I’m shelling Riley I’m a professional rigger by trade it’s the stuff I’m
rigger by trade it’s the stuff I’m
rigger by trade it’s the stuff I’m passionate about we’re going to meet the
passionate about we’re going to meet the
passionate about we’re going to meet the people working overtime not the unsung
people working overtime not the unsung
people working overtime not the unsung heroes you guys are rock stars I’m just
heroes you guys are rock stars I’m just
heroes you guys are rock stars I’m just learning by watching tackling the
learning by watching tackling the
learning by watching tackling the toughest problems on the planet
toughest problems on the planet
toughest problems on the planet if it’s big broken we’re gonna fix it on
if it’s big broken we’re gonna fix it on
if it’s big broken we’re gonna fix it on world’s toughest fixes
world’s toughest fixes
world’s toughest fixes I’m headed to the dcv Balder a deepwater
I’m headed to the dcv Balder a deepwater
I’m headed to the dcv Balder a deepwater construction vessel designed to service
construction vessel designed to service
construction vessel designed to service the oil industry there are only a
the oil industry there are only a
the oil industry there are only a handful of vessels on the planet that
handful of vessels on the planet that
handful of vessels on the planet that can do this kind of work and any day now
can do this kind of work and any day now
can do this kind of work and any day now they’re gonna be shutting this one down
they’re gonna be shutting this one down
they’re gonna be shutting this one down this vessel is powered by seven
this vessel is powered by seven
this vessel is powered by seven thrusters it’s basically the propulsion
thrusters it’s basically the propulsion
thrusters it’s basically the propulsion units for the whole vessel each one can
units for the whole vessel each one can
units for the whole vessel each one can rotate 360 degrees to propel in any
rotate 360 degrees to propel in any
rotate 360 degrees to propel in any direction and one of them is what we’re
direction and one of them is what we’re
direction and one of them is what we’re here to fix so how do you swap out a
here to fix so how do you swap out a
here to fix so how do you swap out a thruster on one of these vessels well
thruster on one of these vessels well
thruster on one of these vessels well first of all there’s no garage big
first of all there’s no garage big
first of all there’s no garage big enough to take it to so you’re doing it
enough to take it to so you’re doing it
enough to take it to so you’re doing it here in the open ocean second of all you
here in the open ocean second of all you
here in the open ocean second of all you can’t flip the thing upside down so that
can’t flip the thing upside down so that
can’t flip the thing upside down so that means divers have got to go in and do it
means divers have got to go in and do it
means divers have got to go in and do it from the bottom in order to free up the
from the bottom in order to free up the
from the bottom in order to free up the old thruster they’ll have to attach
old thruster they’ll have to attach
old thruster they’ll have to attach cables to the top of it and drop it out
cables to the top of it and drop it out
cables to the top of it and drop it out the bottom of the hull then a giant
the bottom of the hull then a giant
the bottom of the hull then a giant crane will lift the thruster onto a
crane will lift the thruster onto a
crane will lift the thruster onto a waiting support vessel they’ll transfer
waiting support vessel they’ll transfer
waiting support vessel they’ll transfer the cables over from the old thruster
the cables over from the old thruster
the cables over from the old thruster to the new one and then the crane will
to the new one and then the crane will
to the new one and then the crane will drop the replacement down into the water
drop the replacement down into the water
drop the replacement down into the water they’ll jockey it into position hook it
they’ll jockey it into position hook it
they’ll jockey it into position hook it up and if everything goes according to
up and if everything goes according to
up and if everything goes according to plan we’re done
plan we’re done
plan we’re done estimated time for the swap is 5 to 6
estimated time for the swap is 5 to 6
estimated time for the swap is 5 to 6 hours if everything goes smoothly every
hours if everything goes smoothly every
hours if everything goes smoothly every minute is crucial while the weather’s
minute is crucial while the weather’s
minute is crucial while the weather’s good we have to keep going the crane has
good we have to keep going the crane has
good we have to keep going the crane has been slowly dragging the old thruster
been slowly dragging the old thruster
been slowly dragging the old thruster out from under the hull and the supply
out from under the hull and the supply
out from under the hull and the supply vessel is still struggling to get into
vessel is still struggling to get into
vessel is still struggling to get into position suddenly out of the dark waters
position suddenly out of the dark waters
position suddenly out of the dark waters wow there it is that thing has been
wow there it is that thing has been
wow there it is that thing has been under the water in hard service for 5
under the water in hard service for 5
under the water in hard service for 5 years that’s it for the old thruster the
years that’s it for the old thruster the
years that’s it for the old thruster the supply ship takes it out we won’t see it
supply ship takes it out we won’t see it
supply ship takes it out we won’t see it for six months it’s off for the factory
for six months it’s off for the factory
for six months it’s off for the factory for refurbishing now the crew can focus
for refurbishing now the crew can focus
for refurbishing now the crew can focus on getting the replacement thruster back
on getting the replacement thruster back
on getting the replacement thruster back into the hall
this is a critical moment the lines from
this is a critical moment the lines from the winches on the Boulder’s deck are
the winches on the Boulder’s deck are
the winches on the Boulder’s deck are now connected through the hoe and onto
now connected through the hoe and onto
now connected through the hoe and onto the thruster on the supply ship nice
the thruster on the supply ship nice
the thruster on the supply ship nice there she goes
there she goes
there she goes alright they did it they got it off the
alright they did it they got it off the
alright they did it they got it off the deck
it’s time for the divers to take charge
it’s time for the divers to take charge Brian’s going in for a crucial died he
Brian’s going in for a crucial died he
Brian’s going in for a crucial died he has to release the line from the crane
has to release the line from the crane
has to release the line from the crane so the thruster can be lined up
so the thruster can be lined up
so the thruster can be lined up perfectly vertical is this thing super
perfectly vertical is this thing super
perfectly vertical is this thing super cool or what this is the business end of
cool or what this is the business end of
cool or what this is the business end of the thruster take a look at the size of
the thruster take a look at the size of
the thruster take a look at the size of this prop you wouldn’t want to be
this prop you wouldn’t want to be
this prop you wouldn’t want to be anywhere near this thing when it’s in
anywhere near this thing when it’s in
anywhere near this thing when it’s in operation turning out a hundred and ten
operation turning out a hundred and ten
operation turning out a hundred and ten thousand pounds of thrust this thing
thousand pounds of thrust this thing
thousand pounds of thrust this thing would suck you in dice you up and spit
would suck you in dice you up and spit
would suck you in dice you up and spit you straight out before we can pull this
you straight out before we can pull this
you straight out before we can pull this thruster into its housing Brian has to
thruster into its housing Brian has to
thruster into its housing Brian has to release the crane line he’s having
release the crane line he’s having
release the crane line he’s having trouble getting that bolt out it’s been
trouble getting that bolt out it’s been
trouble getting that bolt out it’s been under immense pressure throughout the
under immense pressure throughout the
under immense pressure throughout the day and it looks like it’s stuck fast
he’s got to get that crane line
he’s got to get that crane line disconnected because it’s pulling
disconnected because it’s pulling
disconnected because it’s pulling sideways on the thruster it’ll be easier
sideways on the thruster it’ll be easier
sideways on the thruster it’ll be easier to lift once all of that side load is
to lift once all of that side load is
to lift once all of that side load is off hang on I think it needs a hand
all my air is gone it’s lame I would
all my air is gone it’s lame I would have liked to have stayed and seen that
have liked to have stayed and seen that
have liked to have stayed and seen that duster gone in but I think I better get
duster gone in but I think I better get
duster gone in but I think I better get out we’re down to the last phase of the
out we’re down to the last phase of the
out we’re down to the last phase of the operation with the crane line free the
operation with the crane line free the
operation with the crane line free the vertical winters have to go to work to
vertical winters have to go to work to
vertical winters have to go to work to pull the thruster into position this is
pull the thruster into position this is
pull the thruster into position this is the last few minutes of the fix that
the last few minutes of the fix that
the last few minutes of the fix that thrusters being raised into position in
thrusters being raised into position in
thrusters being raised into position in the last fragile part are those o-rings
the last fragile part are those o-rings
the last fragile part are those o-rings around the bottom lip those o-rings have
around the bottom lip those o-rings have
around the bottom lip those o-rings have got a seat just right so they’re
got a seat just right so they’re
got a seat just right so they’re carefully maneuvering 38 tons into
carefully maneuvering 38 tons into
carefully maneuvering 38 tons into position
okay the thruster has its cap into the
okay the thruster has its cap into the recess and they’re just using the linear
recess and they’re just using the linear
recess and they’re just using the linear winches to slowly pull it up into place
tense moment they don’t lift completely
tense moment they don’t lift completely evenly on the winches it could turn
evenly on the winches it could turn
evenly on the winches it could turn sideways out of plumb a tiny bit and it
sideways out of plumb a tiny bit and it
sideways out of plumb a tiny bit and it will just rip that housing right off we
will just rip that housing right off we
will just rip that housing right off we could rip the o-ring hope less you get
could rip the o-ring hope less you get
could rip the o-ring hope less you get it off there
[Music]
[Music] yeah yeah kaki door
yeah yeah kaki door
yeah yeah kaki door [Music]
BAM that’s it it’s in boy just seeing
BAM that’s it it’s in boy just seeing those last few inches pull up into place
those last few inches pull up into place
those last few inches pull up into place the whole thruster clunks into position
the whole thruster clunks into position
the whole thruster clunks into position Oh ring seals slip right into the inside
Oh ring seals slip right into the inside
Oh ring seals slip right into the inside of the housing the whole thing boom just
of the housing the whole thing boom just
of the housing the whole thing boom just like that
like that
like that it’s fixed
”
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