Question 4397 Deck General

The correct answer is D) winds are less than 70 knots. The reason this is the correct answer is that the DEEP DRILLER is a type of mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU), and under the regulations governing MODUs, the operating draft may be maintained instead of deballasting to survival draft when the wind speed is less than 70 knots. This is because in winds less than 70 knots, the MODU is not considered to be in a severe storm condition that would require it to be in the more stable, lower-draft survival configuration. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not align with the specific regulations governing MODU operations. Exceeding critical motion limits, waves approaching the spider deck, or wave heights greater than 64 feet do not, on their own, trigger the requirement to deballast to survival draft if the wind speed is below 70 knots.