Rig off the coast in Los Cristianos

[norjac]

Does anyone know what the rig is off the south coast near Los Crostianos being towed by a ship. It has appeared around 5 pm for the last 3 nights and is gone in the morning. Looks very much like an oil rig.

[LUCKY]

Does anyone know what the rig is off the south coast near Los Crostianos being towed by a ship. It has appeared around 5 pm for the last 3 nights and is gone in the morning. Looks very much like an oil rig.

are you sure its not the Zebra crossing another thread:flatcap:

[DonnaFranka]

Does anyone know what the rig is off the south coast near Los Crostianos being towed by a ship. It has appeared around 5 pm for the last 3 nights and is gone in the morning. Looks very much like an oil rig.

I would like to know the answer too.....has permission been given to start drilling ?

[essexeddie]

I saw that at about 6.30 this evening. I didn't see a ship towing it though?

[norjac]

I saw that at about 6.30 this evening. I didn't see a ship towing it though?
It is being towed by quite a large ship. Had a good luck through the telescope.

[essexeddie]

I'll have another look tomorrow but I'm sure there was no other ship there. I would have seen it. Unless it was plonked there for the night.

[primrose]

I'll have another look tomorrow but I'm sure there was no other ship there. I would have seen it. Unless it was plonked there for the night.

There is a ship towing it got a photo of it but it is quite a way in front of it.

[imablue]

Definitely being towed by a ship but where to ......?there was a programme on tv last week about a barge type ship that carries these rigs and a ship tows both the rig and barge to wherever...

[marbro8]

Definitely being towed by a ship but where to ......?there was a programme on tv last week about a barge type ship that carries these rigs and a ship tows both the rig and barge to wherever...it is actually a ruse, and a very clever one;), it is filled with somali tradesmen and women coming to the island to sell watches and hair dressing techniques :laugh:;)

[Jabba43]

I saw this too coming home the other night, so much for the referendum on drilling. I think Madrid has already told the local Government to FO. There is no way that the Spanish government will let the little Canary Islands decide on drilling as there is too much money at stake.

[lapalma]

I saw this too coming home the other night, so much for the referendum on drilling. I think Madrid has already told the local Government to FO. There is no way that the Spanish government will let the little Canary Islands decide on drilling as there is too much money at stake.

Anytime you want to identify any ship in any ocean/sea around the world look up the AIS site,there you can see the ship or anything that is passing by.

[Ecky Thump]

Anytime you want to identify any ship in any ocean/sea around the world look up the AIS site,there you can see the ship or anything that is passing by.

I thought that was the case, but I was tracking the ship my son was on when it was heading for Kuwait, when suddenly it disappeared, I was quite concerned until it suddenly appeared nine days later.

It was HMS #%*}#+% on its way to the Gulf War!

Sneaky people these sub mariners:D

[lapalma]

I thought that was the case, but I was tracking the ship my son was on when it was heading for Kuwait, when suddenly it disappeared, I was quite concerned until it suddenly appeared nine days later.

It was HMS #%*}#+% on its way to the Gulf War!

Sneaky people these sub mariners:D

Ecky,

A.I.S. only works when the tracking equipment is switched on in any area around the world,that is why your sons ship disappeared then appeared again.Anyone with a computer and lives close to the sea can have A.I.S. tracking equipment fitted,I think its free.

[Ecky Thump]

Ecky,

A.I.S. only works when the tracking equipment is switched on in any area around the world,that is why your sons ship disappeared then appeared again.Anyone with a computer and lives close to the sea can have A.I.S. tracking equipment fitted,I think its free.

I've got AIS on my computer, my son is now working on the ferries and they have "transponders" which are the same as military ships, with the difference that the military turn them off under certain situations.;)

[norjac]

I've got AIS on my computer, my son is now working on the ferries and they have "transponders" which are the same as milita, wry ships, with the difference that the military turn them off under certain situations.;)

Back again since about 4.30pm being towed by the ship, would love to know hats it all about. It comes from the direction of Las Galletas, has anyone seen it during the day.

[JaBBa]

Just had a look on ais, noticed the tug is called pacific champion...

[lapalma]

[QUOTE=JaBBa;359110]Just had a look on ais, noticed the tug is called pacific champion...[/QUOT

I can see the tug Pacific Champion only on A.I.S. and she seems to be towing something due to her recorded speed.,I think its waiting to either drop anchor at a set time and position or is going back and forth until it can get into Las Palmas the only deep water port in the Islands suitable to take a drilling rig.They are due to drill for oil/gas in those waters,when I do not know,but it will happen.

[Ecky Thump]

[QUOTE=JaBBa;359110]Just had a look on ais, noticed the tug is called pacific champion...[/QUOT

I can see the tug Pacific Champion only on A.I.S. and she seems to be towing something due to her recorded speed.,I think its waiting to either drop anchor at a set time and position or is going back and forth until it can get into Las Palmas the only deep water port in the Islands suitable to take a drilling rig.They are due to drill for oil/gas in those waters,when I do not know,but it will happen.


I have just looked at Marine Traffic and it's showing Pacific Champion as heading for Santa Cruz.

[JaBBa]

I have just looked at Marine Traffic and it's showing Pacific Champion as heading for Santa Cruz.

Yeah noticed that as well, strange...

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -

Some information on tug....

http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/pacific-champion-anchor-handling-tug-supply-vessel/

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/564248000/vessel:PACIFIC_CHAMPION

[lapalma]

It does say Santa Cruz but that may just mean the sea area and not the port as a destination.She has been sailing in an oblong pattern just a few miles offshore from Tenerife and La Gomera,which is normal for a vessel that is being towed.Up here in the North East of Scotland it is a familiar scene on a regular basis.Because I don't know what the tug is towing I don't know if she will be going alongside in Santa Cruz and I don't know if Santa Cruz has the facilities.I do know that Las Palmas,Gran Canaria has the berths as I have been there a few times for bunkers back in my MN days.Just checked another site and she was in Las Palmas around about the 10th Feb this year,so it looks like she is waiting to go somewhere else beside Santa Cruz.The tug by the way is registered in Singapore with Swire Offshore,the tug is a beastly 16,314 bhp,that's a lot of horses.........

[Ecky Thump]

I find that looking at the tugs on the Clyde more enjoyable than looking at the monstrous bulk carriers, container ships and liners that they are either towing or nudging in the right direction and with names like ....Battler, Warrior, Thunder and Bruiser you soon realise how powerful these tugs are, also at the same time they appear to be graceful in their movements.

[LosRoques]

We noticed it as well driving down to work on Thursday. There was a lot of activity Thursday with helicopters flying out and back from the airport (very noisy in Abrigos), a little on Friday, nothing yesterday. May not be local, it might simply be getting transferred from one place to another...!

[essexeddie]

I'm no expert but wouldn't drilling deep into the ground next to a volcano a little dodgy? :-0

[lapalma]

It will be going round in circles for many days until the time,tide and weather is right.Wish I knew what she is towing.

[essexeddie]

Perhaps they are trying to find the Falkland Islands?

[Leam_Lin]

We are in San Eugenio, the rig has just come into view.

[chifleta]

http://www.savecanarias.org/

[timmylish]

We noticed it as well driving down to work on Thursday. There was a lot of activity Thursday with helicopters flying out and back from the airport (very noisy in Abrigos), a little on Friday, nothing yesterday. May not be local, it might simply be getting transferred from one place to another...!

I am certain that the helicopters flying were in fact searching for the lost British surfer who was subsequently, sadly, found dead and the body taken to Los Cristianos.

[BoPeep]

There is what looks like a floating oil rig being pulled along by some vessel off the coast at Amarilla Golf right this moment.

A very famous lady had it on her site a few days ago!

[junglejim]

I thinkit was on here first!

http://www.tenerifeforum.org/tenerife-forum/showthread.php?33103-Rig-off-the-coast-in-Los-Cristianos

[BoPeep]

Oh yes, didnt see that thread!...and I checked with 'rig' and it didnt come up on the search.

[lapalma]

Tug now underway heading Northwards towards Santa Cruz,perhaps the tide is right.

[chifleta]

Tug now underway heading Northwards towards Santa Cruz,perhaps the tide is right.

yup, got a photo of it, looks so spooky, it actually looked like a pencil drawing on the horizon.

[CIM]

Slowly making its way up the East coast of the island - nearing Poris de Abona at the moment - maybe its done with whatever it was doing?

[kathml]

Slowly making its way up the East coast of the island - nearing Poris de Abona at the moment - maybe its done with whatever it was doing?

Unlikely these things don't stop and do a job on a daily basis it's probably in transit but if it stops to set up there will be a lot of support stuff around initially at least

[CIM]

Went all the up to Santa Cruz through the night, circled outside (maybe dropping off the rig?) and is now heading into port by the looks of it.

5339

[Pooh]

The rig is the oil rig ”SEDCO 710”, Libyan flag, towed by ”Pacific Champion”.
It's been staying outside the southwest coast of Tenerife util today, Thursday, when it's being towed to Santa Cruz for service and repairs.
It will stay in the East Harbor in Santa Cruz, and the reason it had to wait is because they had to install stronger mooring piles for it in the harbor.

”SEDCO 710” belongs to the company Transocean, and was built in Japan 1983. In November last year it stayed for a period in the harbor of Arinaga in Gran Canaria.
This time they come to Tenerife, because there is no space in the harbor in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where otherwise this type of work is usually done.

[Ecky Thump]

It sounds as if the rig is being "Cold Stacked" which generally means it is no longer under contract and is just being run with the minimum of workers and it's future is uncertain.:dontknow:

[Pooh]

It sounds as if the rig is being "Cold Stacked" which generally means it is no longer under contract and is just being run with the minimum of workers and it's future is uncertain.:dontknow:

They must expect to get more work, since they use this time to do maintenance and repairs.

[Ecky Thump]

They must expect to get more work, since they use this time to do maintenance and repairs.

Some of my past work involved working on rigs that were "stacked" and they have to be maintained and be readily available for contract, or the alternative is to be scrapped which is a very expensive procedure.

[junglejim]

It´s finally made it to SantaCruz!

http://www.diariodeavisos.com/2014/03/atraca-en-puerto-santa-cruz-plataforma-petrolifera-para-ser-reparada/

[claire_slot]

Seems to of diassapeared..i wonder where it went and why it was here?

[Andy0210]

It is in Santa Cruz for maintenance, and will be there for a few months but today it has been announced that one of the companies that was checking the area out for oil has withdrawn its interest and has now given up its search.

[Ecky Thump]

It is in Santa Cruz for maintenance, and will be there for a few months but today it has been announced that one of the companies that was checking the area out for oil has withdrawn its interest and has now given up its search.

So it's stacked until or if some company wants to hire the rig?

It's future is quite grim as it's almost past it's "Sell by date":pray:

[martincrabb99]

I've just signed the petition to save the Canaries from oil exploration!

[kathml]

I've just signed the petition to save the Canaries from oil exploration!

In my opinion these sort of petitions are a waste of time the government has already made up its mind oil is too important and too valuable and the government is very short of money

[Ecky Thump]

I've just signed the petition to save the Canaries from oil exploration!

So it's a case of, don't drill on my doorstep, do it next door!

If you use oil you know the environmental consequensies, not always pleasant, but true.

I live on the picturesque West Coast of Scotland and will have to accept that because there is oil here, it will eventually be brought up by the some multinational company.

There soon will be a world shortage of oil and the companies and their shareholders aren't to worried by environmental issues and for most of the time, we as users of oil and gas don't give it much thought....only when it affects our life choices.

[martincrabb99]

Thanks for your reply, having different views and opinions makes the debate interesting

[martincrabb99]

I suppose my view is that the Canary Islands is left pristine for future generations, I do hope I did not give you the wrong impression, ie. not in my backyard😉

[Ecky Thump]

I suppose my view is that the Canary Islands is left pristine for future generations, I do hope I did not give you the wrong impression, ie. not in my backyard��

The only way that can happen is to stop tourism and let the infrastructure waste away, as without tourism, the Canary Islands have no significant income.

Also if tourism came to a standstill in the islands, it would save millions of tons of oil being burnt to get us all there and home again, but then again other countries will inherit both the income and the pollution....it's a circle of destruction!:dontknow:

[martincrabb99]

Well I suppose tourism and preservation can be viewed jointly, it is not just one option or the other option. I am trying to be positive and examine all the best options and not just a singular one.:-)

[Ecky Thump]

Well I suppose tourism and preservation can be viewed jointly, it is not just one option or the other option. I am trying to be positive and examine all the best options and not just a singular one.:-)

So what's your thoughts on preserving not only the Canary Islands, but worldwide.

Speaking for myself, I think we will have to look at more harvesting power from the winds and oceans, but financially is it viable?

Another option is the further use nuclear power, which is unpopular with many.

[martincrabb99]

How about a cull of undesirable humans who display complete disregard for the planet, their fellow human beings and their property. That would mean more natural energy for the remainder( tongue in cheek)

[offshore diver]

Probably the rig thats being towed from las palmas for a job in west africa I saw an add on subserv pro agency looking for rov personell to join the rig in las palmas

[martincrabb99]

Thank you very much for letting me know, good luck with your job, I don't know too much about it but it must be a dangerous occupation 👍

[lapalma]

Pacific Champion now just offshore from my home in Peterhead with a huge bulk carrier in tow going to the Tyne.Change of weather from Tenerife..

[martincrabb99]

Still here at Amarilla Golf, no tankers in the pool...oh I don't know lol!