Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

New Start

Well, things have definitely progressed. I have been assigned a new laptop and although I am yet to get my hands on it, it comes with a BP identity and all the perks therein. Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) and Minimum Industry Safety Training (MIST) have been confirmed for the second week of April, but luckily this will be local to the BP office allowing me to get a hold of said laptop and confirm my first project, the P60 Bridge Inspection Platform on the Bruce asset.

Bruce P60 Bridge Bearing Change out

The Bruce asset is comprised of three platforms, one each for drilling (D), Process\Utilities\Quarters (PUQ) and Compression Reception (CR). The P60 bridge spans the gap between the D and PUQ platforms allowing access but also piping carrying live hydrocarbons (sounds exciting doesn’t it). It is secured by three free bearings, a guided bearing and a fixed pin, then upshot being that since 1995 the bearings have been failing on a regular basis requiring quarterly inspections that involve the installation of temporary scaffolding over the edge of the platform. Interestingly no-one has a clue of what effect the bridge seizing in place would have on the two structures and a long term study has been recommended, but as long as the bridge is being inspected regularly, it is not really an issue.

The End Appraise Stage Decision Support Package for the Bearing Replacement Study has indicated that doing nothing to the bearings is actually the best way forward at present although building a permanent inspection platform to mitigate the cost of quarterly inspection and maintenance would be a really good idea. Step forward Ish Mk III. The yearly bill for scaffolding comes out at £100,000 and the estimated capital cost comes to £250,000, a drop in the aquifer in real terms and my gut feeling is that this should drop out as an independent project starting in the Select phase, so options evaluation, contractor engagement, design; all the good stuff. Hopefully this will be a good opportunity to tackle some UKSpec competencies! If this does go to sea, then it looks very much like it would be in 2015, which is a shame, but potentially good for Ish Mk IV.  I look forward to finding out more after Easter.

Primary Engineer

I had the pleasure of attending a training session for the Primary Engineer Scheme on Thursday. This is an IMechE sponsored initiative to encourage the teaching of STEM at primary (and secondary) level to inspire the next generation of Dysons and Nobles. I had great fun ‘helping’ two Primary teachers build this;

I’ve made some connections and will be attending at least one local primary to assist in delivering this area of the syllabus. The scheme is supported by BP who are very strongly engaged with the local
schools and quite rightly too! I also attended an interesting presentation on the Kincluny Village proposal, a sustainable concept village which is awaiting planning permission from the council. It utilises a ‘closed loop’ approach that seeks to maximise self sufficiency within a defined community space in terms of energy and water consumption. There is definitely scope for a TMR there and so I won’t give to much away yet!

In Other News

It has stopped snowing. We are off to Edinburgh this week for a little sightseeing, which will be nice. This week I have been mostly been listening to Gangnam Style as Hugo has been teething quite badly and this is one of the few things that will pacify him…for about 4 mins 13s.