Second of two oil rigs departs Portland

The Associated Press

A salute by the Portland, Maine, city fireboat marked the departure of the second of two massive oil exploration rigs, which left Portland Harbor the evening of June 26.

Heavy fog delayed its departure by about two hours, but a small crowd of admirers watched from Portland and South Portland as tugboats moved Pride Portland from its berth. The 12,000-ton rig motored away under its own power shortly after 7 p.m. It was en route to Brazil, where it will drill for oil off the South American coast. Its sister rig, Pride Rio de Janeiro, left in February.

The two-year project was a boon for contractor Cianbro Corp. and the city. Cianbro’s $100 million contract created 1,000 jobs, and the city received an additional $2 million in rent.

The rigs were towed to Portland from separate Gulf Coast yards after the companies that were building them sank into bankruptcy.

The massive structures changed the city’s skyline and attracted interest from residents accustomed to seeing tankers, warships, tall ships and yachts — but not 319-foot-tall oil rigs — on the waterfront.

“We weren’t sure how the city was going to feel about these rigs,” said Cianbro spokeswoman Dottie Hutchins.

In the end, people enjoyed watching the progress. Some requested tours.

“One woman e-mailed and said, ‘You know, my husband’s birthday is next week and the only thing he wants is a tour of the rig,’” Hutchins said. “We took them on a tour.”