Document mB27Lmx9BV58z2GnvMMqMGqYB

PUBLISHED 8 THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, ESSO STANDARD. DIVISION Of HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY Vol. 2, No. 14 July 14, 1960 Esso Scranton Rescues 28 From Disabled Tanker An SOS from the 501-ft. Sinclair tanker George MacDonald was picked up by Radio Officer Kare Kvinnesland, of the Esso Scranton, at 1848 on June 27. The Scranton, Captain Bernard Roberts and Chief Engineer Paul W. Sabrowsky, was about 140 miles southeast of Charleston (3149'N, 77 48'W), bound from Morehead City to Baytown. Captain Roberts plotted the position of the stricken vessel at 3203'N, 7755'W, just 15`/2 miles away. "At 1850 I changed course to 336 true," Cap tain Roberts reported, "and called for more revolu tions, hoping to reach the MacDonald before dark. She was sighted at 1930, riding low in the water, almost dead ahead and about seven miles distant. "We saw flares to indicate that she was in dis tress and we answered with our blinker light. Com munications were rather scant but we managed to determine that she was in sinking condition and her crew was standing by to launch their boats. "Our crew was alerted, the motor lifeboat pre pared for launching and ladders, lifelines, safety belts, boat ropes, etc., made ready as we arrived on the scene. We circled the vessel at full speed to provide smoother water, then hove to to pick up survivors." "Shortly afterward a Coast Guard plane began circling overhead," Captain Roberts continued. "We established contact with her by radiotelephone and informed her of the progress of the rescue, which she relayed to headquarters. "About 2045 the destroyer USS Robinson came up as we were maneuvering to pick up the first boat load of survivors." The actual transfer of survivors began at 2112 when one of the MacDonald's lifeboats with 17 men aboard drew alongside. Thirteen of them came up the Scranton's ladders and the remaining four were towed back to the disabled tanker by the Scranton's motor lifeboat. The motor boat returned with 15 more survivors after leaving the other boat along side the MacDonald for those staying aboard. A total of 28 men were rescued--all without injury--a remarkable feat considering the darkness, moderately rough seas, long ground swells and rain squalls. Captain Roberts commended all hands for their splendid cooperation and good work during the rescue. Radio Officer Kvinnesland "really had a workout" and the boat crew, all volunteers, did a "beautiful job". Chief Mate Earl F.. Walker was in charge of the boat. assisted by hirst Ass't Engineer Karl M. Waagona.-; Bos'n Ralph B. Petersen. Jr.; f fa EXX-MOR-006720 ..isaj MacDonald crewmen ready to debark off Jacksonville Twenty-four the Esso Scranton's complement. Pumpman John Stupi; Able Seaman J. H. Hays and Deck Maintenanceman Roy G. Stanley. Steward Joel L. Henry and his staff were ready with hot coffee and food for the rescued. "Our boys supplied cigarettes," Captain Roberts said, "and, needless to say, the MacDonald men were happy to be aboard. The Esso hospitality was an added treat. Bedding them down was quite a problem but, with the hospital, spare rooms and settees in various rooms, we found a place for everyone." "After standing by in company and communica tion with the USS Robinson and accounting for the entire crew of the stricken ship (the destroyer res cued 12)," Captain Roberts concluded, "we re ceived orders from the Coast Guard to proceed on our voyage at 0057, June 28, leaving the MacDonald in care of the destroyer. Sixteen hours later the 28 men were transferred to Coast Guard boats at the entrance to the St. John's River." The New York Times reported that the George MacDonald sank early on June 29, just 60 miles from shore. Another Sinclair tanker, the J. E. Dyer, had taken the stricken vessel in tow but at 0140 on the 29th the towline parted and the MacDonald slowly settled to the bottom. The Master, Captain Eldridge Burnthom, and two crewmen abandoned ship at the last moment, after a strenuous fight to save her. It is believed that the MacDonald's plight resulted from a rupture in the main condenser cooling sys tem, which caused the engineroom to be flooded. Hodgkins Celebrates 40 Years with isso Manager of the Operating Divi sion, Marine Department, L. J. Hodgkins was guest of honor at a cocktail party on June 29 to celebrate his 40th anniversary with Esso marine organizations. The affair was held in the Execu tive Dining Room, Esso Build ing, New York, and was attended by more than 250 Company executives, friends and co-workers. A handsome ship's clock, mounted on an engraved bronze and wood base, was presented to Mr. Hodgkins, together with a souvenir album. A native of Maine, Larry has devoted his entire 40-year career to the Company's tanker operations. ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing employees of Esso Standard, Division of Humble Oil & Refining Co., Marine Department: J. D. Rogers, Gen eral Manager; James E. Stoveken, Assistant General Manager; Sydney Wire, Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner, Ed.; R. M. Sheridan, Editorial Ass't. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, ESSO FLEET NEWS, Room 1713, 15 West 51st Street, New York 19, N. Y. EXX-MOR-006721 Union Balloting Nears Completion As of July 15, only 11 ships remain to be voted for the third time to complete the NLRB supervised representation election among Esso seamen. The wind-up will come about the end of July, after which all the ballots will be counted by the Labor Board. The results are expected to be announced within seven days after the last ship votes, O. V. Tracy W. W. Bryan O. V. Tracy to Retire August 1, Wm. Bryan Named Esso Standard President O. V. Tracy will retire August 1 as President of the Esso Standard Division, Morgan J. Davis, Presi dent of Humble Oil & Refining Co., announced July 8. William W. Bryan, who has been serving in Houston as Vice President for Marketing on Hum ble's headquarters staff, will succeed Mr. Tracy. In returning to Esso Mr. Bryan will rejoin the organiza tion in which he began his oil industry career. He spent 33 years in Esso's marketing operations. Mr. Tracy, a native of Syracuse, N. Y., was gradu ated from -the U. S. Naval Academy in 1924. He joined Esso Standard Oil Company in 1930 and in the following years became closely associated with petrochemicals development. He served as Presi dent of the Enjay Company, Inc., Esso's petro chemicals marketing affiliate, from 1952 to 1958. Enjay (now the Enjay Chemical Company) became an operating division of Humble six weeks ago. Mr. Tracy was elected a Director of Esso Stand ard in 1954, a Vice President in 1956 and was named Division President last December. Mr. Bryan, until his recent move to Houston, was Vice President in charge of marketing of Humble's Carter Division. A native of Petersburg, Va., he took his first job with Esso in 1923 in the VirginiaWest Virginia Sales Division, where he rose to Assist ant Division Manager. He moved from the head quarters offices at Richmond in 1949 to the New Jersey Sales Division as Division Manager. With later promotions, he transferred to New York City as Northern Regional Sales Manager for Esso and later to the parent Jersey Standard as Assistant Coordinator of its worldwide marketing activities. In November, 1956 he was elected Vice President and Director of the then Carter Oil Company. Esso Bangor Air Conditioned, Converted to Carry Solvents The Esso Bangor became the 14th air conditioned ship in the fleet when she reentered service July 3 after 59 days in the shipyard. All living spaces in both deck houses can now be supplied with cooled fresh air in hot weather. Another major item on the repair list was the conversion of seven tanks--No. 3 center and Nos. 4 and 9 across--to carry solvents. Four vertical deepwell pumps were installed on deck just forward of the midship house, with a turbine to drive each pump located in the midship square. Normally each pump will serve one of the four forward tanks but piping arrangement and sluice valves in the bulkheads will permit any of the pumps to serve any of the four tanks. There is a new discharge manifold on the forward deck with seven 6-in. crossovers and one 2-in. line. No. 7 wing tanks were converted to carry Raffinate (a partially processed waxy lube stock) and an addi tional pump to handle it was installed in the midship pumproom. A new pump was also located in the main pumproom to strip No. 9 center tank. Painting included sandblasting and putting five coats of epoxy on the hull from deep load line to rail and coating 15 cargo tanks (all except the lube oil tanks) with Rust-Ban 190 inorganic zinc. The lube tanks are protected by a dehumidifying system. So, at least until the sister lube carrier Esso Huntington undergoes a similar conversion to carry alcohols in August, the Esso Bangor may properly claim the title of "Most Special" specialty ship in the Esso fleet--perhaps in any fleet. TAFFRAIL TALK Another trip to the West Coast has been scheduled for the Esso Jamestown. The ship is due at Aruba July 23 to load special Navy fuel for discharge at San Diego, August 5, then to San Francisco on the 7th and San Pedro on the 9th to load fuel oil for New York. Captain Edward M. Berry is Master and Myles C. Keller, Chief Engineer. ` *^% Asa J. LaGrow, Radio Officer in the Esso New York, plans to return to Tulane University next September to work for a Master's degree in business administration. The University has awarded him an assistantship and a scholarship which will cover a year's tuition. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Tulane last May. sj. The Esso Allentown was withdrawn from service July 4 in anticipation of the delivery of the Esso Baltimore, scheduled for July 15. The Allentown became known as "the busiest ship in the fleet" during the several years she operated with high efficiency between U. S. Gulf and southeastern ports. She was chosen for tie-up to eliminate costly structural re placements. $ % :Jc The Esso Washington discharged 230,751 bbls. of Delta crude in 8 hrs. at Delaware City on May 26. The average discharge rate of 28,844 bph. topped the Esso Jamestown's May 3, 1959 mark of .26,967 bph. The Washington used one 30-in shore line and two 12-in hoses. ;js ij: Second Cook Ronald J. McLean is well on the road to recovery from a throat operation following transfer from the Esso New. Haven to a U. S. Coast Guard patrol boat off Jacksonville Sea Buoy on June 11. When he reported sick aboard ship on June 10, Captain William Hamilton contacted the U. S. Public Health Service at Miami and, after con sultation, it was decided to put Mr. McLean ashore. He was taken to the U. S. Naval Hospital, Jackson ville, where the operation was performed. 'i' f' 4- Copies of the June, 1960 issue of the Telephone Directory for Use of Ships' Personnel are now available from Masters of vessels and Agents. From Albany to Yorktown, the Directory alphabetically lists ports of call for Esso ships, business and offhours telephone numbers and the names of persons to contact for docking and sailing information. *% Oiler Paul R. Hemphill, of the Esso Bridgeport, is justly proud of the scholastic achievements of his children. He wrote recently that his daughter Judith, a Teagle Scholarship winner attending Cornell Uni versity, had excellent grades upon completion of her freshman year. Her 85 average will qualify her for the Dean's List and Phi Beta Kappa. Another daughter was an honor graduate from Pennsylvania State University and a son has now earned a Master's degree in industrial management. Notes on Petrochemicals Extracts from an address by D. A. Shepard, Executive Vice President and Director, Standard Oil Company (N. J.), before Societe de Chimie Industrielle, Paris, France, June 8, 1960. Petrochemicals range from basic raw materials such as acetylene, ethylene, propylene, butylene and butadiene, which are the fundamental building blocks, to intermediates such as alcohols, acetaldehyde, gly cols and chlorine derivatives. They continue to the higher molecular weight, more complex end products such as synthetic rubber and plastics. Of greater interest, however, is the fact that petro chemicals currently represent 57 per cent of the dollar value of all chemicals manufactured in the United States. Approximately 3,000 different chemicals are de rived from petroleum. Of these, about 300 would be classified as important commercial chemicals-- and only 50 are large volume basic items. Nearly 80 per cent of the chemicals derived from petroleum and natural gas go into seven major chan nels of consumption. 1. The rapidly growing large volume plastics field. 2. Paints and surface coatings. 3. Detergents, emulsifiers and wetting agents. 4. Automotive chemicals -- of considerable in terest to us since they augment our fuel products business. 5. Agricultural chemicals. 6. Synthetic fibers. 7. Synthetic rubbers. o Synthetic rubber is being made in increased quantity with improved processes. As a result, gen eral purpose rubber is made available to the rubber industry at about 23 cents a pound, compared to natural rubber currently at roughly 40-43 cents a pound. Generally speaking, petroleum companies supply basic raw materials to the chemical companies, which then make the finished products. However, there are many exceptions. My company is actively engaged in petro chemicals both in the United States and in Europe. Since we intend to grow in this field, I believe it is important that our position be made clear at every opportunity. Jersey Standard regards the chemical industry as a relatively new and rapidly growing customer for materials contained in or economically produced from petroleum. We intend to continue to keep our eyes open for opportunities to make profitable investments to pro duce specific chemical raw materials, certain more complex intermediates, derivatives and, occasionally, end products. Fifty years ago, only three out of every 100 patents issued in the U. S. were in the chemical field. Today 20 out of every 100 patents there deal with chemicals. Much of this effort is directed toward new product development--about 44 per cent of the total research development. This effort results in more than 400 new chemical products being placed on the market each year. ... In Jersey Standard, 20-25 per cent of our total research activity is in the field of petrochemicals. Competition is a basic principle of the American economy and it is particularly strong in the petroleum and the chemical industries.