A photographic print of Industry, Fuel & Power, Oil - Including Gas - From Sea Bed, North Sea Explorations

SELF-ELEVATING DRILLING RIG FOR NORTH SEA LAUNCHED AT CLYDEBANK CNS H11178 9.11.1965 THE SELF-ELEVATING DRILLING RIG "CONSTELLATION", THE SECOND TO BE BUILT AT CLYDEBANK BY JOHN BROWN AND CO., WAS LAUNCHED TODAY. THE "CONSTELLATION" WILL JOIN THE NORTH SEA SEARCH FOR OIL AND NATURAL GAS, AND IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE DRILLING OPERATIONS IN JANUARY 1966. THE RIG HAS ACCOMMODATION FOR FIFTY-TWO MEN, ARRANGED IN TWO AND FOUR BERTH CABINS. IT WILL NORMALLY BE SERVICED BY TWO SUPPLY VESSELS. CREWS WILL BE FLOWN OUT BY HELICOPTER. THE RIG IS FITTED WITH FOUR LEGS 387 FEET LONG, WHICH WILL GIVE HER A MAXIMUM OPERATING DEPTH OF 275 FT OF WATER. SHE IS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE SEVEREST NORTH SEA WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE RIG WILL BE TOWED BY OCEAN - GOING TWO TO THE NORTH SEA DRILLING SITE, AND WILL THEN LOWER THE FOUR LEGS TO THE SEA BED. EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST TYPE OF DRELLING MACHINERY, THE RIG WILL BE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN TO 20,000 FEET BENEATH THE SEA. PHOTO SHOWS: WORKERS WATCH AS A TUG FUSSES AROUND THE "CONSTELLATION" AFTER THE LAUNCHING TODAY.