![]() The crew is highly trained to maneuver the tanker safely when close to offshore installations. Flap rudders and controllable pitch propellers also help to increase low speed maneuverability.įield operators often award shuttle tanker owners long-term contracts to offload and transport oil from the field installation to the receiving terminal. Shuttle tankers are equipped with two or three bow thrusters and stern thrusters as well as dynamic positioning to keep the tanker on location. They load from offshore installations with assistance from tug boats to stay on location whereas shuttle tankers operate independently in all water and weather conditions. Conventional tankers can only be used in calm waters. Shuttle tankers have also proven to be safer than conventional crude oil tankers. ![]() If a pipeline requires maintenance, the whole network is likely to be shut in. Shuttle tankers are also easier to maintain and have a back-up-system in place if they require maintenance. Pipelines often blend crude from various fields. Operators also favor the ability of shuttle tankers to segregate the oil. Operators have recognized the flexibility of loading oil and transporting it to any destination they want as opposed to pipelines that are fixed to one receiving terminal. Since then, the value of using a shuttle tanker instead of pipelines has spread worldwide. Shuttle tankers were initially used in the North Sea in the 1970s. In March 2011, BOEMRE gave final approval for Petrobras to start oil and natural gas production at its Chinook-Cascade project using the BW Pioneer FPSO. Several ultra-deepwater field discoveries as well as severe hurricane damage to pipelines sparked rumors of the first FPSO in the GOM, but it wasn't until 2006 that Petrobras announced plans to use an FPSO at its Greater Chinook Area development. In 2002, the Minerals Management Service announced its approval for FPSOs to be considered for use in the GOM. However, any shuttle tanker working in the GOM has to be built or converted in one of the few US shipyards that meet United States Federal maritime qualifications. A FPSO is recognized as a US port, but it does not have to follow the Jones Act. The vessel must be built in the US, owned and crewed by US nationals and be flagged in the US. Since 1920, the Merchant Marine Act, better known as the Jones Act, has prohibited entry of foreign ships working between US ports. News of the first FPSO and shuttle tanker in the GOM made waves through the industry when Petrobras disclosed its plans in 2007. Oil will be transported to shore via shuttle tanker while gas will travel through pipelines. Rather, Petrobras' field development plans include the use of the first floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in the GOM and subsequently the first shuttle tankers. ![]() But it won't be the distance of the field from shore, nor the water depth that makes it special. ![]() Petrobras will make history in late 2011 when it starts production from its Cascade and Chinook fields 160 miles from shore in 8,000 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico. ![]()
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