TWO GULF PLATFORMS JOIN 'RIGS TO REEFS'

Smit American Salvage Inc., Houston, has completed its largest platform abandonment project in the Gulf of Mexico. The unit of Smit International, Rotterdam, removed two platforms off Louisiana-one last August for Exxon Co. U.S.A. in Vermilion Block 372 and another for Phillips Petroleum Co. in West Cameron Block 480 in mid-September. Both operators contributed the platforms'jackets to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's rigs to reefs program. Exxon's platform was

Oct. 14, 1991

2 min read

Smit American Salvage Inc., Houston, has completed its largest platform abandonment project in the Gulf of Mexico.

The unit of Smit International, Rotterdam, removed two platforms off Louisiana-one last August for Exxon Co. U.S.A. in Vermilion Block 372 and another for Phillips Petroleum Co. in West Cameron Block 480 in mid-September. Both operators contributed the platforms'jackets to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's rigs to reefs program.

Exxon's platform was an eight pile structure in 296 ft of water.

Taklift 6, a floating sheerlegs crane with 1,330 ton lift capacity, removed the 1,000 metric ton main deck.

Taklift 6 then joined forces with Takheave 31, Smit's 3,300 ton pull barge, to remove the 2,800 metric ton jacket. Its piles severed with explosives 15 ft below the mud line, the jacket was toppled, lifted, then towed in a horizontal position to a designated artificial reef site with the aid of two tugs.

The Phillips platform was an eight pile structure in 145 ft of water. It required a lift of a 950 metric ton topside and removal of a 1,700 metric ton jacket. Smit cold cut the Phillips jacket because turtles were detected in the area, preventing the use of explosives. After that came the same removal procedure.