COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 55 



During this upending operation, we held the template in position with two 

 towboats. 



Just as the "C" leg touched the water, the template rolled to such an extent that 

 it was out of level some 17 degrees. 



When this happened we operated the valves in an attempt to level off the 

 template. 



After an hour of this controlled flooding, and many anxious moments, the tem- 

 plate itself rolled in the other direction almost 17 degrees. 



This was certainly a trying time for all of us, particularly the fellows stationed 

 in the control platform. 



Senator Stennis. Where is that control platform, Captain? 

 Captain Albers. Hanging from the top of the template, it is the 

 small structure. 



Senator Stennis. I see. 



Commentary : By operating the control valves a little at a time, we were 

 able to get the template under control. 



We then opened the proper valves and continued the upending. 



It had been arranged previously that the template would be upended so 

 that it would float within a clearance of at least 15 feet above the ocean bottom. 



When, after 12 hours of very anxious moments, the template was finally in a 

 vertical position, it was then towed to its exact position and lowered to the 

 ocean floor. 



It was required under the contract to position this tower within 200 feet of a 

 point marked by the Navy and within 5 degrees of the proper azimuth. 



Actually the template was placed right on the marker buoy, and within 

 one-half of a degree of its described position. 



The next morning, after the template had been securely placed on the bottom, 

 the platform was then towed into position. 



You see here one of the corners which was provided with a recess into which 

 one of the legs would fit. These recesses were provided with rubber bumpers to 

 absorb some of the shock anticipated by wave action. 



In order to jack up the 4.200 tons of platform construction equipment, we in- 

 stalled in each corner eight jacks capable of lifting 1871^ tons each. These jacks 

 consisted of an upper and lower gripper joined by a hydraulic cylinder. These 

 grippers were used to grip the cable previously installed on the template and 

 which, in the template's position at this time hung down from the jacking 

 towers. 



During the operation of towing the platform between the template, complete 

 radio control was maintained between the plaform and all the posts. 



Although from visual observation only 1-foot swells were apparent, when we 

 finally brought the platform into the template it appeared that there were 

 longer swells present which could not have been observed. 



The action between the template and the platform indicated a movement of at 

 least 4 feet. 



After the platform was in place, gates which were previously provided for 

 were closed around the open end of the recesses, which secured the platform 

 to the legs in a horizontal position, and allowed it to move vertically. 



Due to the complexity of the project, we had all the personnel available 

 abroad. 



In this scene you see J. Rich Steers, president of J. Rich Steers, Inc., watch- 

 ing the procedure. 



This is Dr. Phil Rutledge of Moran, Proctor, Mueser and Rutledge, contractor 

 for the Navy on the work. 



The job now was to thread the cables through the grippers in order to start 

 the jacking operation. Because of the movement between the platform and 

 the legs, it was decided to use only half the jacks to raise the platform above 

 the effects of the swells. 



The threading operation took approximately 12 hours to perform, and we were 

 all much relieved when we started to raise the platform. 



All the hydraulic jacking operations were controlled electrically by the control 

 box shown here. 



In order to assure ourselves that the jacking system would work properly, we 

 had the tugboat stand by, as you can see here, while we hooked up the system 

 and started jacking. 



