Gryphon Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel The Gryphon FPSO is located 175 miles north

east of Aberdeen. The vessel is 260 metres long and 41 metres wide. It is capable of storing 540,000 barrels of oil. The water depth around its position is 112 metres.

The Gryphon FPSO with the circular, white turret in the middle of the vessel above the lettering of Block 9/18b and a helicopter pad on the bow (front) side, from where non-essential staff were evacuated.

The Gryphon FPSO is a large floating vessel that acts as a production facility for the oil fields below the sea bed. A complex series of pipes and tubing connects the vessel to the oil and gas wells on the sea bed. The FPSO is moored to the seabed via ten 35-tonne anchors 1,100 metres away from its normal location. The anchor chains lie on the sea bed for 900 metres, before rising upwards to the FPSO. All anchor chains and the various piping, which transports oil to the FPSO, injects gas into reservoirs, or sends controls and signals to and fro, are connected up through the FPSO s turret a central circular section in the middle of the FPSO. While the turret always stays facing in the same direction so that the various connections do not get entangled, the FPSO can rotate around it in order to always

face into the wind. This ensures the stability of the entire FPSO and the piping system.

A plan showing the Gryphon FPSO and the series of connections to the Gryphon, Maclure and Tullich oil and gas fields, which lie at least 1.5 kilometres away from the FPSO.

In the storm of Feb. 4, with high waves and wind speeds of 56 knots, the FPSO lost its heading and began turning so that the wind battered its sides. The FPSO began rocking. At some point in this sequence of events the FPSO began moving off its position. Power was also lost for 30 seconds. These events lasted 10 minutes, by the end of which the FPSO had moved off its usual position. The oil and gas wells on the sea bed were shutdown immediately. However, in that short time, four of the ten anchors broke and serious damage, as yet not fully defined, was sustained to some of the piping system. It is believed that there could be significant damage to some piping, called risers and riser bases, running from the FPSO down to the seabed. However, no damage has been seen to the infrastructure surrounding the wells, including the well manifolds and the wells themselves, which lie at least 1.5 km away from the FPSO. Inspections continue. Of the 114 crew members, 74 non-essential staff were evacuated. Two crew members sustained minor injuries but were allowed to return home that evening. There are currently 43 crew members on Gryphon, with some of the essential crew changed out.

There are now four anchor-handling tugboats, one diving support vessel (DSV) and one remotely operated vehicle (ROV) support vessel assisting operations at Gryphon. The work of the Maersk Oil teams now is three-fold: To untangle snapped anchor chains after two tugboats to the front of the vessel has been attached, increasing the FPSOs stability. To reconnect anchor chains to the anchors, which have all remained in place on the seabed. To establish the sequence of events that led to the damage, examine the causes and, if necessary, implement any changes to procedure or equipment as a consequence. To asses damage to the FPSO itself, considered not to be heavy, and to the subsea piping consisting of flowlines, gaslifts, risers and controls called umbilicals. To then formulate an action plan to repair this damage.