An oil spill exercise to test out anti-
Potentially, an attempt to the rig off the rocks could be carried out at high tide
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However, this would wholly depend on a salvage plan and risk assessment being in place.
An optimum set of manoeuvres to gently ease the holed starboard side of the rig off the rocks and pull the platform out to deeper water is believed to have been agreed.
One risk is that any diesel remaining in damaged tanks may spill into the sea when the structure is towed off the rocks.
Briggs Marine will undertake a proactive test to look at how quickly equipment could be deployed from Carloway to various locations up and down the west coast of Lewis.
Some 53 tonnes of diesel leaked into the sea area when the drilling platform broke its towline in heavy seas and ran aground on 8 August.
Salvors are planning to attach a second towline today to the rig. Preparations continue for the refloat and – weather permitting – it’s hoped that the remaining diesel oil onboard will be transferred later today.
Transfer of equipment to the rig continues by helicopter as part of the ongoing operation.
This includes machinery to be used to pump compressed air into the damaged tanks aimed at keeping the sea out and provide buoyancy for the refloat.
Oil spill exercise in advance of rig removal
18 August 2016
Boats, planes and drones are banned from coming within 300 metres of the rig.
Smit Salvage continue assessments and stability analysis to make sure it has sufficient buoyancy.
Hugh Shaw, UK government's maritime salvage advisor, said: "We appreciate that there remains huge interest in the rig but we’ve put the exclusion zone in place for safety of the salvage teams and the public too."
This evening Mr Shaw will be attending a specially organised meeting to talk about the plans for the refloat.
He will give a presentation and answer questions along with representatives from Transocean and the Western Isles Emergency Planning Coordinating Group at Carloway Community Centre at 8pm tonight.
There will be presentations by the owners, salvage company and Hugh Shaw followed by a question and answer session.
Samples of sand from Dalmore beach are being tested for oil pollution.
Daily checks are undertake for any signs of oil on the shore