requirements. For instance, the ChevronTexaco Corp plan to construct a US$ 650
million offshore liquefied natural gas receiving and re-gasification terminal with
accommodation for personnel (to be located 13 km off the coast of Baja California,
Mexico) (ChevronTexaco 2003) could not be realized as originally conceived due
to escalating costs. The Forschungsplattform Nordsee (FPN, Research Platform
“North Sea”), which was constructed for 35 million DM
1 in 1974 about 75 km NW
off the Island of Helgoland (Germany) housed 14–25 people, a helicopter landing
site as well as a jetty (Fig. 1.6a–d), and were equipped for a number of different
functions, including marine ecology, oceanography, and climate research by natural
scientists, underwater technology and sensors by engineers as well as defence
technology by the former Federal Office of Defence and Procurement (BWB).
However, even this met, over the course of time, a similar fate. The platform was
dismantled in 1993 due to high maintenance and operational costs (Dolezalek 1992).
Fig. 1.6 a Research platform “Nordsee” (FPN) about 75 km off the German mainland;
b dismantling of the platform 20 years later; c sonar research device from the Federal Office of
Defense and Procurement (BWB) before positioning at the basement of the foundation; d drawing
of the sonar research device. All images modified after IMS 2016
1
DM = Former German currency, 1 DM 0.5 €.
14
P. Holm et al.
million offshore liquefied natural gas receiving and re-gasification terminal with
accommodation for personnel (to be located 13 km off the coast of Baja California,
Mexico) (ChevronTexaco 2003) could not be realized as originally conceived due
to escalating costs. The Forschungsplattform Nordsee (FPN, Research Platform
“North Sea”), which was constructed for 35 million DM
1 in 1974 about 75 km NW
off the Island of Helgoland (Germany) housed 14–25 people, a helicopter landing
site as well as a jetty (Fig. 1.6a–d), and were equipped for a number of different
functions, including marine ecology, oceanography, and climate research by natural
scientists, underwater technology and sensors by engineers as well as defence
technology by the former Federal Office of Defence and Procurement (BWB).
However, even this met, over the course of time, a similar fate. The platform was
dismantled in 1993 due to high maintenance and operational costs (Dolezalek 1992).
Fig. 1.6 a Research platform “Nordsee” (FPN) about 75 km off the German mainland;
b dismantling of the platform 20 years later; c sonar research device from the Federal Office of
Defense and Procurement (BWB) before positioning at the basement of the foundation; d drawing
of the sonar research device. All images modified after IMS 2016
1
DM = Former German currency, 1 DM 0.5 €.
14
P. Holm et al.