How common is losing pipeline segments like this?

[jari001]

Here is a link to a story about pipeline segments washing up on the shore in England. This is the first story of its kind I've seen. How common is this?

 

[hokie66]

They aren't lost. They will be removed in due course, and hopefully better secured to the tug next time.

 

[jari001]

Momentarily misplaced? I'm just curious if people working on building these lines worry and/or joke about this because of its prevalence or historical prevalence.

 

[hokie66]

The pipeline was not being built. The material was being transported. If a bunch of pipe fell off a truck, would the pipeline company worry? Not if it didn't affect their schedule.

 

[zeusfaber]

Where do you draw the line between "materials" and "partially completed structures"? Once a manufactured lump gets to be 1500+ feet long, somebody is bound to notice if it goes walkies.

Structures coming ashore in places that weren't written on the towing contract aren't completely unknown. Here's one from this time last year.

A.

 

[LittleInch]

How common? Not very as this isn't done very often. I was staggered when I found out where these were going. That's am incredibly long way in seas which are not mill ponds. The size of the tow cable looks puny given these sections appear to be floated and not submerged or barely afloat

Unfortunately there isn't much other info to see why they broke away from the tug.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[3DDave]

They said they were working to remove them. I hope it works better than when they used dynamite to remove a whale from a beach.

 

[hokie66]

That would be messy.

 

[davidbeach]

Dynamite to remove dead beached whales has been conclusively proven to be "A Very Bad Idea." The legend lives on in one of Oregon's coastal communities.

 

[waross]

Link
Snopes:Link

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[bimr]

Stuff gets lost or misplaced during shipping all of the time. FEDEX loses 0.5% of shipments per year.

 

[VEBill]

"FEDEX loses 0.5% of shipments per year."

Probably about the same 'per month' too...

 

[zeusfaber]

BBC story today shows salvage of the pipes underway and includes the tantalising line "when they came loose after a tug boat was hit by a container ship" to explain how they came ashore in the first place. Surprised not to have heard about that bit earlier.

A.

 

[jari001]

@zeusfaber
Now that's a bit a news worth knowing regarding this situation.