GSP SATURN

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Oil platform could not transit the Bosphorus after technical malfunction

The "GSP Saturn" could not transit the Bosphorus enroute from the Marmara Sea to Constanta on Jan 31, 2018, being towed by the Norwegian-flagged "GSP Antares". The platform which has a height of 110 meters could not pass under the Martyrs Bridge due to a technical malfunction. The legs needed to be sunk in order to pass under the bridge. It had entered the Bosphorus at 10.45 a.m. but returned after five hours. The platform was towed back to the Marmara Sea. There was no information when the ship would be moved to the port of Constance. It was accompanied by four tugs of the General Directorate of Coastal Safety for security purposes. Turkish report with photos: http://www.trthaber.com/haber/dunya/dev-petrol-platformu-istanbul-bogazindan-gecemedi-348522.html http://www.haberturk.com/dev-platform-istanbul-bogazi-ndan-gecemedi-1819065 http://www.gundemantalya.com/gundem/romanya-ya-giden-dev-platform-istanbul-bogazi-na-takildi-h718.html

Greenpeace: Oil rig damaged in Pechora Sea storm

Gazprom Neft denies it, but both Lloyd’s List Intelligence and Greenpeace Russia have released information indicating the old jack-up rig was damaged by the storm on November 7th. A lifeboat was lost and the helipad was damaged. The entire crew was evacuated from the rig to a following support vessel, Greenpeace Russia says. The platform was under tow from the Dolginskoye field in the Petchora Sea towards Murmansk when it was struck by the storm. Russia’s State Marine Rescue Service confirms in an e-mail to the Moscow Times that the crew indeed was taken off the rig, but had returned now as “Saturn” is currently moored near Cape Kanin, taking shelter from the storm. While Greenpeace claims the incident is another confirmation that Arctic drilling is jeopardizing the environment, the Bellona Murmansk group says this is an example off lack of public available information. “There is no information about the incident,” says Andrey Zolotkov with Bellona Murmansk in a comment to BarentsObserver. He says the only information provided is the one from Greenpeace.“This once again demonstrates the way the company is putting a lock over information while they operate the platform. This is not like it should be when it comes to safety in the Arctic,” says Zolotkov. Gazprom Neft operates the 26-years old Romanian owned rig “Saturn” under a two-year agreement for drilling the Dolginskoye field in the Pechora Sea. The field is believed to hold some 200 million tons of oil equivalents.The company partly confirms to the Moscow Times that the crew was partially evacuated and towing had been suspended. The press service of the company assures “there were no incidents or disasters at the jack-up rig.” The “Saturn”, handled by three professional tugboats from Norway, is in a better position than the “Kolskaya”, which had been towed by icebreakers that were poorly suited for towing, says Mikhail Voitenko, editor-in-chief of news website the Maritime Bulletin to the Moscow Times. Greenpeace Arctic Oil Watch says in an e-mail to BarentsObserver that the two tug vessels, “STRIL COMMANDER” and “STRIL CHALLENGER” have arrived back on the scene after sailing west from the rig on Thursday. The two other vessels that stay with “Saturn” near Cape Kanin is the tug “STRILBORG” and the rescue vessel “SPASATEL KAREV”. Source : BarentsObserver

Rig damaged under tow

The "GSP Saturn" was damaged in stormy weather by waves in the Pechora Sea in the Western Russian Arctic Sector on Nov 6/7, 2014, while under tow to Murmansk after completing construction works on a well in the Pechora sea. The "GSP Saturn" lost a lifeboat, the helicopter pad was damaged. The rig was being towed by the AHTS "Stril Challenger" (IMO: 9420174) and AHTS "Stril Commander" (IMO: 942015), escorted by the "Strilborg" (IMO: 9158666) and the salvage vessel "Spasatel Karev" (IMO: 9497531). The convoy was under way with a speed 3.5 knots, heading in SW direction to shelter from the storm.