TEMPSC Trials in the Northumberland Strait

This paper describes the project undertaken by BMT Fleet Technology Limited (BMT FTL) on behalf of a Joint Industry Partnership (JIP) to test a Totally Enclosed, Motor Propelled Survival Craft (TEMPSC) in ice conditions and to provide a detailed analysis of its survivability. Two partners, ExxonMobil and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (SEIC) are currently developing oil and gas fields off Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk. Agip KCO is the operator of developments in the Northern Caspian Sea. Transport Canada has regulatory responsibilities for the safety of ships and offshore platforms in Canadian waters (and for Canadian flag ships worldwide). Ice is a major factor in all of these areas, though its duration and severity varies. Evacuation into ice therefore becomes a major safety issue for all of the project sponsors. The core of the project was the deployment of an instrumented TEMPSC into the Northumberland Strait between the mainland of Canada and Prince Edward Island during March 2003. This would not have been possible without the support of the Canadian Coast Guard, who provided icebreaker, helicopter and base support services. This paper presents the background to the project and its objectives. It provides a description of the TEMPSC used in the trials, and of the instrumentation that was fitted to record its performance. It describes the trials that were planned, and those that were actually undertaken, explaining the differences. A summary of key findings and their safety implications are presented.