Questions &Answers - Guidance to facilitate evaluation & familiarization process.

1- How long have you been (ch/officer or Master)

2- How long have you been working in off shore?
3- What was your last vessel and what type?
4- What is the size of the Towing wire and length?
5- What is the out put capacity of the fire monitor (cubic meter per hour)?
6- What is the bollard bull of the vessel?
7- What is the horse power of the engines?
8- What is the power of the bow thrusters?
9- What is the pumping capacity of the ballast pump?
10- What is the capacity of cargo (bulk) pump?
11- What is the meaning of fresh water allowance?
Answer:-change of draft (increase or decrease) due to change in water density,

12-what is the meaning of TPC?

Answer: - Tons to be loaded (discharged) to change draft by 1 cm. or tons of cargo

To be loaded to immerse the vessel by 1 cm.(Ton Per Centimeter immersion)

13-what is the meaning of permissible load on deck?

Answer: - Means how many tons the ship deck can load on one square meter. You can get it

From Cargo securing manual or vessel stability booklet.

14-Is it allowed to cross separation scheme, and how?

Answer: - Yes. To cross by right angle to the separation scheme.

15-If you are on a crossing situation with other vessel on your STBD side, which is the give way

Vessel and which is the stand on vessel?

Answer:- your vessel is the give way vessel (you should take action)

16- Reference to question 15- what is the first thing you will do in that situation?

Answer:-In any situation with other vessels, I have to check if risk of collision exists

By watching the bearing and distance of the other vessel. If the bearing is steady

And distance decreases then there is a risk of collision.

17-If you are on head on situation with other vessel, what action you will take?
 Answer:- I will alter my course to STBD side clearly away from the other vessel.

18- If you detected a vessel crossing on your port side, then which is the give way vessel

And which is the stand on vessel?

Answer:- the vessel on your port side is the give way vessel and he must take action

To avoid collision.

19-Referance to question No.18- if the other vessel did not take any action then what

You will do?

Answer:- I will take action to avoid collision , by altering course to STBD keep away

From him, even if I have to make full turn to STBD.

20-What is the minimum under keel clearance allowed to pass over a pipe line?

Answer: - 5 meters. (Important)

21-If you are obligated to pass pipe line less than 5 meters, what you will do.

Answer: - I will call the port control and field service to get permission, and will

Reduce my speed (slow speed) to avoid Squat.

22-What is the meaning of Squat?

Answer: - The increase of draft due to high speed in shallow waters.

23- Do you know how to operate towing winch, and towing pins, shark jaws …etc.?

Answer:- practical question you have to practice it and be familiarized with it.

24-Do you know how to operate fire monitor?

Answer:-Practical question, you have to practice it and be familiarized with it.

25-Do you know how to operate radar and take position by bearing and distance.

Answer: - Practical question, you have to practice and be familiar with it.

26-Do you know how to calculate compass error?

Answer: - Practical question, you have to practice it.

27-Do you know how to use VHF, to call the port control and drilling and

Take permission to cast off or entering channels and oil field

Answer: - practical question, practice the use of VHF.

28-What are the names and location of Aramco oil fields.

Answer:- Abu Safa , Marjan, Safania, Zuluf, Karan, Arabia, Hasba , Lawaha ,Hamour

Mahara, Rabib, Berri, Manifa (look at chart No, SUR 8724. to have an idea)

29-Do you know how to use Aramco Tide table?

Answer: - practical question. You must practice to calculate under keel clearance

Using Aramco tide table (very easy and simple) but need to practice it several

times especially at Safania south chart (Shallow water oil field) important.

30-Are you Familiar with rules of the road? Collision regulations.

Answer: - practical question, the rig mover will ask several questions in rules of the

Road and collision regulations.

31- Are you familiar with lights and signals, shapes and sound signals of the vessels?

In different situations and jobs.

32- Do you know the arc of visibility for the navigation lights?

Answer:-Mast head light =225 degrees – side light =112.5 degrees each (port and stbd.)

Stern light = 135 Degrees (pls. see attached drawing)

33- What is the maximum Draft of your vessel, and what is minimum draft of your vessel?

Answer: - check your vessel particulars.

34-How you know that you are the overtaking vessel?

Answer: - By night, I will be able to see the stern light,

By day, my vessel will be on aprox. 22 degrees abaft the other vessel beam.
35-What is the height of a pipe line over sea bed?

Answer: - Normally make allowance of one meter for height of pipe line over sea bed

But for a (trenched) buried pipe line, it is two meters above sea bed.

That means you have to minus 1 meter or 2 meters when you calculate the

Clearance under keel.

36-What is the SWL of the stern roller, and towing pins?

Answer: - check you vessel particulars.

37- What is the vessel capacity of Fuel oil, Fresh water, and Drill water?

Answer: - Check your vessel particulars.

38- What is you job assignment in muster station (emergency station)?

Answer: - check your vessel Muster station posted in the bridge.

39- Do you know how to put on and safely use the breathing apparatus?

Answer: - Practice to wear on the breathing apparatus. Important

40- Do you know where the emergency alarm button is, and Engine emergency stop buttons?

Answer: - check and be familiarized with buttons in the bridge.

41- What is SART? How it works and appears on Radar.

What is EPIRB?

Answer: - SART. Is Search and Rescue Radar Transponder, It works and appear on X band Radar

only (3 cm) Radar. It appears as 12 Dots on the Radar screen. The closest dot to the

Radar screen centre is the position of the SART. (Survival Craft)

EPIRB is a device which works to transmit a vessel code and position via satellite

Cospas system to a land station which will direct and guide other vessels or

Helicopters to the rescue scene.

 Ref.Question no. 32

Arc of visibility for navigation lights. Stand on

vessel
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Give way
Give way Stand on
vessel
vessel vessel

What is the

Situation?

Stand on
vessel
Give way Give way Give way
vessel vessel vessel

How you
cross
separation?
 Not under
command

Give way
vessel

Constrained
by her draft

Constrained
by her draft

Give way
vessel

Under
Stopped At anchor
way
making no way
through the
water

Vessel
aground
-Question: - A box weighing 48 tons and dimensions – length 4 m- width 3 m- height 5 m

Can you load it on deck if you know that permissible load is 4.5 tons??

Answer: - length X width – 4x3=12 square meter.

Weight / area - 48/12= 4 ton. Answer YES.

Question: - What is the density of Fresh water?

Answer: - 1.000

Question: - what is the density of sea water?

Answer: - 1.025

Question: - If the TPC = 12 Tons what is the change in draft if you load a 56 ton weight.

Answer: - weight/TPC – 56/12= 4.5 cm. bodily sink.

Question:-What is the sound signal for a platform?

Answer: - two short blasts followed by one long blast (. ._) U
Question: - What sound signals shall a vessel aground sound?

Answer; - rapid ringing on the bell then one short blast, one long blast, one short blast ( . _.)

Then another ringing on the bell – Also can sound (. . _)U

Question:- Explain how you connect the towing wire to the bridle wire of the Rig ?

Answer:- 1- Towing pins up . 2- Pull the towing wire and lay it on deck with the socket

Close to the karm fork (or shark jaw) using the tugger winch wire.

And connect it with the Stretcher

3- Free the tugger wire and pass it between the towing pins.

4- Get one long hook to collect the bridle wire of the rig and connect it to

The tugger wire and start heaving up the Rig wire until it comes over

The Karm fork.

5- Up the Karm fork with the Rig wire in the groove and lock it, then release tugger wire.

6- Connect the Stretcher socket to the Rig wire using 85 ton shackle and make

sure that it is tight and locked by a split pin.

7- Karm fork down, and start moving ahead slowly, slack the towing wire

until you get the required length of tow. Then down the towing pins.

Question: - What action you will do if you sighted a vessel aground ahead of you?

Answer; - First thing is to stop engines, and keep in position, check your position

on the chart, and turn the vessel to reciprocal course, get away from the area.

Question: - If you are steaming in fog and you heard the sound of . . _ ( u)
What action you will take?

Answer: - Stop the Engines, check radar and GPS for your position on chart
 Turn the vessel on reciprocal course away from the sound.

Question: - What is the allowed speed in Tanajib channel, and Harbor in normal clear day?

Answer: - in the channel 8 knots – and inside the harbor max. 5 knots.

Question: - In Safania (south) oil field, on March /15/2010, what time is the High water.

Answer: - Check the Aramco tide table on that date.

Question: - In Safania north oil field, on March 17/2010 at 1600 Hrs, is the current

Flooding or ebbing?

Answer; - Check Aramco tide table on that date.

Question: - You are in Manifa anchorage (Tanajib Area) on May 17/2010, at 0700 Hrs, is

the current Flooding or Ebbing?

Answer; - Check Aramco Tide table on that date.

Question: - Echo sounder is showing 12m depth under keel , your draft is 3.5 m .What is

the depth over whole in feet.

Answer: - Depth over whole = 12+3.5= 15.5m /// in feet = 15.5X 3.28 =50.84 feet.

Question: - Charted depth 3.7 m // draft 3.2m // height of tide 1.6m - What is the

Under keel clearance? Is it allowed to pass a pipe line at this clearance?

Answer:- charted depth 3.7m + height of tide 1.6m = 5.3m

Total depth 5.3m – draft 3.2m = 2.1 m

Allowing 1 m for pipe line height then clearance = 1.1m (not allowed to cross pipeline)

Question:- You are Along side Tanajib berth No, 4 and you need to calculate compass error

What you will do? (Port side alongside)

Answer: - check on the chart Tanajib berth is 270 deg. Read the compass directly

and see what it shows and compare it with the 270 Deg. ( high or low).

Question: - where you get the compass deviation from. And where you get the variation

From?
Answer: - We get Deviation from compass deviation Card and variation from the Chart.

Question:- In cloudy day What is the simple way to get compass error in oilfield.

Answer:- Look for Transit bearing of two Platforms . Compare the visual Transit bearing

You took with the true transit bearing on Chart.

Question: - At a clear night you sighted a white light, what does it mean to you?

Answer: - It can be the stern light of a vessel. // or it can be a small fishing boat// or

a small sailing boat. //or vessel at anchor less than 50m // or a masthead light

less than 50m and far away that side lights can not be sighted yet.

Or a life raft top white light.

Question: - On the positions marked on attached Safania Chart, find the clearance

Under keel on April 20/2010 at 1700 hrs.

Answer: - Use Aramco tide table.

Question: - You are steaming from A to B as shown in the drawing , your vessel is drifting

towards a shallow patch, what will be the course required to avoid the patch

and reach safely to position B.

 Drift. 085 deg
A

Course 105 deg

B

Question:- Which Radar mode you will select in the Oilfield , is it the North up mode or

Ship’s head up mode?

Answer: - North up mode is better, because it show me the real location of each target

and land the same as the chart with my course drawn on it ,and will not get

confused when taking bearing of each target.

Question: - Switch on the Radar and a quire Target using ARPA and read the information

given for the Target.

Answer: - you have to be able to read the following: - Distance of the target, bearing of the

Target, CPA. , TCPA., Speed of the target.

Question: - What is the CPA and TCPA?

Answer: - CPA is the Closest Point of Approach.

TCPA. Is the Time of Closest Point of Approach?

Question: - What is the Free Surface effect, how does it affect stability of vessel?

Answer: - Free surface effect occurs when Ballast Tanks are partially filled with

Water, the movement of the water surface inside the tanks will cause the Kg. of
 the liquid to move up and thus will cause drop in GM. The Max affect when

the tanks are 50% loaded.

To kill this effect we have to get tanks either full or completely empty.

Question: - Vessel light ship weight 800 t with KG. 4.6 m and KM=6.6Mthe

The following weights were loaded

loaded 150 t. kg= 3.5m and 220 t.- kg=4.0m and 80 t. – kg= 4.8 m

A tank with 50 t. ballast water Kg =1.5m with free surface.

Calculate final GM.

Answer:-

Weight KG Moment

800t.(light ship) 4.6 3680

150t.(cargo) 3.5 525

220t.(cargo) 4.0 880

80t.(cargo0 4.8 384

50t. (ballast) 1.5 75

Total 1300 t Sum. Moments=5544

Final KG= Sum. Moments / Total weight= 5544/1300 = 4.26

Solid GM = KM - KG= 6.6 - 4.26= 2.34m

Free surface effect = Free surface moment / Total weight = 75 / 1300= 0.057

Final GM= solid GM - Free surface effect= 2.34 - 0.057= 2.283m

Question:- What will you do before entering or leaving oilfield?

Answer:- Obtain permission from field service.

Question:- Write down the name and light characteristics of the following Buoys :-
Question: - If you sighted a Spar Buoy located close to the Rig, what does it mean?

Answer: - Normally it indicates the position where you have to drop anchor close to it

To tie up to the Rig to avoid a pipe line. (You may find it close to some Rigs only

Which have a pipe lines near its location).

Question: - In Safaniya North, on April/20/2010 what is the time of High water

and time of low water?

Answer: - Check Aramco tide table for Safaniya North on that date .

Question: - In Safania south, on April 25/2010 what is the time of high water
And time of low water, and how many meters.

Answer: - Check Aramco tide table for Safaniya South on that date.

Question:-What is the working VHF channel in Aramco oil fields and related harbors ?

Answer: - VHF. Channel -11

Question: - How to identify an H2S emission, and what will you do?
Answer: - It starts with a smell like rotten eggs, I will sound the alarm and get

To the H2S Muster station (bridge) and but on the breathing apparatus.

Steam the vessel away, up wind and report to nearest reporting station.

(Tanajib port control- offshore field service- Abu Ali pier- West pier……..)

Question: - A vessel towing a Rig and showing only towing shapes or lights and crossing

from your port side on collision course, what is your action?

Answer: - If the towing vessel is not showing the shapes or lights of restricted in her

Ability o maneuver then the towing vessel should take action to avoid collision.

If the towing vessel is showing that she is restricted in her ability to maneuver then

I have to take action to avoid collision.

Question:-Find The Fresh Water Allowance (FWA) for a vessel of Displacement 1700 t.

And TPC. 9 tons.

Answer:- FWA= displacement/4 TPC = 1700/4x9 =47.2 mm.

Question: - A vessel of displacement 1580 t. at main draft 3.2 m. find the change in

Draft if sailing from sea water to a water of density 1005

Answer: - from Stability booklet onboard, obtain the TPC at that displacement, let us say

It is 11 ton.

Change of draft= FWA X (sea water density-dock water density)/ 25

FWA= displacement/4TPC = 1580/4 x 11 = 35.9 mm.

Then change of draft= 35.9 X( 1025-1005) /25 = 35.9 X 0.8 = 28.72 mm = 2.87 cm

Which is 0.0287 m increase in draft.

New main draft =3.20 + 0.0287 = 3.2287 m.

Question: - Are you familiar with change over procedure from forward control to

Aft control.

Answer: - Practical question, to practice the change over procedure of engine control
 and bow thruster control from forward to Aft.

Question: - What will you do before tie up to a Rig?

Answer: - Approach to a safe distance from the Rig and wait 15 minutes to check

and test Equipment ,check wind and current direction .

Question: - Do you know the location of the following books and publications

Stability booklet. Aramco Tide Table, Brown Nautical Almanac,

Muster Station poster, Cargo Securing Manual, collision regulation booklet.

General arrangement plan, Tanks Plan, safety arrangement plan.

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Question: - Your vessel at Tanajib port, and you received a call from drilling to go for

Rig Move in shallow water, which requires a draft of 3.2 even keel.

What will you do and act. If your vessel have the following particulars

Light ship 1100 t. -drill water 220 t. – fresh water 150 t. diesel oil 150 t. Ballast water 220 t.

and approximately 60 tons Barite.

Main Draft 3.7m.

Answer:- check from stability criteria , your minimum operational draft.

Now Calculate total displacement = 1100+200+150+150+220 +60= 1880 t.

From stability booklet get the TPC at that displacement and draft ( let us say it is 10.5 t)

Present draft 3.7 – required draft 3.2 = 50 cm.

Total Weights to be discharged = 50 X10.5 = 525 t

Now you can discharge accordingly. From any liquids and discuss your plan with

Drilling Dept. so that he can give assistance in discharging liquids and barite if needed.

Question: - What size and length required for towing stretcher and fuse wire.

Answer: - stretcher 88mm double rope with two hard thimble ends. 19 to 20 meters

Fuse wire from 36mm to 38 mm one hard end, one soft wide end -19 to 20 m.
Question: - You are crossing separation scheme with the following ships using it:-

One vessel coming up from your portside and another coming down from

You’re Stbd side. What is your action?

Answer: - Normal answer that we wait until both vessels are clear then we cross the separation

Scheme as close to right angle as possible, But as per the rules of the road

The two above vessels using the separation scheme are not relieved from

her/their obligations under any other rule. Which means that also the vessels

using separation scheme shall comply with all other rules of collision prevention .

and shall take action to avoid collision accordingly. Refer to Rule 10.

Advice Question: - Read and understand rule No, 18 (responsibilities between vessels).

Question: - A vessel having FWA = 20 cm. and load draft = 3.2m.

To what draft can this vessel load in fresh water?

Answer: - F.W Density =1000, Seawater Density =1025 then

 Change in draft = FWA X (seawater density – fresh water density) / 25

= 20 X (1025- 1000)/25 = 20 X (25/25) = 20X1 =20cm. increase

New Draft = 3.2 + 0.20 = 3.40 m.

Question: - How you know that you have a free surface effect.

Answer: - by making Tanks sounding.

Question: - At a clear night you saw a flashing white light 6 short flash + 1 long flash

What kind of object are you seeing?

Answer: - This is a South Cardinal Buoy.

Question: - What is the meaning of Course made good?

Answer: - It is the actual course steered by the vessel under the influence of current

Wind and swell.

Question: - Your vessel true course is 175 and course made good is 160

What is the required course to steer to maintain your true course?

Answer: - I have to set the course to 190 so my true course will remain 175.

Question: - A vessel of displacement =900 t. and kg = 4.1 m . if you loaded a weight

Of 120 t. kg =5.0 m. What is the new KG of the vessel?

Answer: - New KG = total moments / total weights

Weight kg moment

900 X 4.1 = 3690

120 X 5.0 = 600

New KG= 4290 / 1020 = 4.20 m.

Question: - The variation is 3.0 East and Deviation is 4.5 West what is the compass error?

Answer: - compass error = 4.5 – 3.0 =1.5 West.

Question: - Magnetic compass reading is 245 and variation = 2.5 West and Deviation=1.5 West
 What is the true course?

Answer: - Total compass error = 2.5 +1.5 = 4 West

True course =245 – 4 = 241 (Error west compass best)

Question:-A box of weight 80 t has a loading area of 16 square meters.

Your vessel deck have permissible load of 4.8 t. Can you load it on deck?

Answer: - calculate tons per one square meter = 80/16 = 5 t( more than permissible load)

NO I can not load it.

Question: - Do you know the location of the MIM file what MIM stands for?

Answer: - Identify the file in the bridge, MIM means Marine Instruction Manual.

Question: - What is the title of the following MIM’s:- No 1185.002 // 1187.002 // 1192.001

1193.001 // 1193.004 // 1193.005 // 1193.504 // 1198.001 // 1198.002 //1201.001?

Question: - In Aramco SMS identify the Masters duties and in which Element?

Answer: - Element 6 in paragraph 6.9 and in Element 1 paragraph 1.3.8

Question: - Do you know the location of the Safety Flyers file?

Answer: - Identify the file in the bridge and review the contents.

Question: - Read the following SAFETY FLYERS No, 001/08 -003/08 -002/09 -003/09

009/09 -013/09.

Question: - Do you know the location of GI’s File and what does GI stands for?

Answer: - Identify the file in the bridge. GI means GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.

Question: - What is the title of MIM No, 1193.504?

Answer: - Emergency response plan.

Question: - What is the title of the MIM No, 1198.001.

Answer: - Work around offshore producing facilities, OIM 1.519

Question: - How many elements in the Aramco SMS manual?

Answer: - check the SMS manual and find 11 elements.

Question: - What does MIM No, 1198.002 talks about?

Answer: - Operating procedure for Rigs supply and standby vessels.

Question: - What does MIM No, 1193.005 talks about?

Answer: - Minimum under keel clearance for marine vessels.