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The stricken Transocean Winner oil rig is floating in Broad Bay waiting for the swell to die down after its removal operation was suspended today.

 

The rig is secured to four small tugs overnight into Saturday until a decision is made about proceeding with loading.

 

Unless the swell abates, the present plan will be aborted and the platform hooked up to eight seabed anchors again ahead of rising northerly winds on Sunday.

 

Plans to transport the badly damaged Transocean Winner platform to a scrap yard in Turkey risks being postponed for weeks as bad weather is set to affect the Western Isles.

 

The 17,600 tonne rig crashed on the west coast of Lewis eight weeks ago.

 

After being salvaged off rocks, the platform was towed to a temporary anchorage in Broad Bay on the other side of the island.

 

The 33-year-old redundant structure snapped her towline and was blown ashore with 280 tonnes of fuel onboard during severe weather on 8 August.

 

Some 27 bottom tanks were gashed and flooded with seawater during the collision deeming it too hazardous to continue her tow to a scrap yard in Turkey.

 

The plan was to load her as deck cargo on wide decked vessel, the Hawk.  

 

The Norwegian-flagged heavy lifter, is submerged in Broad Bay with the sea 10 metres above her deck.

 

The rig has been moved around two miles away from her anchorage, closer to the Hawk, ready for the final positing and loading.

 

Unexpectedly, an swell disrupted a period of ideal weather conditions and made it unsafe to continue.

 

Close-up the sea could be visibly seen rolling up to two metres high over the submerged deck of the Hawk.

 

Facing the prospect of both the rig and his ship bouncing up and down during the crucial loading operation, her captain suspended the exercise.

 

Hugh Shaw, the UK government‘s salvage advisor, said a decision will be made on Saturday as it takes around 20 hours to safely secure her at the anchorage.

 

With autumn gales now set to blast the islands, Mr Shaw said if the removal did not go-ahead this weekend he would hold further discussions with Transocean and Smit Salvage over other possible options for “resolving the situation.”

 

He highlighted it could be be “difficult” to find another suitable weather window at this time of year but “we just have to stay prepared at the moment as that’s the only option we have just now.”

Transocean, the American-Norwegian conglomerate which owns the stricken rig, pointed out a suitable weather window requires wind speeds under 15 knots, a low swell and one knot current.

 

Delays to Transocean Winner removal

Sea conditions unsuitable for oil rig recovery

30 September 2016

Delays to Transocean Winner removal