HEAD ON COLLISION BETWEEN SCHOOL BUS AND VEHICLE LEAVES ONE DEAD

 

HEAD ON COLLISION BETWEEN SCHOOL BUS AND VEHICLE LEAVES ONE DEAD

February 05, 2015

Rankin County, Mississippi:

According to Sheriff Bailey of Rankin County, there has been a head on collision on Star Road near New Jerusalem Church Road.

A school bus and a vehicle collided, leaving one person dead and the bus driver suffering minor injuries. There were no children on the bus. The Rankin county sheriff’s office is investigating the accident.

The Rankin County School District released this statement:

"Today, a Rankin County School District (RCSD) school bus was involved in an accident on Star Road. There were no students aboard the bus at the time of the accident."

"The safety and well-being of everyone involved is our number one priority,” said RCSD Superintendent Dr. Lynn Weathersby. “Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected in this tragic accident. We are thankful for all of Rankin County's First Responders who responded to the accident.

FATAL COLLISION IN MAPLE RIDGE, BC CLAIMS ONE LIFE AND INJURES TWO OTHERS. THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION CAUSED THE ENGINE BLOCK OF ONE VEHICLE TO BE COMPLETELY RIPPED OUT.

 

FATAL COLLISION IN MAPLE RIDGE, BC CLAIMS ONE LIFE AND INJURES TWO OTHERS.  THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION CAUSED THE ENGINE BLOCK OF ONE VEHICLE TO BE COMPLETELY RIPPED OUT.

February 5, 2015

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

One person has died and another airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a three vehicle crash in Maple Ridge this morning.

Ridge Meadow RCMP and the Integrated Crash Analyst Reconstructionist Services team are investigating the fatal crash, which involved two cars and a pickup truck.

Mounties are releasing few details on the accident but Insp. Dan Splinter did say the fatal collision occurred when one vehicle crossed the centre line of Lougheed Highway near 256th Street and was broadsided on the passenger side by another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The force of the collision caused the engine block of one vehicle to be completely ripped out.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, another was airlifted out and a third person received minor injuries in the accident.

Crp. Alana Dunlop says the initial investigation has revealed wet weather and roads along with speed as contributing factors to the crash. Lougheed Hwy was closed east of 240 St to Spillsbury for several hours.

The name of the victim will not be released by police until the next of kin are notified.

SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSE SENDS 4 TO HOSPITAL IN WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT

 SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSE SENDS 4 TO HOSPITAL IN WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT

 February 5, 2015

Westport, Connecticut

Westport fire crews are responding to a scaffolding collapse at Greens Farms Academy.

A 100 foot piece of scaffolding fell of a building under construction at Greens Farms Academy injuring four workers.

Officials in Westport say three people were taken to the hospital after scaffolding collapsed at a private school Thursday morning.

Fire officials say they were called to Green Farms Academy at around 10:30 a.m.

Officials say the scaffolding had been set up around the outside of a building undergoing renovations.

 “I can confirm that scaffolding has collapsed from constuction on the outside of the building,” said Alison Freeland, Director of Communications at Greens Farms. “The Westport fire and police are here on scene and they are starting an investigation.”

Freeland said construction is being made on the building for additional classrooms and an auditorium.

“Four people have been evaluated by Westport EMS and transported to the hospital for further evaluation," Freeland said. "I believe they are being treated for minor injuries."

Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury said details of the incident were not yet available.

ABB Wins $50 million Contract with Petronas

ABB Wins $50 million Contract with Petronas

Published in Oil Industry News on Thursday, 5 February 2015

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a contract worth more than $50 million to supply the electrical system for one of the world’s first commercial floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facilities, and the second to be owned by Malaysian oil and gas company PETRONAS. It will be called “PFLNG2”.

The contract was awarded in the fourth quarter of 2014 by Japanese engineering contractor JGC Corporation. JGC is part of a consortium that is building the facility for PETRONAS, along with Samsung Heavy Industries of Korea.

Under the terms of the contract, ABB will support the optimization of the facility’s electrical side by designing, manufacturing and supplying transformers, switchboards, motor-control centers and power management system. In addition, ABB will also manage the installation of the equipment and ensure the electrical supply is integrated with systems it is powering.

“ABB is delighted to be selected by JGC for this pioneering project,” said Peter Terwiesch, President of ABB’s Process Automation Division. “FLNG is a market with great potential and we are well placed to deliver to it with our vast experience in floating production, our extensive manufacturing base and innovative solutions in offshore oil and gas. Our fully engineered electrical system solution incorporates the latest technologies adapted to the offshore environment; it is a safe solution that ensures reliable electricity throughout the plant for the PFLNG2 to meet its demanding performance requirements,” he added.

FLNGs have long been considered an attractive concept, and a recent report by Douglas-Westwood estimated the market to be worth $64 billion between now and 2020. The agility of FLNGs allows oil and gas companies to exploit fields that would otherwise be uneconomical, and their environmental impact is minimal compared with conventional production platforms and pipelines.

The PFLNG2 will be built at Samsung Heavy Industries’ yard in Geoje, Korea in 2015. When operations start in 2018, the facility will be moored over the deepwater Rotan gas field located off the Malaysian coast. It is designed to produce 1.5 million tons of LNG annually for at least 20 years before it requires a dry dock.

FLNG plants resemble container ships, but are fitted with all necessary equipment to receive, liquefy and store natural gas extracted from offshore fields. The FLNG plant transfers LNG at sea to carriers that deliver it directly to the markets. 

The machinery and controls supplied by ABB for PFLNG2 will be accommodated in two electrical houses, or e-houses, that stretch as high as a five-storey building. These prefabricated steel substations designed by ABB ensure the equipment remains safe from the corrosive marine environment as well as hazardous gas and provide a safe environment for the operation crew. 

One particular challenge when designing systems for FLNG facilities is to make them compact enough to fit in a confined area. Floating facilities must include every process element of an onshore plant, including the means to generate the power necessary to compress the gas within limited space while still meeting demanding performance targets.

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 140,000 people.
Source: www.abb.com

Noble will retire 3 semi-submersible drilling rigs due to $595 million in fourth quarter losses

Noble will retire 3 semi-submersible drilling rigs due to $595 million in fourth quarter losses

Published in Oil Industry News on Thursday, 5 February 2015


Drilling contractor Noble Corporation has informed that the company will retire three of its semi-submersible drilling rigs, Noble Paul Wolff, Noble Driller and Noble Jim Thompson.

Noble Corporation also reported a fourth quarter 2014 loss from continuing operations of $595 million, or $2.38 per diluted share. Results for the quarter included an after-tax charge of $713 million, or $2.86 per diluted share, relating to the impairment of three rigs and the company’s total goodwill balance.

David W. Williams, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble Corporation, noted: “Rapidly declining crude oil prices during the fourth quarter further aggravated the offshore supply imbalance and contributed to an increasingly difficult environment for securing new contract commitments from our customers. Our financial performance in the quarter included an increase in idle time on several rigs, lower average daily revenues and margin contraction.

"Our decision to retire and recognize a non-cash charge with respect to three of our semi-submersibles in the quarter was based on revised assumptions on each rig’s future marketability in light of their age, technical features, and capital requirements in the context of the future supply of competitive rigs.”

“These rig retirements will reduce the average age of a fleet whose concentration of premium assets is already among the industry’s highest. We will continue to evaluate the fleet in 2015 as we work to opportunistically position the company ahead of the next cyclical upturn.”

With respect to the company’s decision to retire the Noble Jim Thompson, Noble and its customer have agreed to substitute the semi-submersible Noble Paul Romano to execute the previously announced contract award covering four wells, or a primary term of up to one year in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The Noble Paul Romano will mobilize from its current location in the Canary Islands and is expected to start operations on or around September 1, 2015, following a period to complete contract preparations. The dayrate for the primary term of the contract will remain $300,000.

Operating Highlights
The company’s total contract backlog at December 31, 2014 was an estimated $10.1 billion compared to $10.6 billion at September 30, 2014. Backlog depletion was partially offset by new contracts in the quarter that added approximately $342 million due significantly to three-year contract extensions on the Middle East-based jack-ups Noble Gene House and Noble Joe Beall at dayrates of $143,000 each.

Utilization of the company’s floating rig fleet (semi-submersibles and drillships) declined to 78 percent in the fourth quarter compared to 80 percent in the third quarter.

Utilization of the company’s jack-up rig fleet was 90 percent in the fourth quarter compared to 91 percent in the third quarter.

At December 31, 2014, 81 percent of the company’s available rig operating days were committed for 2015, including 80 percent of floating rig days and 82 percent of jack-up rig days. For 2016, an estimated 52 percent of available rig operating days are committed, consisting of 58 percent and 46 percent of floating and jack-up rig days, respectively.

Outlook
Williams closed by stating, “We face this period of market uncertainty with 81 percent of our fleet operating days under contract in 2015 and a $10.1 billion backlog that is expected to provide almost $3.0 billion in gross revenues over the year. We possess a sound balance sheet and ample liquidity and we will continue to focus on capital discipline and preservation of liquidity through the cycle.

“Finally, an opportune and significant decline in capital expenditures compared to levels experienced over the past three years is expected to allow for positive free cash flow in 2015, providing the company attractive financial flexibility during a period of increased market uncertainty.”
Source: www.offshoreenergytoday.com