CAUTIONS OMISSION OF CERTAIN NAVIGATIONAL AIDS AND WRECKS 1. Certain lights, wrecks, buoys and beacons have been omitted from this chart; for detail of these, the larger scale charts and List of Lights should be consulted. 2. Preparis Island South Channel is dangerous to submarines diving as mines may stll exist. UNCHARTED DANGERS 3. It is reported (1945) that between the southern border and Pulmoddai Road there are a number of unexamined rocks and shoals. Special Notice No. 9: FIRING PRACTICE AND EXERCISE AREAS 1. Firing and bombing practices and Defence exercises, take place in a number of areas off the coasts of India. 2. Although limits of practice areas are not, in all cases, shown on charts and descriptions of areas do not appear in the Sailing Directions, these are given in the Appendix to this notice which may be plotted on the appropriate charts. Such range beacons, lights and marking buoys as may be of assistance to the mariner or targets which might be a danger to navigation will however, be indicated on navigational charts and, when appropriate, in Sailing Directions. Lights will be mentioned in the List of Lights. Precautions to be observed by mariners are given in paragraph 6 to 9 of this notice. 3. The principal types of practices carried out are:- (a) Bombing practice from aircraft:- Warning signals are usually shown. (b) Air to air, and air to sea or ground firing. (i) The former is carried out by aircraft at a large white or red sleeve, a winged target or flag towed by another aircraft moving on a steady course. The latter is carried out from aircraft at towed or stationary target on sea or land, the firing taking place to seaward in the case of those on land. (ii) As a general rule, warning signals are shown when the targets are stationary, but not when towed targets are used. (iii) All marine craft operating as range safety craft, target towers or control launches for remote controlled targets will display for identification purposes, while in or in the vicinity of the danger area, a large red flag at the masthead. (c) Anti-aircraft firing. (i) This may be from A.A. guns or machine guns at a target towed by aircraft as in (b) above, a pilot less target aircraft, or at balloons or kites. Practice may take place from shore batteries or ships. (ii) Warning signals, as a rule are shown from shore batteries. ships fly a red flag. (d) Firing from shore batteries or ships at sea at fixed or floating targets. Warning signals usually shown as in (c). (e) Rocket and Guided Weapons firing. (i) These may take the form of (b), (c) or (d) above. All such firing are conducted under (Air and Sea) Range procedure. Devices are generally incorporated whereby the missiles may be destroyed should their flights be erratic. (ii) Warning signals are usually shown as in (c) above. 4. Warning signals, when given, usually consist of red flags by day and red fixed or red flashing lights at night. The absence of any such signal cannot, however, be accepted as evidence that a practice area does not exist. Warning signals are shown from shortly before practice commences until it ceases. 5. Ships and aircraft carrying out night exercises may illuminate with bright coloured flares. To avoid confusion with International distress signals red or orange flares will be used in emergency only. 6. CAUTION: A vessel may be aware of the existence of a practice area from Navarea VIII warning messages, Coastal Warning messages, Local Notices to Mariners and by observing the warning signals or the practice. 7. The range authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is no risk of damage from falling projectiles, shell-splinters, bullets, etc., to any vessel which may be in a practice area. 8. If, however, a vessel finds herself in an area where practice is in progress, she should maintain her course and speed but; if she is prevented from doing this by the exigencies of navigation, it would assist the Range Authority if she would endeavour to clear the area at the earliest possible moment. Furthermore, if projectiles or splinters are observed to be falling near the vessel, all persons on board should take cover. 9. Fishermen operating in the vicinity of firing practice and exercise areas may occasionally bring unexploded missiles or portions of them to the surface in their nets or trawls. These objects may be dangerous and should be treated with great circumspection and jettisoned immediately, no attempt being made to tamper with them or bring them back for inspection by Naval Authorities. Y-3 OILFIELD DEVELOPMENT AREA Numerous production platforms, underwater construction work on wellheads and pipelines, single buoy moorings and oil derricks, only some of which carry lights and fog signals, other unlit objects and submerged obstructions, oil barges, drilling rigs, diving tenders and support vessels exist within the Oil Field Development Areas enclosed by pecked lines. As all these features can not be charted, special caution should be exercised by vessels navigating in the vicinity. Vessels are advised not to enter these areas and those entering will do so at their own risk for which Government of India will not be liable anyway. The Government of India has established 500 metres Safety Zone around each installation in these Oil Field Development Areas. Mariners should not enter these Safety Zones. Forther details in Notice to Mariners Special Edition Notice No 20.are as follows: Special Notice No. 20: DEVELOPMENT OF OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS FIELDS Seismic Surveys. 1. Seismic surveys for offshore oil and mineral resource explorations are conducted in and around Indian waters. Details of these surveys are generally broadcast to mariners as a Radio Navigational Warning or by Notices to Mariners. It is seldom practicable to publish details of the areas of operation except in general terms and vessels carrying out seismic surveys may, therefore, be encountered without prior notice. Seismic survey vessels operate either alone or in company and may tow a sensing device in the form of buoyant cable streamed one to two nautical miles astern. The sensing device may be on the surface or at depths down to approximately 12 metres (40 feet) and an orange buoy usually attached to the end of cable, displays quick flashing light and carries a radar reflector. 2. In the process of the survey, repeated shock waves are created by using at any level from the bottom to the surface, explosive charges, compressed air, mechanical liberators or by electrical means. Occasionally, explosive charges of up to 2000 lbs are used. The seismic surveys vessels will usually be making way through the water but sometimes stop for extended periods. 3. Seismic survey vessels which are unable to manoeuvre are required to carry the lights and signals, described in Rule 27 of International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 and should be given a wide berth (2 to 21/2 miles). 4. If charges are being fired by radio or electrically triggered detonators, survey vessels may suspend radio and radar transmission to avoid accidental firings. Vessels being called by light are, therefore, to answer by the same means and not by radio. 5. Charges may be contained in a variety of cylinders, tubes or bags which may be marked as "Dangerous". No attempt to recover such items should be made and if any is inadvertently taken aboard in trawlers, etc., should be jettisoned immediately. Oil Rigs and Production Platforms. 6. There are two types of drilling rigs in use at present in Indian Offshore fields:- (a) Jack-up Rigs: - These are propelled/towed in positions where their steel legs are lowered to the seabed; the drilling platform is then jacked-up clear of the water. They are generally used in depths upto 100 metres. (b) Dynamic Positioning Drill ships: - These are built with a tall drilling rig amidship and usually with a helicopter deck near the stern. A typical drill ship has a displacement of 14,000 tons, a length of 135m and a maximum speed of 14 Knots. For drilling in depths of less than 200 metres, 8-point anchoring system is used. When drilling in deep water, their position is maintained by dynamic positioning equipment which enables these drill ships to keep on stations above the borehole. A feature of the drill ships with automated station- keeping facilities is their ability to manoeuvre accurately, with the aid of thrusters fitted with controlled pitch propellers. These are used in depths above 200 metres. Wellheads. 7. In the course of exploratory work, numerous wells are drilled to find the extent of the field. Wells which will not be required again are sealed with cement plug below the seabed and abandoned. 8. Other wells, known are suspended wells, which may be required at a later date have their wellheads capped and left with a pipe and other equipment projecting from the seabed. Such wellheads are sometimes marked by buoys to assist recovery and to warn the mariners that they are a hazard to navigation or fishing. List of unused capped pipes of oil rigs are placed at Appendix A. Production Platforms/Water Injection/Process Platforms. 9. These are massive structure carrying drilling and production equipment, oil and gas separation and treating plants, pumpline stations, electricity generators, cranes and helicopter landing deck. They are marked by lights, fog signals, and on some platforms flares burn at times. Production Platforms are charted. Platforms stand singly or in groups, linked to each other by pipelines and bridges. Process platforms are manned round the clock and have residential accommodation. A trunk pipeline connects them to the shore/storage tanker/tanker loading buoy or a floating terminal. Subsea Structure / Wellheads. 10. These structures are basically Wellheads, pipeline, etc. and manifolds installed at the seabed in deepwater area/shallow water area and need to be protected from any possible damages due to anchoring and sinking of vessels. Loading and Unloading System. 11. A variety of moorings, generally referred to a Single Point Mooring (SPM) have been developed to enable large vessels to moor by their bows to either load or unload their cargoes. There are at present Single Buoy Moorings (SBM) moored in Bombay oilfield and at Vadinar offshore oil terminal to facilitate oil tankers to be moored for transportation of crude. Safety Zones. 12. Under International law, a coastal state may construct and maintain on the continental shelf installations and other devices necessary for the exploration of its natural resources, establish Safety Zones around such installations and devices and take within these zones measures necessary for their protection. 13. Safety zones may extend to a distance of 500 metres around installations and other devices, measured from each point of their outer edges. Ships of all nationalities are required to respect these safety zones. 14. Several coastal states have made provisions in their National Law to cover the establishment of safety zones and have made infringement of the declared zones a criminal offence. Since the type of offshore installation subject to safety zone differ from State to State, mariners are advised always to assume the existence of a safety zone unless they have information to the contrary. Installation and devices include fixed production platforms, mobile exploration rigs, tanker loading moorings and seabed installations including submerged wellheads. The Government of India has established 500-metre safety zones around each installation in the oil field development areas. Mariners should not enter these safety zones 15. Some coastal states have declared Prohibition on entry into, or on fishing and anchoring within, areas extending beyond 500 metres from the installations. Publication of the details of such wider areas is solely for the safety and convenience of shipping and implies no recognition of the international validity of such restrictions. See also "The Mariners Handbook" (BA NP 100), chapter 1 section 1. Warning to Mariners. 16. Fixed platforms, wellheads, SBMs and pipelines are normally charted. The mobile rigs move from site to site at irregular intervals and details of their movements and positions are promulgated to shipping by means of Radio Navigational Warnings and Temporary Notices to Mariners. 17. It is essential that all vessels keep well clear of these structures; underwater and surface hazards to navigation exist in their vicinity and in any case consequences of damage of collision could be disastrous. 18. Within certain oilfields which are being developed or are already producing oil and gas the limits of which are charted, there are likely to be construction and maintenance vessels including submarine crafts, divers and obstruction, possibly marked by buoys. Supply vessels and in some cases, tankers, frequently manoeuvre within these fields, Mariners are strongly advised to keep outside such areas. 19. Vessels encountering uncharted oil platforms/ structures are to report the matter immediately at following addresses:- 1. Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India P. O. Box No. 75 107-A Rajpur Road Dehradun - India - 248 001 Telephone: - 91-135-2747365, 2747360 Fax: - 91-135-2748373 Email: inho_marinesafety@dataone.in inho@dataone.in 2. Flag Officer: - Offshore Defence Advisory Group; 15th Floor, F-Wing Cuffe Parade Mumbai: - 400 005 Telephone: - 022-22181424, 22752479 Fax: - 91-22 22151906 Light and Fog Signals. 20. Offshore structure operating in Indian waters will carry the following internationally agreed marking:- (a) White lights on the horizontal extremities of the structure flashing in uniform morse 'U' every 15 secs., range 10 miles. (b) A fixed red light on the highest point of the structure. (c) Illuminated identification. (d) A signal sounding morse 'U' every 30secs. When the visibility is less than 2 nautical miles. APPENDIX 'A' (To Accompany Special Notice to Mariners No. 20) Source: Offshore Defence Advisory Group UNUSED CAPPED PIPES LOCATIONS IN BRITISH GAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION INDIA LTD.(BGEP) (PANNA, MUKTA AND TAPTI) Well Name Latitude Longitude SWT-1 20°22'05''.65 71°49'36''.98 SWT-2 20°28'41''.97 71°51'50''.81 SWP-1 19°17'24''.37 71°56'11''.80 MB-1 19°20'12''.58 71°47'25''.41 PL 19°16'19''.37 71°59'59''.22 AA-1 19°25'24''.04 71°58'24''.51 MD-1 19°16'59''.06 71°44'53''.20 MOON-1 20°39'00''.03 72°05'43''.05 STE-1 20°30'48''.97 71°57'02''.36 BS-1 19°19'26''.26 72°00'06''.75 BS-3 19°20'13''.50 72°02'35''.30 BS-4 19°21'53''.12 72°00'34''.50 BS-5 19°23'05''.28 71°58'15''.55 BS-6 19°19'24''.75 72°00'33''.49 BS-8 19°18'27''.12 72°02'43''.20 BS-9 19°16'56''.04 71°58'56''.04 PBM-1 19°21'11''.09 72°03'07''.53 UNUSED CAPPED PIPES LOCATIONS IN HARDY EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION (INDIA) LTD Well Name Latitude Longitude PY-3 "Oil Field Area" enclosed by the following five co-ordinates. A 11°19'14'' 80°03'33'' B 11°20'16'' 80°01'00'' C 11°18'17'' 79°58'38'' D 11°14'07'' 79°58'13'' E 11°13'45'' 80°02'12'' Within the above notified area, four sub sea wells are located at the following co-ordinates. Well PY3-2 11°17'48'' 80°00'55'' Well PY3-3 11°16'56'' 80°00'16'' Well PY3-D3S 11°16'24'' 79°59'47'' Well PY3-D4 11°16'25'' 80°00'58'' UNUSED CAPPED PIPES LOCATIONS IN HINDUSTAN OIL EXPLORATION COMPANY LTD (HOEC). Well Name Latitude Longitude Co-ordinates of PY-1 Block A 78°52'51" 11°31'16'' B 70°55'05" 11°33'31'' C 80°00'00" 11°29'53'' D 79°57'20" 11°28'48'' UNUSED CAPPED PIPES LOCATIONS IN GUJARAT STATE PETROLEUM CORPORATION (GSPC) LTD Well Name Latitude Longitude KG-01 16°49'37''.77 82°29'35''.14 KG-11 16°54'36''.33 82°27'47''.92 KG-08 16°40'09''.45 82°25'43''.28 KG-17 16°40'09''.65 82°25'43''.17 KG-15 16°40'09''.59 82°25'43''.10 KG-16 16°40'02''.65 82°27'46''.70 KG-28 16°40'09''.72 82°25'43''.25 KG-30 17°02'06''.41 82°31'14''.11 KG-19 16°41'48''.01 82°31'45''.56 BRU-1 17°06'35''.20 82°32'09''.13 KG-22 16°42'57''.86 82°28'50''.29 KG-31 16°41'00''.00 82°26'14''.99