Member Info for adoubleuk

Longwait,

" the Sound razzmatazz."

That's what put me off, really. Especially when they issued an RNS saying (forget which well it was) that they'd set casing and were within 10 metres of the 'payzone'. So what? I thought. They still weren't into the 'payzone'...

And I think this goes some way to answer FHP's earlier question about why there wasn't an RNS about the boat getting back on its way. It's because Hurricane is very careful about its communications, and certainly doesn't go 'beating the drum' or hyping things up.

It's a professional and calm approach, and frankly I don't think the BoD give much of a dam what the SP is from week to week. They're planning to move upmarket from AIM anyway, eventually. I don't personally think it'll happen until at least after next year's AGM, by which time things will be a lot clearer.

FHP,

"So one thing I do wonder, if they RNS the delay whey dont they RNS again once we are on our way?"

Because it's not 'price sensitive', I reckon. The RNS answered potential questions about why the boat had pulled into port. But it also said that the stopover wouldn't represent any significant delay (I paraphrase). And it obviously hasn't. So why repeat something that's already been said?

Wellwell,

"Once you've re read my post whilst humming the tune to The Weather Girls "it's raining men! hallelujah!, it's raining men!, amen!" I'll accept your apology."

Jayzus. Qui moi? Hum that stupid song? Sorry, I've got a mental age of more than 12 and don't suffer from any personal gender-identity issues.

Now you've spoiled my day.

Wellwell,

".......Hooking up the AM! Hallelujah! Hooking up the AM! Amen......"

Why the cynicism? You really ought to buy yourself a teeshirt with 'I've got an agenda' printed on it. Except maybe not, because the message is blatently obvious already.

MakinHay,

"Out for a bit of dinner and a few beers now. Atb Rich"

That's the spirit. Bon appétit! Got to admit I've reached into the fridge for an early beer as well, on the back of reading that article!

SiPP,

"I wonder if it might in part be down to Sound's announcement today?"

When I first read that a couple of hours ago I thought the idea was crazy. But now, after some reflection, maybe it isn't.

I've never been invested in SOU, simply because I don't trust the business model and also for technical reasons. But nevertheless (again for technical reasons!) I occasionally look at what they're up to. So having been prompted by your post have read their RNS of today and noted the effect it's had on their SP.

And AIM is a funny place, fickle, and the hunting-grounds of traders preying on sometimes weak and over-leveraged 'gambler-style' investors who hope to make a quick buck and who shouldn't really be anywhere O&G because they know nothing about it, nor the potential risks involved.

OK, so Sound have drilled a duster. Big deal. It happens. But on that basis, and in a 'reasonable' world, that shouldn't be a reason for their SP to nosedive like this morning. It's not as though they'd caused some Macondo-style disaster or anything like that.

I wonder. Just musing... One small AIM-listed oil company suffers a setback (drilling a duster) and it has an inordinate negative effect on that company's SP. Could that have some sort of related effect on the SP of other AIM-listed O&G outfits where nothing's going wrong?

Interesting. Maybe not such an impossible idea, after all.

Think I'll now go look at the Udog BB for some light (ongoing) entertainment and see what's happening there. 'Cos I reckon a number of their posters might be involved in SOU as well.

Missdosh,

Thanks a million, as always!

Frankly, good effin' grief. 'Energyvoice' has got the jump on everyone, and that article is a real scoop. I suspect someone's been on the phone to Dr T and he didn't request not to be quoted!

Since when is Q1 2019 for FoiL supposed to be 'on schedule'? The company's always been guiding H1!

And the company HQ has been 'expanded'? The pub will be happy.

Great stuff.

DC,

"I was wondering if the flow pipes connecting the manifold to the buoy would have to be purged of seawater unless they were sealed and somehow the seals were maintained during connection."

AFTER connection, is my guess. The flowlines have to be already full of something. And given that the wells haven't yet been re-opened, the most likely is water. But maybe already 'treated' (anti-corrosion, etc) seawater.

I must underlie as a disclaimer, that I'm not an 'expert' in these details. But SURF having been completed, and RNS'd as such, I can only assume that everything's been pressure-tested up to the buoy. Using what medium, I don't know.

But then, after hookup, there will have to be further pressure-testing between the bouy/ turret connections, and then under both static and flowing conditions.

I'm not an expert in this. But either way, what I do know is that this will take days, not hours, then the paperwork will all have to be signed off and approved. And sent up the line, and approved at possibly governmental level.

"Regarding your final paragraph I had thought about puffet on ADVFN who claims to have a contact on the AM and whether HUR and or Bluewater have taken note."

I haven't really been 'shipwatching' of late! Because now there are hundreds, the boat's on her way, and there's no ranting or raving about the POO, Brexit, classic cars or whether there's some new pussy in my local casino which will change that.

Feeling a bit like Antonio in a certain Shakespearian play...

But everything HUR has done technically so far seems to be top-drawer and state-of-the art², despite being an AIM 'minnow'. So I'm keeping the faith.

WRT Ratcliffe:

Ineaos ain't new.

But some people seem to forgert what Ratcliffe has.

Joe Sixpack in the street is utterly unaware of it, of course.

ICI. Joe Sixpack remembers that. Now Ineos.

Grangemouth refinery, Forties pipeline? Once BP.

Ineos

Joe Sixpack has never ever heard of ConocoPhilips, because there are no forecourt pumps branded as such except in the USA.

Joe Sixpack knows nothing about the worldwide oil industry.

JayKay,

"We can all chip in and get him a slightly newer RR ;o)"

That's a very kind thought, and I must admit the 'new' one (already five years old) is an impressive machine.

But my old L322 still does the trick, thanks.

Still rather miss my old Series III County, but simply because when I came to the UK with it and drove in London, bus-drivers and taxis got out of my way.

Of course in the 'democratic' UK I wouldn't dream of approaching the capital with my oil-burner. And I visit the country rarely. Last time, the closest to London I got on my wheels was Virginia Water and Lower Easham...

johnpwh,

"adoubleuk
You don't seem the sort of chap I would normally feel the need to correct but I'm afraid that this is an exception.
AM is already well North of Porto, way before midnight"

OK, My mistake. Probably due to only three hours' sleep in the last 24.

Either way, our boat's making good speed north, which means what we've got our SP money in is OK.

Oh cripes. I've been t²rying to stay out of this, but now can't.

Wellwell,

"You can still control immigration and remain in the EU. We chose not to."

Name any EU country which has done this.

Equally look at the things which Trumpet is at least speaking up about.

Strange that Somalian or Syrian 'refugees' aren't heading for Pakistan.

DiveCentre,

"Friday 11.14am Boyzee asked a question which has received no answer:

What exactly hapoens once the AM arrives ... i know we hook up ...but before that ...after it?
Before hook up I assume there is very little to do but wait for a weather window, But after there will presumably be various things that have to be done before we have (that magic word) FOIL. It is something I had thought about asking. Any technical experts willing to say what those various things, procedures etc are, how long it will take, potential problems etc etc."

Hmm, yes, Boyzee's questions appeared to get lost in other more pressing stuff about politics and so on.

OK. This is waay out of my 'expertise', but I don't mind hazarding a few guesses.

Once hookup (latching to the buoy) is achived, I think the first 'tests' will be related to the 'marine' side of things. Ensuring good turret rotation, establishing various loads, behaviour-patterns, etc.

Then there will have to be full pressure-testing of all connections between the flowlines from the wells already connected to the buoy and between the (now-connected) buoy and the boat itself.

This will take time. How long, I don't know, and it's outside my expertise.

I'm assuming (with all that risks) that the production train has already been pressure-tested).

So then a slow, cautious opening of a well to 'prime' the entire nine yards and enter 'production'. Though I suspect even that phase, won't be counted as 'FoiL', though nearby witnesses might see the flare.

How long will it take? Personally, haven't a clue.

Potential problems? Finding something so simple as a leaking connection somewhere, requiring purging of whatever part of the system it's attached to, doing the repair, and re-starting. Stuff which 'timescale contingency' allows for.

Once EPS is working, and FoiL is RNS'd, there'll already have been oil and gas going through the system. But checking it's all working right.

How long is a piece of string?

The company will have a detailed 'timeline breakdown lookahead' for all this stuff. But I doubt anyone on a PI's BB like this has access to it, and if they have, they probably shouldn't be posting here, anyway!

Ricfle,

"The simple fact is we all lost"

Have you lost something?

Hope you find it soon.

johnpwh,

Old X 100-series are nice. But 'collector's cars'. Ride quality and comfort isn't comparable to modern-day kit.

Looks are of course 1000% better. Especially compared to a Cayman, which is one of the ugliest vehicles on the road at the moment. Just beaten by the Nissan Juke in that category, but only just.

PS: Weather forecast for Bay of Biscay looking good for the next few days.

Risk management.

People wearing yellow fluorescent vests holding up passage through French waters protesting due to high fuel taxes: assessment: low.

Tsunami: assessment low.

Attack by Giant Squid intent on grabbing upper flare-boom section being transported on aft starboard to offer to prospective mate as an engagement-ring to be placed on one of her tentacles: assessment low.

Brief unscheduled stopoff at La Rochelle to play poker and have fun: assessment low, unfortunately.

Crew ceasing to look at LSE HUR BB due to it being full of stupid and pointless politics: assessment red alert.

The boat's making lovely progress at average speed 9kt, should be north of Porto (a fabulous town) by midnite.

Sipp,

What a strange coincidence that this topic should crop up.

Because yesterday evening I had time on my hands before the poker game started, so went to a restaurant and ate some oysters, which are an acknowledged aphrodisiac. And very shortly afterwards got involved with some hot breasts.

Guineafowl, roasted.

Saucy!

Hey! Off-topic is off-topic, but are we trying to get ourselves banned from here, or what?

Because there's a further coincidence. Normally one's not allowed to take photographs in my 'local' casino. But before I left I was given permission to take a snap of the floor-manageress fondling her pussy.

But before anyone gets any wrong ideas, this is a stray animal (not the floor-manageress!) who's taken up residence there, and been adopted in case there are any mice around, which is quite possible. Tonight he was given a name: 'CC'. Standing for Casino Cat.

stix40 (and all),

"where are the ship watchers tonight ?"

Well this one was where he usually is to be found on a Saturday night! Playing poker in the casino at Chatelaillon. But the table broke up early, and I'm back in my hotel 300 yards from the place.

Why am I in a hotel, instead of on the road back home? Because if I wanted to play tonight (last night, sorry) I had to be in place, because the only way of getting here from Niort would have been by going offroad across fields and taking minor backroads, because the main roads would have been blockaded by demonstrators against the fuel taxes. Which they were, seemingly. Anarchy in La Belle France.

(Not that I'd have minded going offroad in my (oil-burner) 14 year old Rangerover: done it plenty of times and it bears the scars. Just that I like to hit the card-table feeling fresh, rather than already weary.)

Where was I? Oh yeah, 'shipwatch'.

Just checked. Our boat is just north of Lisbon making good speed (9 kt).

Far Superior is about 150 nm north of her, heading for Norway. Not hanging around beside the AM as some sort of 'in case of breakdown watchdog' as some people have posited here recently. I think her presence off Algeceiras at the same time as the AM was pure coincidence.

What's more interesting is that our survey boat is out over Lincoln again. Probably doing closer work for rig positioning in a few months' time.

Wessex,

"We can either admit it was all a bad mistake and stay in the EU, or we're going to plunge this country into many years of trouble, economic and social..."

Isn't it already?

If the EU was 'ruled' on the basis of growth, lack of trouble, and relative social stability, the major mothpieces ought to be Poland, Portugal, and Lithuania.