Name Iolair Laid down 5 January 1980 Construction started 5 January 1980 Length 102 m | Operator Cotemar S.A. de C.V. Completed 8 August 1982 Launched 6 April 1981 Draft 15 m | |
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Owner Exeter Marine LimitedReading & Bates (Caledonia) Ltd 2000–2002R & B Falcon (UK) Ltd.1999–2000Reading & Bates Drilling Co. 1995–1999BP 1982–1995 Port of registry | ||
Iolair (Gaelic for eagle) is a specialised semi-submersible offshore platform designed for BP to support and service oil platforms in the North Sea and served as an emergency support vessel (ESV) in the Forties Oil Field. Since 2000 she has been working in the Bay of Campeche, Mexico as an offshore construction and service vessel.
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Particulars
Iolair is a self-propelled, twin hull, vessel and operates as a dynamically positioned (DP) construction support vessel. The vessel can operate up to a water depth of 488 metres (1,601 ft), is 102 metres (335 ft) long and 51 metres (167 ft) wide, and has 350 beds with single and double occupancy.
This unique vessel did not start as an ESV, but rather as the concept of a maintenance and support vessel (MSV). It was proposed for the Forties oil field, jointly owned by British National Oil Corporation and operated by BP Petroleum Development Company Ltd in the North Sea. A particular feature of the design by the Naval Architects was that there was no cross-bracing between the pontoons. Instead, the platform was given extra strength by a box-girder construction and diagonal bracing was arranged from the centre of the platform to the pontoons. This arrangement remained virtually unchanged to the build completion and offered exceptional speed when the vessel was de-ballasted on the surface. The intention was to achieve a rapid response to emergencies, wherever they might be experienced in the North Sea.
As an MSV, the vessel was always conceived to provide accommodation for about 220 persons, saturation diving facilities, a large workshop, craneage, and helicopter landing area with hangar and re-fueling. All were still featured in the eventual design but had been enhanced with other features and sophistication much of which was to support the emergency role. ESV incorporated novelty and ideas that were years ahead of their time. Indeed, part of the brief was that she should still be modern ten years after entering service.
The saturation diving system was equipped with an advanced launch and recovery system.
History
She was built by Scott Lithgow in Port Glasgow, and launched on 6 April 1981. In her early years, she was based in the BP Forties Oil Field.
In 1995, she was sold to U.S. drilling company Reading & Bates. She was to be converted to a workover/well intervention vessel and was stationed West of Shetland. The modifications included removal of some of the top structures, removal of the fire-fighting systems, closing of the dive tube and wave surge tank. However the intended conversion was never carried out and she was heavily involved in the installation of subsea production equipment using Remote Operated Vehicles. She was also heavily involved in the commissioning of the Foinaven and Schiehallion floating production vessels.
In 2000 she left the UK oilfields and went to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico, working in the Cantarell Field. There she carries out construction and platform support work. She was sold in 2001 by Transocean, who had taken over Reading and Bates, and is now owned by Exeter Marine Ltd. and registered in the Marshall Islands, a long way from her original registered port of Dundee in Scotland.
Industry firsts
Iolair is assured of its place in history by being the subject of a 28p commemorative stamp issued by Post Office Ltd. on 25 May 1983. This was one of a series of three stamps celebrating British Engineering Achievements.