Maintenance work on seismic boats

Text and photo: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

"From these winches, the cables pass through the pulleys and into the sea. Whether Ramform Explorer will be activated again, we do not know. But when the boat remains inactive for so long, the equipment must be checked regularly. The shipping company always keeps the ships ready to go at short notice, and we assist where we can", says Erik Vindheim, a mechanic at FFS.

Together with Geir Ove Kummuneje, he lifts a disassembled cylinder from the ground and loads it onto a pallet truck. Then it is wheeled away.

"THE NEST STEP is to determine whether it should be overhauled or replaced, but that's up to others to decide", says Vindheim.

A few decks below, there is also full activity. One of FFS's workboats docks at the ship's side before retrieving a hose from the suction truck belonging to Hansen Renovation. Oil-contaminated water is to be collected.

FURTHER OUT IN in Lundevågen, another seismic boat has moored. PGS Apollo is set to have a Pinger Pole installed, which is a signal transmitter used in seismic operations.

In a tight shaft towards the bottom of the boat, mechanics Simon Langemyr and Joar Hansen are at work.

"In addition to installing a Pinger Pole, we have removed the housings these are placed in and sandblasted them. It's a fairly big job. Moreover, we're under some time pressure because the boat is soon heading out on a mission again", says Langemyr.