Jackup Bridge — Offshore Industrial Photography

Side view of the JB-115 jack-up barge with legs deployed, showing the height and structure above water.

JB-115 is more than just an accommodation jack-up barge; it’s a functional part of offshore life. On boarding, its size, structure, and role become clear — housing, workspaces, crane capacity, and leg height all matter when you’re working miles from land.

The JB-115, owned by JUB, is an MSC SEA-2000 self-elevating unit built in 2009. It houses 64 people with the capacity to increase to 120. Its legs stand 80 meters tall; with a maximum payload of 1,250 tonnes and a 300-ton crane, it handles more than just housing. I captured shots of deck structure, machinery, the legs reaching upward, and the scale of its operations. Whether close-up of welds or distant views of tower and platform, there’s something in the lines, metal, and industrial detail working together.

Platforms like this are where engineering, endurance, and offshore conditions intersect. For more industrial and renewables work, see my Wind Industry and Industrial galleries.

Derrick

A derrick is a structure over an oil well which supports the drilling equipment and allows it to be lifted into and out of the wellbore.

The term derrick originates from Thomas Derrick, an English executioner c. 1608.

In English history, the executioner was not a commonly chosen career path because of the risk of friends and families of the deceased knowing who the executioner was and where to find him. Executioners were sometimes coerced into the role. Derrick in particular had been convicted of rape but was pardoned by the Earl of Essex (clearing him of the death penalty) on the condition that he became an executioner at Tyburn.

Derrick executed more than 3,000 people in his career, including his pardoner, the Earl of Essex, in 1601. Derrick devised a beam with a topping lift and pulleys for his hangings, instead of the old-fashioned rope over the beam method.

The word derrick became an eponym for the frame from which the hangman's noose was supported and through that usage (by analogy) to modern-day cranes.

Flotta Oil Terminal.

Hello,

Today id like to share a few images taken at Flotta oil and gas processing terminal.

The Flotta Terminal is located on the island of Flotta in the Orkney Islands just north of mainland Scotland. It was commissioned in 1977, with Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited becoming the major shareholder and operator in May 2000. The terminal covers a 395-acre site, approximately one-sixth of the area of Flotta Island. Crude oil is imported to the Flotta Oil Terminal from several offshore installations through a 30” subsea pipeline. The pipeline is fed from the following Repsol Sinopec Operated fields; Claymore, Scapa, Piper ‘B’, Tweedsmuir, Tartan, Highlander, Duart, Petronella, Galley and Nexen’s operated Golden Eagle field.

The crude oil processing facilities consist of three separate crude stabilisation trains operating in parallel. This allows a design maximum plant flowrate of 375,000 bbl/d to be processed between the three trains.

The stabilised crude is then transferred to the Crude Oil Storage area with the Desalter wash water transferred to the Desalter Water Treatment plant.

There are currently insufficient volumes of gas supply to sustain the operation of the gas processing plant; as such the gas plant facility was decommissioned in 2017/2018. Gas from the overhead stabilisation process is utilised as fuel gas at the hot oil heaters and powerhouse which generate site electricity using duel fuel turbines. Any excess gas is used at the powerhouse, where there is spare generating capacity to allow additional power export to the national grid.

Setting sun in the North Sea.

Hello,

Today i would like to share some images of the setting sun in the North sea.

I have been lucky in my time offshore to see some amazing weather.

A spectacular sun rise, or setting sun in the middle of the sea is something really magical.

I hope that you have a good weekend.

Lee

Accommodation vessel.

Hello,

Hope that you are well.

Today id like to share 3 more images of the Safe Boreas Flotel in the North Sea.

I asked the question to see if anyone could work out what camera these recent offshore oil and gas images were taken with..

All recent offshore images were taken with my iPhoneX.

The advancements of these cameras is phenomenal.

If you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter and would love to see what images you have achieved with your phones.

Lee

Platform construction

Hello,

How are you? Have you had a good week?

Today id like to share some images of a North Sea oil and gas platform module.

This module was constructed in Aberdeen but a consortium of companies.

These images were taken are on the day that construction was completed and they were being shipped out to the platform.

Leaving the yard to head to vessel.

Two more parts of the puzzle.

From wagon to shipping vessel.

I hope that you found these interesting,

I was lucky to have followed the construction from design all the way through to execution.

Lee

Oil Rig.

Hello,

How are you?

Today id like to share 4 images of an North sea oil and gas platform.

There have been a few images on this blog now and more to come.

I would like to know what your thoughts are on the camera used to take these images?

Ill reveal in the next rig post.

Have a good weekend.

Lee

Accommodation at sea

Hello,

Id like to share a couple of images of the accommodation vessel the Safe Boreas attached to the side of the Mariner A platform.

Again as previously talked about, all about the timing. There is around 2 hours difference between these two images.

Have a good weekend.

Lee

The Mariner A oil and gas platform

Hello,

Today i thought that i would talk about the oil / gas rig that you will have seen images of. I was involved with the construction of this beast. At any one time there was 850 people offshore.

As oil rigs go, this is a one of kind.

The Mariner oilfield is located in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea, about 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, in block 9/11a. It was discovered in 1981 at a depth of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) below sea level. Water depth in the area is about 100 metres (330 ft). Estimated recovery is at least 250 million barrels (40×106 m3) of oil. 

As of December 2012 the operator, Statoil (now Equinor), made the investment decision and final approval of the field development plan by the UK authorities is in progress. The plan envisages a production, drilling and quarters platform based on a conventional steel jacket, exporting oil via a floating storage unit.

The oil is heavy and viscous, with API gravities of 12.1°–14.6° and viscosities ranging from 67cp in the field's Maureen reservoir to 508cp in the Heimdal reservoir. The small volume of associated gas will be used as fuel for the platform, and more fuel gas will be imported via a connection to the nearby Vesterled pipeline.

In summary

It took over 35 years to work out how to extract this super heavy thick oil. The diluting solution that mixes with the oil, thins it out, and we end up with an even better product. As this platform isn’t on a pipe line, she is connected a large vessel, known as an FSU (floating storage unit) This FSU pumps the diluting solution to the platform, and the platform then pumps back the recovered oil. A large tanker comes into the field every few days to collect the produced oil.

Amazing isn’t it.

Have a good week.

Lee

Prosafe - Safe Boreas

Hello,

I want to share some images taken of an accommodation vessel..

The Safe Boreas is the most advanced and efficient harsh environment accommodation vessel in the world, constructed to comply with Norwegian regulations.

The vessel has the capacity to accommodate 450 persons in single man cabins.

The layout of the unit is unique, with two large internal atriums allowing natural daylight into cabins, mess room and recreational areas.

The vessel is named after Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind and the bringer of cold winter air.

The name reflects that the vessel is designed for operating in the Norwegian and UK North Sea, a geographical area renown for its cold climate and harsh winters.

The key is to wait...

Hello how are you?

Have you had a good festive period.

Thats it all over and back to normal for me now.

Q. What is the difference with the above images?

A. About half an hour..

It is amazing how waiting can have such a difference to your images.

In half an hour the sky semi cleared, even look at the sea, waves calmed down and the setting sun caught the clouds nicely.

So please take your time, slow down, bag the image and then wait till the suns gone as you never know how mother nature will react…

Have a great weekend.

Lee

Need access? Use ropes.

Hello,

Hope that you are you well.

Today i thought i would show a couple of images of different rope access teams.

The above image, is a technician abseiling down from working at the top of a leg on a jack up oil and gas platform.

These images may look like fun, but an 80m vertical ladder is not. Ha!

Take care and have a good week.

Lee

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North Sea, Supply Vessels

Good morning,

Today i want to show a vessel, this is one of many many vessels, that feed us, that bring us supplies and from the skippers and crews devotion and hard work keep the oil and gas industry working.

This is the Sea Falcon, operated by Solstad Offshore.

She was created in 2013, Length of 88.9m, Width 19.7m and a total 8732 bhp.

To keep up to date please subscribe.

Have a good week

Lee

Oil and Gas platform.

Hello,

Today i would like to share three images, all taken within a few minutes on one another,

I thought it gives a good visual on the setting sun and blue hour.

Sometimes there isn’t a spectacular sun set.

With these industrial beauties, blue hour is my favourite as the contrast against the warm flood lights look amazing.

I hope that you have a good weekend,

Be sure to subscribe to keep up to date.

Lee

Oil and Gas platform.

Hello and welcome

Today i’d like to show these two images of the Mariner A, Uk North sea oil and gas platform.

hope that you have had a great weekend.

and if you have not yet subscribed to my newsletter then please do below.

Lee

Radio silence... Do you copy.... Over.....

Hello,

Radio silence is over, nearly 18 months of not posting, i have an interesting catalogue that i would like to share and update this site with on a fortnightly basis.

Be sure to subscribe to my news letter for future updates.

Newsletters are on a monthly basis, in your inbox on 1st of each month.

No spam just nice images and information about the sites i have been shooting.

The above image is myself as rescue man on an 80 meter high jack up oil rig leg, whilst in dry dock having repairs.

Keep in touch.

Lee

BP Glen Lyon

Module removal.

Hello, 

Today marks the final post in this series. 

It finishes with the big finale - the heavy lift of the accommodation module. 

Project manager looks on with anticipation. 

Nearly 3000 tonnes being lifted, which is effortless for the Saipem S7000. 

With additional tugger lines fitter, the huge load can be rotated on its axis and and with great prescission laid onto the deck of the S7000. 

I hope that this series of blog posts over the last few months, have been of interest.

I have been working in the oil and gas industry for nearly 15 years and this has certainly been the most interesting project I have been involved in. 

The decommissioning of North Sea oil and gas platforms are unfortunately something that we are going to see much more, as the price of oil falls, and the platforms are becoming a less viable option to maintain and keep running. 

Thanks

Lee

Derrick removal.

Hello, 

Today id like to show, the first couple of lifts. 

Above image the rope access riggers, install the cranes lifting equipment. 

Once landed the derrick is then sea fastened (welded) to the deck of the S7000.

The next lift to be completed was the helideck. 

It was amazing to see these huge bits of an oil rig, look almost insignificant against the huge Saipem S7000 cranes. 

Thanks

Saipem S7000

The Saipem S7000 arrives. 

With its state-of-the-art J-lay tower, upgraded dynamic positioning capability and fast ballasting system, the Saipem 7000 semisubmersible crane vessel has the capacity to handle the entire workscope of offshore construction developments worldwide, encompassing pipelaying in water depths greater than 2,000 metres and heavy lift operations up to 14,000 tonnes.

The vessel’s Class 3 DP system of 12 thrusters ensures that the vessel maintains good station keeping in the most difficult of weather conditions. Additionally, because the Saipem 7000 has accommodation facilities up to 725 people, the vessel can assist hook-up and commissioning as well as initial platform life support activities.

Altogether, this high specification means that the Saipem 7000 can be counted on to provide the highest level of reliability for conventional, deep and ultradeep water development projects.

VESSEL FEATURES

Length overall 197.95 m

Upper platform 175 m x 87 m x 8.5 m

Lower pontoons 165 m x 33 m x 11.25/15.25 m

Depth to main deck 43.5 m

Free deck area 9,000 sq.m

Deck load 15,000 tonnes

Operating draft 27.5 m

Survival draft 18.5 m

Transit draft 10.5 m

Transit speed 9.5 knots