Salvors Assessing Grounded Transocean Drilling Rig

A team of eight salvors is now making its way on board the drilling rig Transocean (RIG) Winner which is currently grounded off the Isle of Lewis.

They’ll now be carrying out a full assessment of the rig and intend to work to make it habitable so that they can remain on it overnight. There’s also work being done to help provide a supply line for the team so they can get equipment and supplies on board.

Rope access technicians have created a safe alternative access after the prevailing weather conditions made it too difficult to winch the team down to the installation.

The team from Transocean and Smit will look at the diesel oil tanks looking at how they might start procedures to transfer any fuel to other unbreached tanks within the rig so that it will be in a safe location well above the waterline, before any operation to refloat the rig commences.

There’s also work going on in close proximity to the Transocean Winner to carry out a multi-beam survey looking to identify the safest route to move it when the time comes.

An additional aircraft is going to be brought in later today to help with the work.

An exclusion zone of 300 metres remains in place around the rig  covering the sea and the air, which means no drones will be permitted in the area, providing a safe working area for the salvage team to work in.

Hugh Shaw, who is the Secretary of State’s representative for maritime salvage and intervention, said: ‘Once the assessment is under way, we’ll have a much better idea of what we are dealing with, which will mean a more detailed salvage plan can be drawn up and put into place. We’ve made a commitment to keeping people informed locally and we intend to keep to that – once I’m happy that the plan is ready, we will be sharing it with community leaders and the community as a whole.’