operation in Norway since the “Troll A” platform was transported in 1995.

On April 23rd, exactly eleven days after the tugs left the wharf on the Stord Island, the platform was in place. The extensive work to anchor it up was however still to come.

On Monday, just one week later, the platform is secured by 17 anchors and in excess of 40,000 metres of anchor chains at 1,300 metres depth. With that it is able to withstand a so-called centennial storm.

Efficient operation

Marine and Subsea Project Manager in Statoil, Helge Hagen, is surprised at how efficiently the more than 250 employees involved in the process have worked so far.

– Now I’m quite frankly quite flabbergasted. The operation so far has progressed extremely well. It is an outstanding effort made by our team, Subsea 7, which has coordinated the operation, and the other suppliers. It’s nice to see that the preparations we have made have been the right ones, says Hagen.

The operation is however not completed, and Hagen does not want to celebrate just yet.

– I am constantly saying that the operation has been very successful so far. Everything can change in a fraction of a second, though. If we make a mistake and a person is injured, everything changes from success to failure, he says.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today