Mr. Louie
Encyclopedia
Mr. Louie is a former self-elevating drilling barge (jackup rig
) converted into an oil platform
. It was the first self-elevating drilling barge classed by the American Bureau of Shipping
. As an oil platform, it operates at the Saltpond Oil Field
, offshore
Ghana
.
. It has rings welded onto its cylindrical legs to provide a positive jack connection. Its footing equivalent diameter is 6.7 metres (22 ft), and approximate footing load is 10 meganewtons (10,000,000 N).
In 1959, it was leased to Reading & Bates (now part of Transocean
). The rig was valued by the leasing contract at US$4.75 million. This transaction was later challenged by the United States tax authorities as a sale agreement. In 1965, the barge was sold pursuant to contractual option to Reading & Bates.
Mr. Louie first drilled at the Gulf of Mexico
, where it drilled more than 40 wells. Later it was transferred to the North Sea
. In 1963, while drilling on the German Bight
, a pocket of very high pressure nitrogen
struck the well, causing a blowout
. The blowout created a 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) wide and 31 metres (101.7 ft) deep crater called Figge-Maar.
In May 1964, Mr. Louie drilled the first offshore hole in the North Sea
, 30 miles (48.3 km) off of Juist
island. In June, it made the first North Sea gas discovery. Later it was used for natural gas exploration in the UK section of the North Sea. In 1967, Mr. Louie was a part of the unique action for that time when for the first time in the North Sea, it went to dock for reparations and maintenance and was replaced by another rig (Orion) during the drilling. After the structural repairs and maintenance work at Bremerhaven
, Mr. Louie continued drilling at the North Sea for the Gas Council – Amoco
group.
After the North Sea, Mr. Louie was moved to West Africa
. Between 1977 and 1978 it drilled six appraisal wells at the Saltpond Oil Field in offshore Ghana. After completing the drilling in 1978, Mr. Louie was converted into an oil platform at this field. It was officially renamed APG-1.
Jackup rig
A jack-up rig is a type of mobile platform that is able to stand still on the sea floor, resting on a number of supporting legs. The most popular designs use 3 independent legs, although some jackups have 4 legs or more...
) converted into an oil platform
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
. It was the first self-elevating drilling barge classed by the American Bureau of Shipping
American Bureau of Shipping
The American Bureau of Shipping is a classification society, with a mission to promote the security of life, property and the natural environment, primarily through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities...
. As an oil platform, it operates at the Saltpond Oil Field
Saltpond Oil Field
Saltpond Oil Field is an oil field off the coast of Ghana. The field was discovered in 1970 by Signal-Amoco Consortium. The field is currently managed by the Saltpond Offshore Producing Company , Ghana's oldest producer of crude oil.-Location:...
, offshore
Offshore (hydrocarbons)
"Offshore", when used relative to hydrocarbons, refers to an oil, natural gas or condensate field that is under the sea, or to activities or operations carried out in relation to such a field...
Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
Description
Mr. Louie weighs 6200 tons. Its minimal operational water depth is 40 metres (131.2 ft). It has five tugs which pulled her around, and twelve legs for standing on the seabedSeabed
The seabed is the bottom of the ocean.- Ocean structure :Most of the oceans have a common structure, created by common physical phenomena, mainly from tectonic movement, and sediment from various sources...
. It has rings welded onto its cylindrical legs to provide a positive jack connection. Its footing equivalent diameter is 6.7 metres (22 ft), and approximate footing load is 10 meganewtons (10,000,000 N).
History
Mr Louie was designed by Emile Brinkmann between 1956 and 1958. The drilling barge was built by Universal Drilling Co. It was launched in 1958 and delivered in 1959. In 1958, Mr. Louie became the first self-elevating drilling barge classed by the American Bureau of Shipping.In 1959, it was leased to Reading & Bates (now part of Transocean
Transocean
Transocean Ltd. is one of the world's largest offshore drilling contractors. The company rents floating mobile drill rigs, along with the equipment and personnel for operations, to oil and gas companies at an average daily rate of US$282,700...
). The rig was valued by the leasing contract at US$4.75 million. This transaction was later challenged by the United States tax authorities as a sale agreement. In 1965, the barge was sold pursuant to contractual option to Reading & Bates.
Mr. Louie first drilled at the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, where it drilled more than 40 wells. Later it was transferred to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. In 1963, while drilling on the German Bight
German Bight
German Bight is the southeastern bight of the North Sea bounded by the Netherlands and Germany to the south, and Denmark and Germany to the east . To the north and west it is limited by the Dogger Bank. The Bight contains the Frisian and Danish Islands. The Wadden Sea is approximately ten to...
, a pocket of very high pressure nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
struck the well, causing a blowout
Blowout (well drilling)
A blowout is the uncontrolled release of crude oil and/or natural gas from an oil well or gas well after pressure control systems have failed....
. The blowout created a 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) wide and 31 metres (101.7 ft) deep crater called Figge-Maar.
In May 1964, Mr. Louie drilled the first offshore hole in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, 30 miles (48.3 km) off of Juist
Juist
Juist is one of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands at the edge of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea in the southern North Sea, located between Borkum Island , Memmert Island and Norderney...
island. In June, it made the first North Sea gas discovery. Later it was used for natural gas exploration in the UK section of the North Sea. In 1967, Mr. Louie was a part of the unique action for that time when for the first time in the North Sea, it went to dock for reparations and maintenance and was replaced by another rig (Orion) during the drilling. After the structural repairs and maintenance work at Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Mr. Louie continued drilling at the North Sea for the Gas Council – Amoco
Amoco
Amoco Corporation, originally Standard Oil Company , was a global chemical and oil company, founded in 1889 around a refinery located in Whiting, Indiana, United States....
group.
After the North Sea, Mr. Louie was moved to West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. Between 1977 and 1978 it drilled six appraisal wells at the Saltpond Oil Field in offshore Ghana. After completing the drilling in 1978, Mr. Louie was converted into an oil platform at this field. It was officially renamed APG-1.