STAFLO drilling platform
| STAFLO aka A Turtle PXXI |
STAFLO was a Semi-submersible platform for drilling and exploration made for the oil industry, built in 1967-1968[1][2] by the Furness Shipbuilding Company. The name is an abbrevation of the words STAble while AFloat. It was the first of a series of similar platforms as designed by Bataafse Petroleum Maatschappij.
Design
The design consisted of four parallell pontoons, with five pillars on each of these pontoons, that was holding up the main deck. The outer pontoons hade larger diameter than the inner ones, which was also the case for the corner pillars. During construction the project was substantially delayed.
The platform was made as a semi submersible without its own propulsion[3][2] thus able to float high and as needed be submerged more or less while performing exploration- and/or drilling operations.[4]
History and discoveries
While under the ownership of Shell UK Exploration and Production the STAFLO was credited for the following discoveries;
- In october 1970 the Auk oil field with well 30/16-1.
- In july 1971 the platform discovered the Brent oilfield with well 211/29-1.
- In 1972 the Cormorant field with well 211/26-1.
- In 1974 the Affleck field with well 30/19-2.
- In 1975 the Fulmar field with well 30/16-6.
By 1975 the platform was taken over by the Southeastern Drillnig Company (Sedco) (now known as Transocean) and the platform was renamed to Sedco Staflo. It was then used for drilling and discovery operations offshore Africa and Brazil.
By 1980 it was operating in the Campos Basin in the Sul de pampo oil field and from 1984 in the Liguado oil field by company Brazilian company Petrobras. By 1991 Petrobras took over ownership of the platform and renamed it Petrobras XXI.
Decomission, scuttling and environmental threats
Catleia Oil took over the plattform in 2006 and it was renamed to A Turtle / PXXI.
During tug operations by high sea tug Mighty Deliverer which towed the platform from Macae in Brazil, via Cape Town to Singapore, a storm severed the towing line and the platform was lost afloat.
The platform drifted ashore at Tristan da Cunha and was stranded on a reef june 7 2006[5] after approximately 10 days of drifting. The company Smit International with Smit-Tak sea salvage leading operations the same year, failed an attempt to free the struck platform. Attempts using tug ST Zouros Hellas assisted by supply vessel Sea Tiger[6] also failed. In february 2007 Titan salvage managed to finally free the derelict using tug De Hong[7] and various other vessels.
Several weeks of the salvage operation had been used to remove loose material and parts of installation, refloat the platform, and pump diesel and oil from the vessel as to not release any of this into the ocean. A decisions had been made made to sink the platform in deep water once it had been freed since it was not deemed safe to recommence towing operations.
Concerns were present tha tthe platform had brought with it invasive species attached to the seagrowth, coral and animals on the vessel.[8][9][10]. Amongst various invertebrates and fish, the South American Silver porgy, an invasive an not indigenous species in the area, is now present year around in Tristan de Cunhas waters, and its impact on local ecosystems are laregly unknown. [11]
A Turtle PXXI / STAFLO was towed out to sea, sunk, and came to rest on the sea bottom in around 3,400 meters of water at 37 01.46' South, 12 01.82 West, february 10, 2007.[12][13]
References
- ↑ "STAFLO Semi-Submersible Oil Exploration Rig". emuseum.aberdeencity.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Tees Built Ships SSRT".
- ↑ "Data - Wells". www.nstauthority.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ↑ Team, Picture Stockton (2003-01-20). "Staflo Oil Drilling Rig". Picture Stockton Archive. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ↑ Millington, Peter. "21st Century Wrecks". www.tristandc.com. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
- ↑ Lloyds publication Casualty Week, july 21, 2006; https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/unipi/1884/Casualty_Week_Jul_21.pdf
- ↑ Lloyds publication Casualty Week, january 26, 2007https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/unipi/1916/Casualty_Week_Jan_26_2.pdf
- ↑ Brock (FINN), J. (2025-10-12). "Tristan da Cunha Blue Belt Update". southatlanticnews. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
- ↑ Grundy, Richard. "News of MS Oliva's impact on Tristan's Fishing Industry". www.tristandc.com. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
- ↑ Overseas Territories Conservation UK, publication Forum News 53 published november 2020; https://www.ukotcf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ForumNews53_Nov2020sm.pdf
- ↑ Overseas Terrotories Conservation UK, UKOTCF publication Southern Oceans Working Group SOWG e-Newsletter, published january 2021 no 16; https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/unipi/1884/Casualty_Week_Jul_21.pdf
- ↑ Grundy, Richard. "News of Oil Platform PXXI". www.tristandc.com. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ↑ "'A Turtle' Goes to the Bottom". Maritime Journal. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
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