Long time readers of this blog know I’ve assigned the term “exotic” to vessel types not commonly seen in the sixth boro. If I’d begun the blog in the SW Louisiana section of the Gulf of Mexico, I’d never have called the boats in this post “exotic.” For a primer on types of offshore supply vessels (OSVs) seen in these waters, check out this link and call it OSV 101 . . . as the USCG does.
Let’s have a look.
Above and below, the name “tiger” gets applied to two very different vessels with a quarter mile of each other. I’ve not yet tapped into significant resources for OSVs like the Tiger above or the Tiger below, a small lift boat, sometimes referred to as an elevating boat. I believe Tiger started life as Al Plachy in 1971.
These photos were all taken between Port of Iberia and Port Fourchon, an area where, besides OSVs like Luke Thomas, another “exotic” feature is the amount of energy infrastructure. I do have a lot of photos I’ll need help interpreting because I could call all these structures “rigs” or platforms but I suspect enough differentiation exists that should be understood. All that will be part of unpacking my recent hot sojourn. For a sense of the platforms and active pipelines in the “oil patch,” click here. A much more detailed picture emerges from looking at a bathymetric chart that shows all the inactive infrastructure that needs nevertheless to be considered before anchoring or spudding down.
More on Luke Thomas here.
Grant, I believe, is a smaller but faster OSV. As I alluded above, the amount of differentiation among platforms is significant.
Check out this sequence with Grant, where she approaches stern-to,
a “personnel cage” is lowered, and
a crew member will be transferred up to the top of the platform. Does the “cage” have a more technical or vernacular term?
Gloria May here backs up to a rig in the area of Isles Dernieres/Timbalier Island chain. I have some good bird photos, so I’m going to have to do a “for the birds post” one of these days.
I’m not sure where C-Fighter was coming from, but
her livery and name identify her as an Edison Chouest OSV, and she was headed into Port Fourchon. C-Fighter has appeared in this blog once before here.
All photos and any errors . . . please pin on WVD. I did make a doozy of an error in yesterday’s post, and am grateful for readers’ pointing out that error.
In a few days when I’m more settled, I’ll begin a more systematic record of my trip out of the bayous.
tugster: a waterblog 
6 comments
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August 7, 2022 at 11:27 am
George Schneider
Being an old oilfield hand, I’d be glad to help “unpacking” the various kinds of oilfield craft, including oilfield jargon for them. You’d never hear a true blue (or true red maybe) oilfield hand refer to an “OSV” or “AHTS”. But be forewarned, nothing is “binary” among the types, just as we slowly learn about most things in this world.
Even on a major scale, GRANT is called a “crew-boat”, and is documented as a passenger vessel, although her major duties tend to be high-speed cargo runs. Then there are the “Utility Boats,” While crewboats tend to be planing hulls, utility boats are also cargo-carrying boats with passenger certificates, but they have full-displacement hulls, hence they’re slower and cheaper to hire. But sure enough, by their primary duties, you could call both types an OSV.
That’s only scratching the surface, and the break-down of oil drilling and production types is another whole world full of “rules” and exceptions.
August 7, 2022 at 6:00 pm
tugster
George–I’ll send you some of the “platform” pics to identify. I didn’t realize you had worked in the GOM.
August 7, 2022 at 1:29 pm
Bob
Glad you are back posting.
When I worked in the Gulf the ‘transfer cage’ was called a Billy Pugh basket. If the crane operator was in a playful mood he would spin the boom around quickly so the basket swung from the vertical to more horizontal. Fun times.
August 7, 2022 at 5:58 pm
tugster
Bob– I had to look it up: https://www.billypugh.com/products/x-904-transfer-device/
August 7, 2022 at 5:09 pm
Phil Little
Fond memories: In the ’90’s, I worked on a number of Crewboats doing research projects for my employer. Twin Disc. Nothing like doing torsional vibration studies in an engine room with five 650 hp engines for company, in August, in the GOM! 125 deg ambient, drinking gallons of water and never peeing! A true sweat lodge! And some deafening sound effects!
And we never knew where we would wind up, since the boats were for short term hire and would get a new assignment mid-run, and you could be “shanghai’d” for a week without ever touching a dock, let alone the one you left from! 3 am in Pilottown trying to find a payphone to get a ride back to my car in Cameron…but certainly more interesting than goin’ to the office every day!
August 7, 2022 at 6:00 pm
tugster
Sweat lodge . . . yessir, Phil. I know what that feels like.