Member Info for adoubleuk

Soolisker, Well, seems like I was completely wrong! Hey-ho. Can't win 'em all. I have to admit that it's only been over the past 24 hours or so I started thinking carefully about how it (Xmas tree installation) could be done from a boat. The progress in ROV technology and GPS DP over the last 15 or so years being what makes it do-able. 25 years ago such an operation would have been impossible. I think this was definitely a Plan B, dreamt up when it became plain that the rig would be delayed. Because I'm sure there's reference somewhere (an RNS?) about the trees being loaded onto the rig before heading for the field. In fact I suspect the upcoming rigmove has been the 'trigger' for the work to have gone ahead. What with this, the Normand Installer setting the mooring piles, and the news (thanks SiPP!) from Dubai, everything seems to be coming together nicely.

Wellwell, Can't resist a slight detail, nonetheless! "**If there's no flowbase the the tree will be connecting directly onto the wellhead" This is the case. There's no 'permanent guidebase' (as I know the things, and which you call a 'flowbase') If you look at the trees (assorted photos and drawings available in presentations) they're essentially 'free-standing' latched to the wellhead, but also with the trawl guard integral with the 'chassis' of the thing, with four 'fold-out' legs. I suspect the tree will be latched to the wellhead after correct positioning and orientatation prior to the 'legs' being unpinned and folded out by the ROV.

An odd little thought has just occured to me. Will the company issue an RNS when the Jumbo Kinetic sails with the buoy? It seems almost as though SiPP's doing a lot of work for them publishing his photos here! I reckon that on his return to the UK, SiPP should visit Lower Easham and request that he's bought a pint at the Stag!

SiPP, Excellent work! I'm really impressed. And looking closer again, the buoy is definitely on the Jumbo Kinetic's deck. If you look at previous pictures on the company website, the buoy was 'hidden' on the quayside beside the AM. Now you can see it, so it's been lifted. (I think first mention of the Jumbo Kinetic was made here by 'Gillfisher', who didn't answer my query about if that was an inspired guess, or what. Nevertheless, brillant 'spot'. We 'shipwatchers' now have a significant little fleet to follow on the AIS!) By the way, what does " off out to explore the Empty Quarter (with a Google)! " mean? Are you going 'out on the blue' with a Google vehicle? I hope it's something like that, and your in good company, possessing all the required permits and so on. It's too easy to think of the desert on the KSA peninsula as being just one big empty sandpit in which one can go blithely playing around with 4x4's, but it isn't. There's lots of 'sensitive' areas and installations out there, and men with guns paid to make life hard for strangers found driving where they shouldn't be. I know you're a big boy and have done your research, but just thought I'd mention it...

Wellwell, "That's why I'd actually prefer we did FOIL then went drilling as I think it would put less pressure on the company and the SP." Agree with you there. Also it must be remembered that the date of the options has been effectively put back by a couple of months due to the holdup on Shaw, and it's not inconceivable that there'll be a further hiatus with the rig going to Invergordon for maintenence which should have been done this past winter. That's pure guesswork, but she can't stay out at sea indefinitely. Meanwhile EPS work like the FPSO and the buoy / mooring system all seem to remain on schedule, and therefore Foil should preceed and further drilling ops anyway. By the way, liked your 'laymans terms' description of tree installation earlier today. Makes a pleasant change from us two bickering over details which probably go straight over the top of most peoples' heads.

It's the weekend. O/T time. I'm a little bit tipsy having got home, but but that''s OK, with the Dixie Chicks on the stereo (loud), four days (profitable) on the road playing poker,and 'enjoying' the tech talk now that things are happening out in the Lancaster field. Quite a few more miles under my (and my old rangerover's) belt. Enough about that. However, it's the weekend, and O/T time. And finally, I feel it time to really let go. With a 'strong buy' opinion posted on the sideline. Why? Because this is a 'shareholders' board, her we all have an interest in the progress of the company's work, but equally and at the same time seeing our own 'investment value' increasing. As small PI's we only have a small influence on things, that's true. But at the same time, we constantly see discusion here on this BB about an erstwhile 'major shareholder, namely Crystal Amber constantly 'selling into rises', which hogties the interests of others. Obviously, it's each to their own in the AIM market. But it would seem common sense to me that people buy heavily into HUR, thus forcing said 'activist trader' out of his position, on which his personal losses have put him in a weakened place in terms of judgement. Time to strike, people.

Nah: It's very common knowledge. Same as in minerals mining. Here's just one of a thousand similar 'tech curves' http://news.goldseek.com/PeterSpina/1500580800.php 'Generic', of course. Of course, a big (in Hurricane's case enormous) capital-raise sqiffs the chart a bit, BUT HERE'S the thing to note, not in terms of the overall curve! Just maybe in terms of the actual shareholder, and depending on when he got in, and what price he wants to get out (or is obliged to, by increments). We're veering back to an old and weird topic here. But the thing is, don't confuse 'Institutional Investment' company, with the holdings by an AIM-listed 'Fund Manager'. They're not the same thing.

Wellwell, Sorry, hombre. Can't 'leave it at that'. You know the difference between a Drilling Superintendent and a Workover / Completions Superintendent? The first wakes up in the morning, kneels down by his bed, clasps his hands in prayer and says "Please, God, don't bring me any problems today, but if you do, give me strength to handle them." The Workerver / Completions Supervisor does the same thing, but says (rather simply) "Please God, give me the strength to handle the problems I know I'll have today." The guy who does drilling, workover, logistics, maritime stuff, huge onshore frac-jobs, rigmoves, well planning, end of well reports, day-to-day well budget, handling the HR manageress going into breakdown because the new accountant's got bigger t*ts and is better-looking : he doesn't believe in God, so just takes it all as normal and asks "What's today's problem?" And then delegates someone to find the solution to such things.

Boyzee, Are Zif holding CB's? If so, no sweat (imho, not being a 'financials' person.) Just hedging, and therefore not ready to 'convert'.

Finally listened to this thing (in parts). Two fishwives talking over the wall. I've more interesting conversations over the phone with various posters on this BB and others than what I heard there, the two of them regurgitating stuff everyone already knows. I can't but help get the impression that both of them are now touting for business themselves. Give 'em both their due, though, because I have things in common with both of them. Malcy has trodden wellsites. So have I, but my job is keeping the bit turning, not commentating about it. And Doc wears a Stetson, like me. (Assuming his is a genuine one.) But neither of them know jack about drilling oilwells.

Wellwell, We were writing at the same time. So OK, seem to be on the same page, technically, on this one. Quits for now?

Wellwell, "Pure and utter *******s." Sorry, that was written too hastily, so apologise. Because yes, of course the trees have FFS. But they're NOT 'dumb iron' like a mooring pile. Smart iron, instead. And has to be EXACTLY positioned. Plus pressure-tested (as regards the latch-seal). But if that's what's happening, they'll be equipped to do that. What's your problem, Wellwell? I've already said I'm prepared to eat humble pie on this. However, in some respects I'll stand my ground. A Technips Xmas tree is NOT 'Dumb Iron'. It's a very complex thing, costing millions. Maybe the cause of the 'SP warrents issue' stuff you and your acolytes went bleating about a year ago. Unlike a mooring-pile, which runs to a few tens of thousands, max. And has no moving parts. As regards permits, I'd have expected one for 'Installation of a Permanent Structure' (ie the tree). But IF the trees are being installed right now by the boat, it's possible that Hurricane has persuaded OGA to convince DECC that the tree is just a sort of 'add-on' to the existing permanent structure', which is the wellhead. And that's a pretty fine way to read the rules. But absolutely great if that's how it's been done, because it would indicate that various burocrats are prepared to be flexible in order to see real progress streamlined.

Wellwell, "AK they are dumb pieces of metal as far as permits go which was the point I was making at the time. They will most likely come with a FFS structure on them already in which case no need for a trawl guard as you put it." Pure and utter *******s.

Sotb, With regard to Normand Installer. I've just been PM'd by a highly respected contributor to this BB with a link to some photos taken a few days ago of this boat being loaded with (and then her deck full of) mooring point suction piles. So it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's happening now! At last. 'Shipwatchers Rule!' And it's really good to see there are more 'joining the clan'! Good health to all of you! (I'll go O/T, by saying I'm back home after four nights of profitable poker, and feeling good about that, but seeing all this makes me feel even better!) I think what we're seeing might even put our sometimes pernickety friend Ricfle's heart at easy, somewhat. A few weeks ago he was worried about timings, and why things weren't 'happening in advance'. My argument was that why do things in advance when you don't have to? It now seems that things are happening, and all within the projected timescale 'windows'. Some of which (it seems to me, opinion only) to have been 'triggered' by a firm release-date of the rig from the Shaw debacle (whatever it may have been, but I don't use that French word lightly. However, neither do I have shares in Repsol.) I love these 'pre-RNS' things we read on here! There HAS TO BE a 'real' operational RNS from the company sometime this week. I wonder how much detail they'll put in it, though? Happy days.

SotB "The Far Superior is purpose built for the deal with TechnipFMC to conduct light construction work" Yes, and the Technip connection stands out like a sore thumb. Because they're THEIR Xmas trees, after all! And having thought about it more while driving this morning, maybe the tree installation can be done with that boat after all. Because although the trees aren't 'dumb iron' (Wellwell take note!) like a mooring pile, essentially all that would be involved is remove the trawl-guard and corrosion-cap already there, lower the tree onto the wellhead, position it exactly (and more importantly orientate it exactly at the same time) with the help of some push-and-shove from a couple of ROV's. With the only 'umbilicals' necessary being for the latching-collars, of whatever sort they may be. Then replace the trawl-guards until the rig's in place. So yes, do-able, after all. With a little help from friends in high OGA places not worrying about DECC permit small-print. The more I think about it, the more I suspect I've been wrong in doubting some rumours, though only time will tell if that's the case. But eating crow pie is no hassle whatsoever: better than no pie at all! Either way, things are obviously moving onwards, so let's hope that makes the SP move upwards! For relative 'longtermers' like myself (I consider myself one these days) it would take something catastrophic to make us break out into a sweat. But it'll be good when relative 'newcomers' who maybe bought in a year ago when that spike occured begin to breath easier as well!

Far Superior seems to be hovering over the Lancaster wells at the moment, doing whatever she's doing. Now before anyone starts any points-scoring here, on publication of an operational report of some sort, we still don't know exactly what she's up to. And nor am I going to try gainsaying Soolsker who said she sailed with the Xmas trees onboard. So maybe I'll be forced to eat humble pie if we hear that she's actually latched-up the trees to the wells. It still sounds rather extraordinary to me if that turns out to be the case, though. I guess we'll just have to watch this space... Though of course it's good to know SOMETHING'S actually started happening back out in the field!

SiPP, Great stuff! However I don't get the inclusion of the first image: that's the internal turret gubbins. Was it taken by you? If so, there's a way to go. Yet in one of the selfies, it looks like it may have been re-installed. By the way, the thing Tarkers of iii describes as the 'derrick-like structure' towards the aft end is the flare-stack, of course.

Ricfle, "Another great post from Dspp" Yes, except with one caveat. He's drawing attention to the 'roadshow presentation' which was published a week ago, at the same time as the 'Q2 presentation'. So some of us have printed the thing and had it sitting on our desks since then, and have no doubt had time to draw their own conclusions. In fact there was already quite some amount of comment about the content on this BB at the time.

Rangers, "Clearly Shaw is still bugging you by your attempts at getting someone to cough!" I won't deny that: it's very true. Professional interest. However it's O/T for this BB, for whose contributors (myself included) the most important thing is that 'our' rig is shortly moving from the field and up to 'ours' at long last, So you won't hear me labouring any points regarding the 'Shaw story' here any more.

Soolsker, OK, I don't want to get crossthreaded with you on this subject! One way or another we'll know soon enough. Which is the important thing, to my mind.