Cromarty Image Library

The rig on the barges is the North Sea Pioneer, she used to be called the Transworld 58 and she was i think the first ever semi submersible to come into th Cromarty firth. The other rig along side is the Ocean Alliance and she is bridged to the quayside by JP Knights Khensu crane barge. The other rig that appears to be running anchors is either the Sta Dive or the Sta Drill I think.

Cheers Ronald - I knew you would keep me right!

I was looking for information on Transworld 58 when I found this site. My husband worked on her when she was drilling oil on the Congo river and in Angola from 1970 to 1972. According to Kerr-Mcgee History 1929-2004 she was converted in 1975. Hope this helps you.

the Trans wold 58 went through several conversions from drilling to exploration and back to drilling then on to production in 1988/89.

Ronald, Thank you for the information about Transworld 58. Glenda.

No problem Glenda, I was involved in the operation when she was lifted out of the water on the two Boa Barges (6 and 7 I think) which at the time was the first time a tandem barge lift like that had taken place in Europe pssibly the world.

The Transworld 58 was the 1st to produce oil from the North Sea on a commercial basis----May 1975.
i was a welder on the Coupler One diving barge at the time.

I worked on the Transworld 58 - 1973 to 1987. I started as a roustabout drilling off the Shetlands then worked in the control room. TW58 went into Middlesborough in 1974 and was converted to a floating production semi submersible platform start oil production June 1975 via oil transfer to theogenitor tankeri.

It has been great to learn the different bits of information on TW58. Always wanted to know what happened to her after Richard left in 1972.

My father was one of the rescued in 1981. Mr Ronald Magee. Would you have any pictures?

What happened in 1981 that your father was rescued.. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures after 1972.

Glenda like yourself I was wondering what happened in 1981, so I did a bit of research on and found a bit of info on the HSE website. In brief it says that in January of 1981 TW 58s No 4 anchor parted in 82knt winds and as the wind conditions deteriorated and over the next 3 hours 4 more anchor chains parted. At this point two helicopters were mobilised to attempt an evacuation of non essential personnel. 20 mins later the breakaway of the rig seemed imminent and 3 of the last 4 anchor chains were deliberately cut free to prevent capsize and left the rig dragging on just one anchor. shortly after the evacuation commenced and 48 people were lfted to safety leaving only 22 onboard. the rig drifted for 27 miles over 1 and a half days before a towline was secured and the rig was towed to dock for chain inspection.

Sorry, I thought I had added, my father was on the Transworld 58 oil rig disaster 1981, when they had to cut the anchors.

I joined the TW58 as a Producton Operator working for Expro (North Sea) when the rig was in Wilson Walton's yard on Teeside in late 1974.
I was working nightshift on 3rd/4th January 1976 when the rig broke free from its moorings in strong gales, and snapped several anchor chains. The gale had blown up quite suddenly, and although the riser had been pulled earlier, there was no time to disconnect the control lines to the riser, and all the hose bundles snapped, causing damage to the riser stabs. The gale subsided after daylight, but the sea was still washing over the helideck when were told by the Transworld crew that we could go to bed, but fully dressed and with lifejackets handy.
Fortunately there were no casualties and it was not necessary to evacuate the rig, but it was not until some weeks later that production was resumed.

I have two other abiding memories of the rig:
- The sheerlegs crane collapsing under the weight of the mud pump which was being removed in order to lighten the rig. The Smit Loyd supply boat which was standing by to tale th pump took off like a scalded cat. Again there were no casualties, but we had to work non-stop for thirty hours to make the production plant safe.
- On Saturday 13th November 1976, the Instrument Technician Tommy Twatt and I were dropped into the sea when the divers' cage from which we were transferring to the rig from a Zodiac fractured. We had been over to service the SBM, and were returning to the rig with the Electrician, Alan Ross, who did not get his feet wet that day!

Interesting pic. I was involved with the salvage of the Khennsu from the bottom of the Firth after it collapsed at the Invergordon base. I was actually diving on the Sedco 706, when it fell and was pulled back to the surface sharpish in case we had to perform a rescue. Thankfully not.

Interesting Mark - I remember the Knennsu accident, but not the details.

Hello. The Khensu was, I believe, in the process of being re-certified as there were a number of steel test weights on the seabed. They were a pig to rig as they were stuck in the seabed. The 706 is in Invergordon at present.

I was there when the first oil was taken ashore in the tanker Spiros. If you click on these web addresses you can see the pictures I took and the story about it.
www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=81819
www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=81818

I worked on the transworld 58 from 1980 until 1987 as an AD and I was on it when it broke loose in 81, quite a wild night that one for sure, Tommy Rattray was the electtrician on my shift, Pete Bell from KEITH was assistant Barge watch and Free Fall Franklin the crane operator, had some great times on that old tub, a fantastic number of guys started thier offshore career on the 58 many of them went on to greater things and I wish them all well, Does any body eals out there remember THE GHOST
Dave Sadowski 19th November 2007

I used to work on the 58 with Ali MacInnes, I remember Dave, Ron and the Ghost, I'm working with Ali again twenty odd years later. I heard the Barge Engineer Harry had passed away some time ago. Surprised to hear so many familiar names after so long. Anyone remember "beets"?
best regards to all for 2008, John Brown (Buckie)

Hi Dave,

Some other names that come to mind Tom Caine the crane op, Eddie Hall Crane op, The Womble Canadian Assit Driller, Glenn Mowell Rig super, The one and only Bill Pinn rig super, John Sim Roughneck, John Cnl Blink wired up electrician, Dave and Willie from production the Bothy Balladeers, (I've never liked McFarlain and thats a .....) Irish Pat asst watchstander, Dr Diesel motorman, Andy Divers Watchstander, Bill Troup roughneck, Duncan MacDonald watchstander, Ronnie Corsar Barge Engineer, Harry Clark Barge Engineer, Paul Daigle (was he supposed to be OIM?) BiscuitHeed, Alec the welder, Robbie the welder, Manuel Lamas, Tony Rovenko toolpushers, Charlie and Ray Sclater Production, John Moir Hamilton Rep, Malcolm Menkin Hamilton Rep, Alec Bolton Leroy McKinzie, Jim White Drillers. John Allun 'Scouce' one time Campboss made Driller, Crombie the welder made Driller, Joe Whittle watchstander, Charie Beatie Motorman, Marcus Nichols Asst Watchstander, all but a few that come to mind.

John Brown and myself keep bumping into each other starting in the North Sea Rig 140 and 135, Equatorial Guinea West Africa on the Aleutian Key and in the wilds of Newfoundland on the Grand Banks.

All the best to all the old crew of the 58.

Alistair MacInnes (Ali Mac) Watchstander and Barge Engineer on the 58 1975 - 1987

Hello every one, I remember the TW-58 very well. I was the Stewart & Stevenson service man that was there for the work at Teeside to bringiing the wells on line in I thought July of 75 when we had CBS TV out there. I remember Malcolm Menkin, Eddie Hall (who put me on many boats with the billy Pugh, Tony Rovenko(I actually worked with him again in the Straights of Magellan in 81), Harry Clark
Good to hear from everyone

Ahoy shipmates from Paul (scouse) Heald, diver Comex Aberdeen on the 58 round 75/ 76 with R C Ledford diver, Mick Hindmarsh of global diving. I'd be glad to hear from any of the boys on 0114 2368210.

Hi, I was on the 58 in early 80's, Paul " Nam " Daigle and Steve" the Rev" Davis, were OIM'S. Worked as Steward with Universal, Camp Boss at time was Slavatore Di Pasquale. Then we got Sammi Arbid, I Remember Big Harry, and Manuel Lammas well, crane op Bob Chisolm as well. Not to Mention Ex Steward turned roustabout "Scouse" and Mike the medic, also Andy Divvers, Stalwart of the Criterion Bar. I moved on to Sedco 714 then Pentagone 84 before being made redundant in 86 during the slump. I have good memories of those times, especially the culture shock of going from the 58's 4 man cabins to the 714's two man en suite jobs, still it makes the man eh !

Quote Ronald Young on 19 March 2006
"The rig on the barges is the North Sea Pioneer, she used to be called the Transworld 58 and she was i think the first ever semi submersible to come into the Cromarty firth. The other rig along side is the Ocean Alliance and she is bridged to the quayside by JP Knights Khensu crane barge. The other rig that appears to be running anchors is either the Sta Dive or the Sta Drill I think."
Aye the other rig was indeed the Stadrill (soon to become the Smedvig West Stadrill). I was working nightshift on it (hoist op') when Piper Alpha went up.

I hope you all doing fine out there, I never went back offshore so where ever you are I often think about the 58 - we were the real North Sea tigers.

I'm amazed in coming across such memories, I'm in the process of researching some data for a sub sea presentation and indeed worked on the TW58 in the summer of 1977 with Expro. I remember the Ghost & Ray and Chalie Sclater. Also on board was Jimmy Buchanan (Hamilton Bros Rep) Bob Black & Tommy Largue (both now deceased I'm informed) A great bunch of guys and real pioneering days !!

Hi guys, found this site by chance. Great to hear all the old names again from the Transworld 58. I was Radio Operator from 1979-1984 then on Deepsea Pioneer from 1984-1992 on the good old Argyll Field. Yes indeed, 24th November 1981 was a night to remember - this is now my 30th year offshore but I have yet to see another storm like that one. All the best to the guys out there - sadly some of our old friends have passed away, but I do bump into others, recently working with Alec Bolton on the Ensco 102 and still keep in touch with Kieran Slattery/Medic, best wishes - Alastair Rhind from Forres

I'd like to get in touch with Joe Whittle. He was barge Op on TW58.

The North Sea Pioneer is currently sitting off the port of Sekondi / Takoradi in Ghana. Using Google Earth you can zoom quite close in - it's looking quite sorry for itself now.

Good to see some of the old names involved On the 58, first rig i was on. Reconize a few of the names. How about John o Donnel, Eric beumont, JR and the Kieth mafia and the infamous BOODA. Where are they all now? This was in the early 80s.

When rummaging thru a flea market, I found a royal delft plate depicting Transworld-Rig 58. The plate was made in 1966 and has a diameter of 5.5 inches. Does anyone have the answer to the following questions?

What is significant about 1966 in the history of Transworld-Rig 58? What do the initials KM, PS, NDSM, and GN stand for? Any additional information is appreciated.

Frits Dekort, E-Mail: shsherman@yahoo.com

Hi There, I can tell you that the TW 58 was built in 1966 so the plate is probably a comemorative one.
cheers

I still am wondering what the initials KM, PS, NDSM, and GN stand for. I found NDSM online and it said that is the place that it was made in Amsterdam. The other initials I could not find.

Hi again, I would yhink that KM stands for KERR McGEE.That was the parent company that owned Transworld Drilling, I think that they majored in uranium mining, they had a fair few rigs and I believe that Transworld were thr first ever company to drill offshore.For Kerr McGEE see the film THE KAREN SILKWOOD AFFAIR.Good luck

Just found this by accident. I started as a roustabout on the TW58 in the summer of 1977 and I stayed there for a year before moving to a rig that actually drilled. I remember Tom the crane op, Diesel John and Bhudda the motormen. Tony Revenko and Manuel Lammas the pushers. I worked with Bill Pinn, Jimmy Lynch, Chuck Keenan, Neil Mochan. I remember the Ghost (Alan Will?) and Simon whose dad ran Bellview Zoo. 'Freefall Franklin' .... what a man!

I also found this site by pure chance. I worked on TW58 during 1979 and part of 1980 when it was operating on Argyll with "Hamilton Brothers" and "Dover Oil & Gas." I was on duty that Christmas and New Year. I was a roustabout and then a roughneck, I remember John Sim, Ricky, Crombie the welder, Manuel Lamas, Keith, and Bob. I was also on duty the night of the tragedy when the Alexander Kielland capsized in Norwegian waters not far from Argyll and our support boats participated to the rescue operations, it was March 1980. After that tragedy we were sent with TW58 to Haugesund in Norway for major repairs. After the North Sea I went to South America, got married and then I joined the United Nations in Africa, South America and the Middle East, I am still with the UN in the Peacekeeping Operations in Liberia.

Well well, Andrea Tamagnini, you are the guy that taught me how to ask for a pint of heavy beer at my pub but in Italian, I also got your roughnecks job when you quit. How does working for the UN compare to roughnecking for Lee Roy McKinzie, I was sorry to see you leave the 58 all those years ago, I was hoping to learn more Italian from you.

Hope you are all fine. Tom Kane passed away a few years ago and a friend I kept up with died two years ago, he came from Fraserburugh - Alistair Cruickshank - we came out of Rotterdam together on tow as a drilling rig, March 1973.

I have some photos of TW58 and its crew in 1980. Can we upload them?

Editor's note: this isn't really the place as this is a site about the town of Cromarty - try Oilrig Photos instead. They use the same software as this site and are delighted to get any pics.

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