A TOWING CONCEPT FOR SMALL ICEBERGS
This paper describes a new harness system for diverting icebergs away from drilling operations on the East Coast of Canada. Initially demonstrated by Bruneau and Dempster, iceberg towing is now a routine feature of exploration activities on the Labrador Coast. Basically, the towing method employed to date involves attaching a four inch polypropylene rope around the icebeg at the waterline and applying between 10,000 and 70,000 pounds force at that point to direct the berg away from the drilling operation and into currents which will draw it safely around the drillship or drilling platform. Because of this configuration and the geometry of some of the icebergs encountered, the method may fail for smaller, unstable and/or dome shaped icebergs. Either these smaller bergs capsize when the load is applied at the waterline or, in the case of the domed bergs, the towing hawser slips over the top of the berg. It has, therefore, been difficult until now to tow the full spectrum of icebergs encountered. This limitation is overcome by design modifications in this towing technique in which the towing force is applied through the centre of mass of the berg.
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Supplemental Notes:
- Proceedings of the First International Conference and Workshops on Iceberg Utilization for Fresh Water Production, Weather Modification and Other Applications, held at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, October 2-6, 1977.
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Corporate Authors:
Maxwell Scientific International
Maxwell House, Fairview Park
Elmsford, NY United States 10523 -
Authors:
- Benedict, C P
- Conference:
- Publication Date: 1977
Media Info
- Pagination: p. 334
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Drilling; Icebergs; Operations; Towing devices
- Geographic Terms: Arctic Regions
- Old TRIS Terms: Arctic drilling; Arctic operations; Towed bodies
- Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Marine Transportation;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00325821
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Apr 15 1981 12:00AM