U.S. NAVY SALVAGE REPORT DEEPWATER HORIZON ... - ESSM

USCG DEEP WATER HORIZON
INVESTIGATION D.O. 0043
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In September 2010, the Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, Code 00C2 of the Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA) directed Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. (Phoenix) to perform an
investigation of the sunken oil drilling platform, Deep Water Horizon. The work was performed
under contract N00024-06-D-4104 Delivery Order (D.O.) 0043. The NAVSEA Representative
was Ric Sasse.
On 15 September 2010, the Deep Drone system was mobilized and trucked to the Bollinger ship
yard in Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The Support ship for the operation was M/V GENIE LAB
leased by the United States Coast Guard from Laborde Marine. The vessel was inspected and a
deck layout plan was created. The Deep Drone system was mobilized onboard, secured, and
readied for sea.
Once on site, observation of other vessels and drilling rigs in close proximity to the sunken oil
drilling platform showed that an exclusion zone around the vessel GENIE LAB would be needed
to perform the visual investigation of the Deep Water Horizon rig. When this was accomplished
the Deep Drone Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was readied and dove on the wreckage site.
As Deep Drone approached the sea floor, an extremely large sonar target was observed. The
vehicle was maneuvered close to the target and it was confirmed that the target was the main
pontoon section of the Deep Water Horizon. The main pontoon section was inverted with seven
of the eight Megastar thrusters standing proud up off the bottom of the pontoons. Condition,
shape, and direction of the pontoons were recorded. A visual inspection of each of the four legs
of the platform was then conducted. When Deep Drone approached the sea floor, a continuation
of the inspection of the main drilling platform floor was completed. Damage to the platform and
pontoon structure, plus the irregular bottom topography, indicated the rig impacted the bottom at
a high rate of descent. During this inspection, the riser pipe was noticed to be lying across the
pontoon and leg sections of Deep Water Horizon.
Inspection of the wreckage field and other parts of the main structure were the next items of
interest. During this search, the bridge main control room and the control vans for an ROV were
found. The same riser pipe that was crossing over the main pontoon and leg section was also
adjacent to the bridge control room section. Close inspection of the bridge control room section
showed that two windows on the right side of the bridge were missing, allowing access to the
interior of the bridge control room.
Deep Drone was recovered to the deck of GENIE LAB and the Phoenix developed xBot III, a
Micro-ROV, was installed into Deep Drone’s framework. Deep Drone was checked, readied,
and launched for an xBot penetration dive into the bridge main control room. Deep Drone was
maneuvered under the riser pipe, which was suspended fifteen feet above the sea floor, and close
to the two open bridge windows. xBot was released from its cage in Deep Drone and flown into
the bridge window.
Once xBot was inside the bridge it was directed to observe instrument settings and conditions. A
thorough video survey of the interior of the bridge section was completed. xBot was then flown
out of the bridge window and back into the cage inside Deep Drone. The fiber optic umbilical
PIHI – 10096
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