Posted by Chris on November 25, 2002 at 22:51:54:
As most of you are aware, oil rigs Eureka, Elly and Ellen have been closed to diving for nearly a year. Recently, owners Aera Energy, reluctantly agreed to have divers back in the vicinity
of their rigs (platforms). They requested a strict but simple protocol for sport diving activities. We dived Eureka on 11 August ’02 using and abiding by the Aera Energy protocol with no
problems. Apparently not all charter boats and/or divers are following the requirements as stated by Aero Energy below:
Subject: Diving Aera Energy’s Rigs
In reference to the below notice, over the past weeks Aera Energy LLC’s Beta operations at platforms Ellen, Elly and Eureka has experienced a number of incidences where dive boats and
divers have either failed to notify our Control Room regarding planned dive activities, or have failed to honor our requests to stay clear of certain areas where marine operations were taking
place. In each of these cases, these actions have placed both divers and Aera personnel at increased risk. Due to these events, Aera wishes to again advise the diving community of our
strong preference that diving activities not take place in the vicinity of the platforms and, if continued disregard persists for any aspects of our prior communication, or compromises the
safety of our operations, Aera will take further steps to limit or prevent future diving activity in the area.
Aera respectfully requests that this notice be forwarded to other dive businesses that may be active in the area and that may not have received our previous notice. Thank you.
Terry Enders
Land Representative – Coastal Asset
Aera Energy LLC
661/665-5515
e-mail: tenders@aeraenergy.com
I personally see no reason to ignore Aera Energy’s reasonable requests and, based on the above, continued disregard of the requests will result in a full legalized ban on diving Aera Energy’s
rigs. I hope our dive community associates don’t screw up oil rig diving “to make a point”. These are unique dives and I’d like to continue diving there, as I believe would most of our
members. PASS THIS ON!! (Protocol is inside the club Newsletter for October)
A.P.