More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
The Isle of Sheppey has a new tourist attraction.
A giant floating jack-up drilling rig has been getting a steady stream of curious visitors since it was towed into Sheerness docks on Saturday.
New addition to the Sheppey skyline
Prospector 1 and its three 547-feet towers can be seen from miles away during the day. At night it is lit up like a Christmas tree.
On Sunday, families could be seen walking along the promenade at Sheerness to a get close-up view of the mammoth machine.
It is expected to stay for the next six months while its owner Borr Drilling tries to find new work for it. It will be joined in August by its sister Prospector 5 which is also being laid-up.
Both of the Friede and Goldman JU2000E-type rigs were built in 2013 in China and valued at £123 million each.
They have been used in the North Sea in the search of oil and gas. They can operate in 400 feet of water during all kinds of weather and can drill to a depth of 35,000 feet.
The self-elevating platform towers over Sheerness and boasts three cranes, six engines, a helicopter landing deck and accommodation for more than 140 workers.
