Newsletter Sept 2014

NEWSLETTER www.gdiving.com Volume 3 | Issue 3 September | 2014 BARGE SALVAGE,14HR TOW, & EMERGENCY SCUTTLE PERFORMED The 260’-long barge NASH, loaded with magnesium chloride in an aqueous solution (essentially a by-product of solar desalinization), was part of a tandem tow between Mexico and Canada. The barge sank in the vicinity of Point Conception, just off the rugged California coastline near Santa Barbara. With a specific gravity of 1.3, magnesium forward cargo and bow rake tanks retained US Coast Guard, the Bureau of Safety and chloride is much heavier than water. This enough air to prevent the barge from “falling Environmental Enforcement, and state prevented the barge’s tanks from being over,” which left the barge “aground” in a agencies to secure an emergency scuttle completely filled so as not to exceed the completely vertical orientation. permit from the US Environmental Protection ABS load-line certificate for the barge. As Global was contracted to render assistance Agency. Global crews immediately began the barge began to sink, the air contained in salvaging the barge. The barge was executing the salvage plan, which consisted within the aft cargo holds reached a depth located just 600 yards south of an active of offloading some of the cargo, adding at which the pressure differential between high-capacity oil pipeline and 600 yards enough air to the bow rakes and forward the seawater on the outside of the barge north of a Marine Protected Area. The cargo holds to get the barge to float free and the air on the inside caused the tanks proximity to these critical resources added of the seafloor, and towing her 14 miles to implode. This led to the catastrophic an element of urgency and need for a well- offshore to the EPA-approved scuttling failure of the hull. executed plan. Global’s Casualty Response location. The barge’s stern came to rest on the Group began developing a removal plan Divers gained access into the tanks and seafloor in 235’ of water. The undamaged while dive and salvage equipment was created openings to discharge the cargo. mobilized out of Port Hueneme, CA. Divers then installed air lines to delicately The 6000 HP tractor tug DELTA LINDSEY introduce air into the tanks while an ROV IN THIS was contracted from American Navigation positioned at the seafloor provided live video (AmNav) to stand by in the immediate of the progress. The “DELTA LINDSEY” was Issue vicinity of the NASH to ensure that she did brought alongside the NASH and deployed not move closer to the pipeline or MPA. a tow wire to the barge’s bridal. 1 Nash Salvage An ROV inspection was promptly When a suitable amount of air had been 2 Phase II: PLEM & SBM Replacement completed, which revealed that the bow introduced into the forward compartments, 2 Busy Season in the North Sound rake was leaking air through a weld in the the tug began taking an easy strain. Just before high tide, the barge came free from 3 MarCon: Lake Mead Project main deck and that the hull was badly damaged in water depths greater than 100’. her strand, and the 14-hour, very challenging 3 Marine Oil Terminal Inspection It became evident that refloating the barge tow to the EPA dump site began. 3 Professional Development & Safety to her traditional horizontal position was Meanwhile, Global and the USCG developed 4 Global Announcements going to be difficult and that an alternate a plan to scuttle the barge upon arrival at removal strategy would be necessary. the dump site. The difficulty in scuttling visit us at www.gdiving.com Global, acting as Incident Commander in the NASH lay in the fact that crew worked the Unified Command, worked with the feverishly to introduce air into the barge to T: 206.623.0621 | F: 206.932.9036 keep it from sinking; now, though, that same GLOBAL NEWSLETTER 2 NASH Salvage (Continued from Pg. 1) air needed to come out of the barge very quickly. Sea conditions grew worse during Update from Okinawa, Japan the tow offshore, and it was not safe for anyone to board the vessel to manually cut Phase II: PLEM & SBM Replacement holes in the barge. Global Diving & Salvage, Inc. completed and complications by environmental The USCG came up with a method for Phase II of a pipeline end manifold factors such as a typhoon, stonefish, lionfish rapidly sinking the NASH - the USCGC (PLEM) and single buoy mooring (SBM) and sea snakes, the PLEM was installed as BLACK FIN, an 87’ cutter with a .50 caliber replacement for Truston Technologies, Inc., per the engineer’s directions and drawings machine gun. The BLACK FIN was mobilized contracted by the US Defense Logistics with no alterations necessary on-site. to the scuttling location and shot 500 Agency. Work was performed in Kin Bay, The installation was accomplished without armor-piercing rounds at the exposed bow Okinawa between May and July 2014. any spare nuts or washers, a testament to of the NASH. The bullet holes allowed air to In later 2012, Global was contracted the skill of the dive crew involved with escape and water to enter the barge. The to perform Phase I, which consisted of the work. The team consistently worked NASH was last seen approximately one hour inspecting the existing installation and long hours and endured extremes of heat after the live fire when she left the surface conducting metrology and planning for a and inclement weather. A translator was and began her descent to her 2600’-deep, new structure. For Phase II, Global returned utilized onboard during work hours, and watery resting place. to Okinawa to remove the existing structure despite language and cultural differences, This very unique salvage operation was from the seafloor and replace it with the complicated evolutions were conducted completed in approximately one week, newly completed design, comprised of a and the project was completed safely without injuries or illnesses, due to the pigging loop and the replacement of the without incident. great work performed by Andy Lawrence, topside SBM with additional anchor chains. Bill Akan, Dave Partlow, Erik Woltjen, Jay During both phases, the dive crew worked Stevens, Kerry Walsh, Kyle Watson, Pete off a derrick barge supplied by Ryukyu Jobes, Scott Hynd, Shawn Taschner, Tanner Zosen Shipyard out of Naha. Hirakida, and Warren Posten. Despite the challenging engineering tasks BUSY SEASON IN THE NORTH SOUND AREA In addition to the contracted daily Tesoro pre-booming operations and OTB booming, local crews have been able to provide initial response and follow-up support to numerous jobs, including: This project could not have been completed without the dedication of the • First responders on-site as the 90’ yacht Baden crew: foreman Richard Vonderhaar from rolled over on her inaugural launch in late May. Truston Technologies, Inc., engineer Perry • Assisting with towing of the 50’ derelict F/V Orbit Smith of Smith LaSalle, NAVFAC onboard from Neah Bay to Port Angeles in late June representative Nate Sinclair, the derrick barge crew from Ryukyu Zosen Shipyard, • Response and salvage work at the Anacortes translator Miho Onishi, and the Global crew, Marina Fire in early July Ahmed Evans, Bryan Patrick, Craig Gutshall, • A multitude of DNR projects Danny Broadhurst, Gene Purtell, Kevin Severns, Mikael Kyrklund, and Spencer Dell. 3 MODIFYING A WATER CALIFORNIA REGION : INTAKE AT LAKE MEAD MARINE OIL TERMINAL INSPECTION recommendations for repairs, the Global Due to years of extensive drought conditions Global performed a California state crew, comprised of Brian Donnalley, Fred in the state of Nevada, Lake Mead, the area’s required Marine Oil Terminal Engineering Foster, Jared Soares, Joel Silver, and Kyle primary water supply, has been diminishing. and Maintenance (MOTEM) inspection for a local terminal. The inspection was Coppinger, performed coating and pile There are currently two independent intakes conducted on various steel and timber wrap repair and replacement, eliminating that draw water from different elevations of components, including approximately 97 all deficiencies. Lake Mead. A third intake is being constructed timber piles, 8 timber fender piles, 4 ea. All work was performed without incident at the lowest elevation possible in the 70” steel monopiles and 8 ea. 24” steel pipe and to the highest degree of detail. lake. Due to the droughts, the first intake piles. installed (IPS-1) has the potential to become inoperative. Work was performed off Global’s M/V Dawn. A contracted engineering-diver Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) was utilized to fulfill the required engineer elected to construct a passage between oversight. IPS-1 and IPS-2 in order to retain the redundancy and water capacity. Global was All levels of inspection were performed: contracted by Renda Pacific to perform • Level I visual & tactile inspection was underwater concrete placement to prepare conducted on 100% of the underwater IPS-1 for modifications. structure. Upon initial inspection, Global found that • Level II cleaning & close visual a landslide had occurred, increasing the inspection as needed. amount of material needed to be relocated. • Level III inspection including ultrasonic Following removal, Global welded a series thickness readings of the steel members of support gussets around an existing and cathodic potential measurements. flange. Before concrete could be placed, a Core samples were taken of the timber combination of sand bags, angle iron, and structures for analysis and plugged. steel sheets were used to construct a form capable of withstanding the force of 200+ Upon completion of the inspection and cubic yards of concrete. No cold joints in the concrete were permitted, SUPPORT GROUP UPDATES so the operation could not be terminated until the required level of coverage was Professional Development: Global began Safety Committee: Global has revamped attained.

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