HELICOPTERS IN OIL SEARCH

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27709, 13 July 1955, Page 5

HELICOPTERS IN OIL SEARCH

COMPANY ORDERS TWO MACHINES

TRANSPORT OF STAFF TO OFF-SHORE SITES

Three important oilfields —the Persian Gulf. British Borneo, and New ' Guinea —will benefit by the use of I helicopters. The aircraft will be used in these areas to carry staff to marine drilling platforms out at sea. and for moving heavy machinery in sections of up to lOOOlbs. At Doha, in the Persian Gulf, two helicopters built in Britain and capable of carrying up to eight passengers. will begin operations very soon for off-shore drilling work. Helicopters have already proved their success as a means of transport from shore to drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and at Lake Maracaibo. Venezuela. This will, however, be the first time that they have been put into service for this type of work in the Persian Gulf. The order for two WestlandSikorsky 5.55 helicopters has been placed by the Shell Group with Westland Aircraft Ltd., Somerset. The machines, which will be fitted with floats to enable landings to be made on the sea in case of emergency, will fly under contract with Bristow Helicopters, Ltd. The present drilling location is only five or so rhiles off shore in a comparatively sheltered area. Thus it has been possible to maintain the movement of personnel and supplies by means of launches and tugs. However, future locations may’ be as far as from 60 to 70 miles out to sea and, because of the frequent spells of adverse weather experiepced in this area generally, helicopters are the only means of ensuring movement of personnel and light materials in all but the seveiest weather. Their use will also speed up journeys between the shore base and the sea location.

A small cantilever landing platform will be provided on the main drilling platform, on which the helicopters can land and take off irrespective of the sea conditions.

In addition to the Persian Gulf project, N.V. Nederlandsche Nieuw Guinee Petroleum Maatschappij, have contracted with Bahamas Helicopters, Ltd., for the use of two 5.55 helicopters for an unusual type of operation in New Guinea.

It is, planned to transport a lightweight drilling rig, dismantled into sections weighing not more than 1000 lbs, from the main camp to a drilling site some 25 miles away. When the New Guinea operations are finished, the two helicopters will move to British Borneo for further off-shore drilling work, similar to that in the Persian Gulf.