Plans for grounded oil rig to get second towline amid bid to refloat structure
Details of the plans will be revealed at a public meeting on the Isle of Lewis.
Salvage teams working on the oil rig grounded on the Western Isles plan to attach a second towline on Thursday as part of preparations to refloat the structure.
Further details of the plans will be revealed at a public meeting on the Isle of Lewis.
The Transocean Winner rig was blown ashore in severe weather conditions at Dalmore beach near Carloway on the western side of the island last week when it detached from its tug en route from Norway to Malta.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said salvage workers hope to transfer the diesel onboard on Thursday.
The semi-submersible was carrying 280 tonnes of diesel - more than 300,000 litres - when it ran aground, and salvage teams have since discovered that two of its four fuel tanks have been breached.
The rig is believed to have leaked 50,000 litres of fuel, most of which is thought to have evaporated since the grounding on August 8.
Teams plan to transfer the remaining 137 metric tonnes of diesel fuel - a light and non-persistent oil with lower environmental risks than heavy black crude oil - in the intact tanks to tanks above the waterline.
The MCA said on Thursday: Salvors are planning to attach a second towline today to the grounded drilling rig, Transocean Winner, off the Isle of Lewis.
"Preparations continue for the refloat and - weather permitting - it's hoped that the remaining diesel oil onboard will be transferred later today.
"Transfer of equipment to the rig continues by helicopter as part of the ongoing operation. This includes compressors which will be used to provide buoyancy for the refloat.
"Smit Salvage continue assessments and stability analysis to make sure it has sufficient buoyancy.''
The rig's owner and Hugh Shaw, the official overseeing the salvage operation, are set to meet members of the local community on Thursday evening.
The latest details about the salvage plan are expected to be aired at the gathering at Carloway Community Centre, where locals will also get a chance to ask questions about the operation.
A 300-metre sea and air exclusion zone remains in place around the rig, which is expected to be grounded for some time.
Mr Shaw said: "We appreciate that there remains huge interest in the rig but we've put the exclusion zone in place for the safety of the salvage teams and the public too.''
On Friday, an exercise to test out procedures in the event of any diesel oil being spilled will be carried out.
The test will examine how quickly equipment could be deployed from Carloway to various locations.
A Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigation has been launched into the loss of tow and the grounding.