An international P&I Club had concerns regarding the state and condition of a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The rig was functioning as an accommodation and power supply unit, but its class certificate had been suspended. This status was not within the standard framework of the P&I Club’s coverage. In order to maintain insurance coverage, the Club required that a survey be carried out to get a better overview of the status, condition and associated risk of the rig. Axess was asked to design and execute a comprehensive condition survey focused on identifying the potential risks to the asset and the safety of its crew.

Solution

Axess established a cross-disciplinary team and tailored a rig-wide checklist that mapped the physical condition of the asset, its safety systems, on-board management, and other aspects that specifically addressed the safety concerns raised by the client. An experienced marine surveyor was mobilised to the rig and executed the survey on time.

Two days after the survey, a comprehensive report was submitted to the client, summarising the findings and recommended actions, complete with an image log for reference.

Results

The rig was found to be in a generally poor condition with coating breakdown and extensive corrosion, but without imminent risk of structural failure. The safety and firefighting equipment were in good condition, and all the safety related findings were reported and corrected. The client gave excellent feedback on the work performed and had a sufficient basis for making decisions for future coverage of the rig.