| Description | Tape 1 Side A MICHAEL (MIKE) ALLEN born Penang Malaysia 30 January 1932. Family details. (Father) Percy Tothill Allen's work as British Resident, Colonial Civil Service. Earliest memories of childhood home, Norman Hall, Sutton Court near Abingdon, relationship with parents. Father's interest in classics. Characteristics inherited from parents; details re upbringing. Recollections of boarding school education at St Augustines School, Eastbourne; train journey to school. Move to Tormore School, The Vine, Basingstoke - history of the building. Early interest in science; effect of living in boarding school on later career in oil industry; feelings about boarding school in retrospect. Scholarship to Kings School, Canterbury; Exhibition Scholarship to Corpus Christie College, Cambridge. Interest in reading. Experience learning to fly as national serviceman for RAF in Canada, UK. Choice of permanent commission in RAF or going to university.
Tape 1 Side B Explanation of great fascination for flying, decision to go to university instead of career in RAF. Details of academic study. Comparison of university, air force cultures; reaction to attitude of younger students. Considerations about career possibilities, limitations of air force, civil aviation. Contact with Norman Tebbitt. Completion of geology degree. Possible uses of geology training. Employment with seismic contracting company near Bromley, SSL (Seismograph Service Ltd) as junior computer (interpreter) of seismic recordings. Description of seismic work, its application to oil industry. Comparison of land and sea seismic testing. Details re explosion techniques. Link with air force and flying training. Explanation of decision to stop flying. Work in Oman with seismic party for SSL in Iraq Petroleum Co concession; later work for IPC as trainee petroleum engineer developing fields, interpreting information re fluids underground, predicting well performance. Difficulty in recruiting staff for overseas exploration; advantage of generalist academic/geological background to work. Need for more staff in Middle East because of industry expansion.
Tape 2 Side A Lack of consciousness of North Sea as a possible oil province during early part of career (1950s). Work with Iraq Petroleum Co drilling exploration wells, interpretation of well information. Detailed explanation of mud control, mud composition. Involvement of Macabar, American company, circumstances leading to joining them as mud engineer. Details of mud mixing process. Move to BP as result of industry recession. Comparison of cultures of BP and other organisations. Recollection of 'father figure' Frank Skelton. Work in Libya (1960). Attitude of geologists, engineers to success, failure when working in exploration. Detailed explanation of procedures followed leading to drilling of well (on land). Role of drillers, engineers, geologists. Explanation of key role of geologists; their record of getting it wrong; nature of risk business. Skills required for oil company chief executives; background of John Brown. First rumblings of North Sea gas/oil. Work in other countries. Return to work in Great Yarmouth with BP (1967) on West Sole gas field. Development of exploration in southern North Sea. Marriage to Christine Endersby, former nurse with BP.
Tape 2 Side B Work leading engineering group developing production from West Sole field. Awareness of influence of Government on development of North Sea. BP's contract with Gas Council, return on investment. Gas pricing change leading to oil companies abandoning exploration/development of North Sea for years. Other far-reaching effects of price change on offshore construction industry, British Steel plans; effect on wealth of UK; effect on consumer; Gas Council surplus. Opinion of situation, policy adopted re fuel self-sufficiency, Government intervention. Developing sense of excitement at North Sea exploration possibilities. UK shortage of people with background in drilling, oil field development, transportation of gas/oil; need for experience of overseas-trained personnel. Detailed explanation of West Sole field characteristics, hydraulic fracturing process, use of walnut shells, aluminium pellets; first indications of oil, gas; electrical detection of presence of gas, pressures involved. Description of characteristics of typical rock, porosity etc. Attitude of offshore personnel to discoveries. Circumstances leading to being sent with Willie Downie in work in Alaska. Explanation of BP's situation there, involvement with Prudoe Bay (1968).
Tape 3 Side A Work as Senior Petroleum Engineer, BP, (working with Atlantic Richfield) Prudoe Bay, Alaska (1968) (cont'd). Personal considerations living in winter in Alaska. Details of size of operation necessary to undertake drilling work, organisation of equipment, personnel, massive scale of air transport arrangements. Explanation of difficulties with drilling, subsidence of drilling rig. Impact of earlier oil spill at Santa Barbara; BP consciousness of environmental impact in Alaska. Description of problem with industrial espionage at high level when acreage offered for lease to highest bidder by State of Alaska; precautions taken by BP, reason for contracting electrical logging work to Schlumberger. Details of work done with electrical logs; security arrangements; significance of work done. Problem of wastage through duplicated work arising from competition. Significance of varying cultures of different companies. Explanation of importance of variety of approach of independent groups working competitively; opinion on choice between state control or competition. Attitude of BP to use of its resources, attitude to local political circumstances. Work (1971) in London planning Abu Dhabi offshore exploration. Details of scale, technical and supply aspects of operation. Explanation of own role, experience in Abu Dhabi, recasting of BP's role, evolution of close and difficult working relationship with Abu Dhabi government.
Tape 3 Side B Relationship, potential difficulties between parties involved in Abu Dhabi oil exploration; need for modification of development plans. Background to move to North Sea industry, as Manager, Forties Field (which was just coming on stream), based in Aberdeen (1976). Opinion of formation of BNOC (British National Oil Corporation). Explanation of novelty of Forties development, involvement of Brown & Root in design, project management; complexity of transition between project construction and operation - different mental approaches required. Relationship with tanker personnel, arrangement re transportation of oil. Description of Forties Field system, comparison with other systems, links with Grangemouth, British Gas, Dalmenie; extent of field, distribution of platforms; form of control. Background to financing of Forties, potential for financial disaster, attitude of people to getting involved. Novelty of Forties. Hazards involved in offshore work. Details of work on environmental matters, industry relationship with fishing people, Forth River Purification Board. Situation involving non-unionisation of staff often from union backgrounds; consultation with staff. Explanation of difficulty for BP management, their nervousness. Reaction from staff, impact of novelty of situation. Example of staff attitude in a difficult Christmas/New Year changeover.
Tape 4 Side A Difficult Christmas/New Year changeover demonstrating attitude of staff (cont'd). Recollection of level of cooperation between staff and management. Explanation of attitude to staff; significance of their individuality. Attitude of BP and other companies to safety standards; impact of accidents. Effect of early North Sea platforms being set up as oil producers, handling gas at later stages, eg Piper Alpha. Origins of Sea Gem. Lack of understanding of North Sea environment. Recollection of being on Piper Alpha. Opinion of significance of Cullen Report. Difficulty getting people to work safely, need for company culture of safety. Relationship between management and unions in Forties, lack of impact of unions. Relationship between BP and OIMs (Offshore Installation Managers) compared with situation in other companies; explanation of own attitude; importance of ability to make autonomous decisions. Recollection of individual OIMs, their backgrounds. Description of role of OIM. Defining characteristics, attitudes of oil people. Aberdeen as a place to live and work. Excitement of development of Forties field, its increasing flow of wealth. Problem of security at time of Tartan Army, Scottish Nationalism; incidents; precautionary measures; impact of movies showing hijacks, false bomb threats. Explains establishment of BP Edinburgh office, need for companies to keep ahead of political realities.
Tape 4 Side B Move to London as Chief Production Engineer (1980): Explanation of role. Impact of rapid evolution of technology in the field on function of headquarters. Feelings at move to Head Office, changes at Forties. Move to Abu Dhabi (1986-87). Explanation of work on offshore operation, cultural element of job. Feelings about return to Abu Dhabi. Attitude to work. After retirement (1987), work on Musssel Bay offshore gas project, South Africa; difficulties with government there re racial situation. Production Manager, Sun Oil Britain, on Board. Description of safety/environmental characteristics of Sun Oil which sold to AGIP (1993-4). Current consulting work with Slecker, Japanese company with interests in North Sea. Future prospects, requirements for the North Sea industry. Impact of technology; attitude to use of profits from the North Sea. End of interview. |