Big-Bigger-Biggest

Went to Bergen in Norway last night to bring a couple of British scaffolders to the shore. On our way back to the 'Hermod' we passed the Troll-A platform. Actually, it is called a GBS which stands for Gravity Base Structure. Fifteen, twenty years ago, oil companies were used to build platforms only on steel jacket structures, fixed to the sea floor. The Norwegian continental shelf however is much deeper than the Southern North Sea and Norwegian engineers decided to make their platforms of concrete, build them inshore in their Fjords and tow them to location when ready. With water depths of over 300 meters, these concrete platforms are enormous. A few facts and figures: building of Troll started in July 1991 and she was towed to sea in May 1995 by ten ocean going tugs. The total height of the platform is 472 meters and the weight is 656.000 tonnes. Her height makes her the highest ever moved construction made by man. Most people think offshore is oil, but not this one, Troll is producing gas only.

Ps: did you see that the living quarters on the platform are 9 stories high and the seize of the supply boat compared to this Troll?