Anchor Handling Tug Operations - A practical guide to the operation of modern anchor handling tugs engaged in anchor handling and towing operations by Ian Clark and Michael Hancox This publication gives a clear insight into the safe operation of Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels. It is aimed at the Masters and Officers who operate these vessels and at Towmasters, Rig Movers, Barge Masters, Tower Foremen and shore based personnel who utilise these vessels in their anchor handling and towing roles. It endeavours to show in practical and simple terms the theoretical knowledge, methods and techniques that can be used to avoid placing these vessels at unnecessary risk when carrying out what, at first sight, appear to be 'normal' operations. Two recent examples of accidents, resulting in the total loss of AHTS class vessels and members of their crews, are used to illustrate what can happen and why: Stevns Power and Bourbon Dolphin. Consideration is also given to the fact that AHTS vessels are a design compromise and that it is this which may lead to over confidence in the ability of a particular vessel to carry out a given towing or anchor-handling operation. Training is also scrutinised: as the older generation of offshore support vessels is replaced by new tonnage and older officers and offshore personnel retire, the experience, hard lessons and skills gained by this older generation have not been fully transferred.

The purpose of this book is to provide practical seamanship guidance to Masters and crews of salvage, anchor handling and other tugs planning and conducting rescue towage within, and in close proximity to, oilfields. The personnel and crew serving on vessels and MODUs within oilfields will also learn how tugs operate during rescue towage. When planning for contingencies, both from a shoreside and a vessel perspective, this publication will assist in providing an overview of methods available for reconnection and other options that vessels find most practicable.

Rescue towing in the context of this publication includes reconnection by a tug to a towed object when the original towline is broken, assisting another tug that has lost control of its tow, when additional tow power is required or when towage services can be offered to a vessel or unit requiring the services of a tug to avoid marine peril. This is not a definitive guide for professional salvors.

A comprehensive text on the operation of Jack-up barges when afloat, positioning and being moved from one work site to another. It is principally for use by Barge Engineers, Barge Masters, Tow Masters and Marine Superintendents operating such vessels and can also be used by Warranty Surveyors, Marine Advisors and others utilising these unique craft. Part 2 describes the use of tugs when positioning jack-ups in a wide variety of circumstances.

This volume is of most use to Masters, Officers and others who operate the oilfields anchor handling vessels. It describes the most common anchor handling operations from the work boats viewpoint, which is quite different from that of the barge or vessel that is being worked. A number of specialist mooring operations are also described, again from the boats viewpoint.

Towing operations in the oilfield involve the movement of semi-submersibles, jack-ups and barges as well as specialist work such as the pulling of sub-sea ploughs and submerged pipeline bundles. This volume is mainly for Masters and officers of the tugs involved as well as Tow Masters, Marine Advisors and Warranty Surveyors. This book principally deals with the towing operation from the tugs viewpoint. The 2nd part of Volume 2 Jack-Up Moving is included mainly to give personnel on the tugs some idea as to what is expected during the positioning of such vessels.

Barge Masters, Tow Masters, Marine Advisors, Rig Movers and others responsible for the planning, organisation and execution of the movement of both semi-submersible vessels and other barge types will find this volume contains most of the information required to carry out such operations. It views such work from the ‘barge’ viewpoint and contains data on towing vessel selection, conduct of towing operations and contingency planning. Other sections deal with the loading of semi-submersible cargo carriers, modular transport operations and other specialist work. It can be used by shore based staff as a planning tool as well as a practical manual of standard operating practices.

Barge Masters, Barge Engineers, Ballast Control Room Operators and those ashore responsible for the loading and ballasting of both semi-submersibles and jack-up units will find this volume of particular interest. It is designed to be used both as theoretical background on the principles of stability management and as a guide to the operational daily management of afloat stability on these specialist vessels.

The new edition reflects the many changes that have taken place within the industry during the past five years, notably the diversification of DP techniques into a wider range of offshore vessels, their functions and applications. Technology too has moved ahead apace during this period, and the new book reflects this with the inclusion of the latest variants of position reference systems for dual frequency DGPS, relative GPS including the “CyScan” laser and the latest “Hi PAP” technology from Simrad. Also included are details of the new generation motion sensors, solid state compasses and multi-sensors. Other changes for this new edition mean that most of the material has now been updated, including all sketches which have been re-drawn, and more screen views to illustrate the functions and facilities of modern DP systems. Since it was first published, ‘Dynamic Positioning’ has become the industry’s essential reference on the subject for offshore personnel who need to have to hand the facts about the design, installation, operation and maintenance of DP systems for all types of vessels.

The deployment, retrieval and management of spread mooring systems is a large subject and although a great deal of theoretical data is available, only limited attempts have so far been made at producing a text book which Barge Masters, Barge Movers, Tower Foreman, Barge Engineers, Marine Advisors, Warranty Surveyors and others can use ‘in the field’ to assist them in their work. This volume covers the use of spread mooring systems from the barge point of view. It deals with both ‘static’ (drilling unit/support ship) and ‘mobile’ (pipe laying/trenching) mooring spreads. In the main the book concentrates on the mooring systems of semi-submersibles but the procedures used and equipment is also found on other types of specialist vessels and is equally applicable.

The authors down to earth nautical writing style supported by over 300 explanatory diagrams, hundreds of ‘action’ on the job photographs, countless examples and tables takes the reader through, in 600 pages, every phase of the operation from pre-tow out planning to riser hook-up and first oil.