| Description | Tape 1 Side A JOHN ARTHUR ROBERTSON born Fiblister, Ollaberry 21.1.1953. Background to names, family. Paternal grandparents, John Robertson a crofter, herring fisherman, Christina (Kirsty) nee Hay from local area, lived in family home. Influence of grandfather, his work, moral ethic etc. Details re sister; uncle, a former Japanese prisoner of war, later seriously injured in peacetime army; other members of household looked after by mother. Father's work on croft, at sea, in butcher's shop. Details re maternal grandparents, Thomas Jamieson, Agnes nee Tait, their influence, family holidays etc. Explains closeness of family, overseas relations. Further details re family background, Cameron, Mouat connections. Recalls family life in childhood home, numbers of family and neighbourhood visitors. Describes parents, their personalities. Recalls childhood entertainment - what you made yourself, fishing skills etc. Currently runs family croft. Explains. Description of croft - really a holding. Explains. Details re Lamba Isle, owned by family. Relationship of family land to Sullom Voe. Recalls great grandfather's eviction from Fiblister. His croft would have been on present site of Sullom Voe. Explains own feelings of connection to Sullom Voe. Recalls childhood fishing in Voe. Childhood attitudes to behaviour, religion of family, environment. Feelings re guardianship of land, care necessary. Own attitude to care of environment. Recalls childhood neighbourhood, shop etc. Went to school at Ollaberry, then Lerwick Central School. Recalls influence of teacher Olly (Oliver) Lisk, headmaster John Graham. Potential at school. Aspirations to be crofter.
Tape 1 Side B Enjoyed football, badminton, team sports. First time away from Shetland, a trip to Aberdeen aged 16. Feelings re being part of British Isles, Shetland. Classless society in Shetland. Left school at 16, worked on croft, got job on building site. Details. Joined Ministry of Defence Police (1972-78) at NATO station. First real experience on mainland at RAF Debden in Essex. Details re arrival, time in East Ham, London. Recalls training in Ministry of Defence. Reference to Official Secrets Act, powers of arrest. Details re job in Shetland, conditions, pay. Social life in Shetland, dances, sport etc. Describes Shetland before oil came, compares with now. Impact of Sullom Voe on employment. Difficulty surviving by crofting. Mentions post-war subsidies. Family was self-sufficient. Recalls talk of oil in 1960s. Mixed views re oil industry in Shetland at the time. Explains. Own first awareness of oil industry with French company's investigation re underground storage tanks; skirmishes involving French at dances. Details re marriage (1975), wife, children. Recalls first oil-related excavation activities, feelings about situation, BP showing community what happening (1978), own decision to get into oil. Lot of work available. Details re own security job. Reference to Council negotiations with industry, Ian Clark. Describes construction situation in 1978, jobs available. Reasons for joining industry. Appointment as Trainee Operator (1978). Explains duties commissioning oil tanks, jetties etc. Describes daily work routine. Explains commissioning of tanks etc. Details re floating roofs, taking tank measurements by hand, effluent disposal. Hierarchy at terminal, names, atmosphere etc.
Tape 2 Side A Recalls some early personalities at Sullom Voe, many from Middle East. Their initial reaction to Shetlanders after subservience of Arab workers. Thousands of people in Shetland in construction phase. Details re 'muck shifters', companies (JMJ, LJK) which did civil work etc; other companies involved. Workers lived in camps. Mentions Project Manager. Workers brought in by aircraft. If there was a strike everybody thrown off island. Some union representation strong. Details. Explains own membership of union (T&GWU) until rising to supervisor. Feelings re union culture. Describes workers' canteens, quality of food, huge kitchen, wastage of food, litter. Local birds ate so much their young could not fly. Own arrangements getting to work etc. Became Operator in November 1978 when first oil came ashore. Recalls celebrations, parties for first oil, other events put on by company. Details re mistake when first oil came. Explains purpose of houb (salt marsh), purification of untreated water. Details re oil pumping process, movement of oil to ships etc, purpose of power station. Describes layout of Sullom Voe, various equipment (refers to photograph), emergency precautions. Tanker Esso Bernicia collision with pontoon on jetty, oil spill (December 1978). On shift at time. Details re incident, impressions of situation, lack of appropriate gear to catch oil, damage done. Explains clean-up process, assistance from nature - storm, later warm weather. Impact of incident on own confidence. Compares oil damage with other forms of damage. Fortunate that incident happened then. Explains. Details re wife, her family, work. Impact of industry on families.
Tape 2 Side B Describes routines as Operator, shift pattern in Marine & Offsites area. Moved to Process area (1980). Explains duties checking equipment, change when live crude brought ashore for separation, end of offshore flaring, use of gas in terminal etc. Problem with flare stack. Details re testing etc. Difference in attitude to health and safety between then and now; conflict between production, safety. Describes typical clashes. Reference to present role in health and safety. Recalls official opening of Sullom Voe by Queen, IRA bomb same day. On night shift at time. Consciousness of oil price. Moved to control room (1982). Explains duties, routine monitoring whole process plant. No women in own area of work; some female engineers. Promoted to Shift Foreman (1984) in Marine & Offsites area. Details of duties, staff, shift work. Positive impact of shift work on family. Explains. Further details re own family. Next job as Day Supervisor (1986). Explains duties re maintenance, links with pipeline operators etc. Mentions authority of people in Aberdeen, London. Explains time lag involved in change to gas-oil ratio (GOR) flows, in gas pressure etc. Concern re industry in 1986 with oil price. Recalls Sunburgh helicopter disaster, people killed in construction phase of Sullom Voe including a friend. Impact of this on own attitude to work. Appointment as Shift Controller (1988). Details of duties, responsibility involving plant, personnel etc. Recalls an incident involving visiting oil tanker Chevron North America.
Tape 3 Side A Recalls incident involving visiting oil tanker Chevron North America in strong wind (cont'd). Details re actions carried out saving situation, subsequent litigation which may still be continuing. Recalls other smaller incidents involving individuals, gas leak etc but no major injuries. Continuous improvement in standards of safety. Impact of Piper Alpha disaster, feeling in industry that safety had been compromised in favour of production. Details re situation on Piper, reputation of Occidental. Details re tugs at Sullom Voe. High safety standards of Captain George Sutherland, Port Director. Background to move to present job as Health & Safety Manager (now Consultant) (1997). Explains role, approach to job, need to change attitudes to safety. Importance of trust. Example of situation dealt with, concerns of workers. Has to be able to take flack if necessary. Explains. Daily contact with senior management team, high profile of position. Role of Health Performance Advisor who deals with stress cases etc. Own role, approach dealing with staff personal etc problems. Benefit of own experience at Sullom Voe. Changes in Sullom Voe over the years - mainly in control systems, software. Details. Style of management closer to workers, more relaxed. Recalls different managers. Fewer layers in organisation. Feelings of affection for Sullom Voe of present and former staff. Explains positive feelings re Sullom Voe being on own home land. Feelings re BP's level of integration in Shetland, involvement of Shetlanders in company.
Tape 3 Side B Recalls Tanker Braer oil spill (1993). Details re procedures followed. Part played by weather. Own sense of weather, need to be able to forecast accurately. Future passage of gas from Foinhaven Field through Sullom Voe to Magnus. Concerns in Shetland re jobs with lower oil prices, company reorganisation etc. Own role. Details re recent fire at Sullom Voe, procedures followed. Regular scenario practices carried out in case of fire. Details. Own attitude to situation. Net result of oil good for the country. Feelings re Sullom Voe Environmental Advisory Group - a positive group re impact of industry on environment; Sullom Voe Association. Attitude to Green Party, their approach. Future of the industry in the North Sea. Own plans for future, career aspirations. Liking for pipes and people and plant. End of interview.
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