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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/27/oil-rigs-offshore-platforms-tourism-cruise-norway
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| Oil rig, dead ahead! Could offshore platforms become the new cruise trend? | Oil rig, dead ahead! Could offshore platforms become the new cruise trend? |
| (30 days later) | |
| If you’re bored with palm-fringed beaches and turquoise seas, why not try the gigantic oil platforms of the North Sea? | If you’re bored with palm-fringed beaches and turquoise seas, why not try the gigantic oil platforms of the North Sea? |
| The world’s first “rig-spotting” cruise has just ended off the coast of Norway, and tourists who were on board for the four-day trip have been talking about what they saw. | The world’s first “rig-spotting” cruise has just ended off the coast of Norway, and tourists who were on board for the four-day trip have been talking about what they saw. |
| “I couldn’t believe that these big buildings could be made,” said passenger Kari Somme, 86, after seeing Statoil’s Troll A platform – the heaviest structure ever moved by humans – towering 200 metres (650ft) above the surface of the sea. | “I couldn’t believe that these big buildings could be made,” said passenger Kari Somme, 86, after seeing Statoil’s Troll A platform – the heaviest structure ever moved by humans – towering 200 metres (650ft) above the surface of the sea. |
| “It’s just wonderful, just wonderful. I was so excited because I didn’t know much about it. So when I came here and we went from rig to rig, or platform to platform, I was amazed,” she said. | “It’s just wonderful, just wonderful. I was so excited because I didn’t know much about it. So when I came here and we went from rig to rig, or platform to platform, I was amazed,” she said. |
| The group of 120 tourists – all Norwegians except for a German and a Swedish couple – paid between 6,000 and 30,000 crowns ($700-$3,500) for four days on board the high-tech offshore vessel Edda Fides. | The group of 120 tourists – all Norwegians except for a German and a Swedish couple – paid between 6,000 and 30,000 crowns ($700-$3,500) for four days on board the high-tech offshore vessel Edda Fides. |
| The trip was organised by Edda Accommodation, which provides housing for offshore oil workers; the company is looking for new ways to drum up business as oil firms cut costs after a 60% slump in the price of oil since mid-2014. | The trip was organised by Edda Accommodation, which provides housing for offshore oil workers; the company is looking for new ways to drum up business as oil firms cut costs after a 60% slump in the price of oil since mid-2014. |
| “There was little activity, so we used our creativity to come up with ideas,” said Bjön Erik Julseth, the hotel manager on board. “We organised this trip in six weeks.” | “There was little activity, so we used our creativity to come up with ideas,” said Bjön Erik Julseth, the hotel manager on board. “We organised this trip in six weeks.” |
| The inaugural group toured oil installations at the Troll, Balder or Ringhorn fields before a second tour departed for a trip further north to the fields of the Norwegian Sea. | The inaugural group toured oil installations at the Troll, Balder or Ringhorn fields before a second tour departed for a trip further north to the fields of the Norwegian Sea. |
| Oil production is Norway’s biggest industry, but the bulk of the work is unseen as it takes place offshore. | Oil production is Norway’s biggest industry, but the bulk of the work is unseen as it takes place offshore. |
| “Every Norwegian knows that the oil has brought us wealth and welfare that can’t be compared to nothing or to no one,” said passenger Arnt Even Bøe, a journalist. The tourists were not allowed to board the rigs for security reasons, but the offshore workers seemed thrilled to see visitors. | “Every Norwegian knows that the oil has brought us wealth and welfare that can’t be compared to nothing or to no one,” said passenger Arnt Even Bøe, a journalist. The tourists were not allowed to board the rigs for security reasons, but the offshore workers seemed thrilled to see visitors. |
| “Some of them fired flares or used water cannon to welcome us … We even had a rescue helicopter, with one worker dangling above us,” said Julseth. The company would now evaluate whether to repeat the cruise, he said. | “Some of them fired flares or used water cannon to welcome us … We even had a rescue helicopter, with one worker dangling above us,” said Julseth. The company would now evaluate whether to repeat the cruise, he said. |
| Passenger Nils Olav Nergaard brought his drone on the trip and said it had been “a real adventure”. “To be a part of a high-tech offshore vessel, almost as a crew, and get the experience to go to the oil platforms and see them for real, that was very amazing,” he said. | Passenger Nils Olav Nergaard brought his drone on the trip and said it had been “a real adventure”. “To be a part of a high-tech offshore vessel, almost as a crew, and get the experience to go to the oil platforms and see them for real, that was very amazing,” he said. |