| Description | Tape 1 Side A
DAVID BOULWARE CATLETT JR born Texas 04.07.1942. Background to name. Family details. Details re children, siblings. Father a farmer, later a social worker. Mother a schoolteacher, speech therapist. Many in family worked in oil business. Details. Childhood home in north east Oklahoma. Learned about hard work young. First job aged 11. Recalls influence of a university professor. Family details, reason for going into accounting economics. Describes father, his tough farming work, later career as social worker. He got degree at age 60. Details re mother, self education etc. Religion in childhood, family involvement. Reliance on neighbours in farm life, attitudes then. Worked hard when young, had ambitions, early jobs, independence. Compares own life with that of siblings, wider family. Career aspirations. Mentions work for Amoco, difference when working for Hamiltons. Recalls discipline in childhood home. Attitude to discipline in own family, importance of honesty. Parents' political attitudes, different from own. Impact of Depression on parents. Recalls paternal grandfather, his loss of a thumb, his politics. Background to own political attitude. Held full time job, finished college in 5 years. Attitude to unions. Hamiltons Offshore used contract people in shift work etc. Background to interest in geology, rocks, sport, hunting etc. Background to joining Amoco (1966) in accounting department, move to New York. Details re marriage, children. Family attitudes, relationships. Culture, structure of Amoco. Joined international side. Explains. Recalls leadership style of Chairman, John Swearingten; compares large and small, independent companies. First involvement with North Sea (1970) when working in Norway.
Tape 1 Side B
First contact with North Sea (cont'd) when working in Norway for Amoco, Tor Field. Reference to Phillips' Ekofisk. Attitude in Norway to industry. Mentions NOCO group of shipowners. Feelings about working with UK Department of Energy. Later work in Egypt, Chicago in financial, operating areas. Own expertise putting together deals. Development of major foreign asset for Amoco in Egypt. Importance of background in economics, ability to make things happen. Attitudes and cultures of different companies. Background to first employment by Hamilton Brothers through Ross Craig (1979). Joined exploration department, later became Land Manager for North America. Started working on North Sea area. Key people in Hamiltons, Fred Hamilton, AJ Miller, Ross Craig, Scott Cunningham. Details. Involved in recruiting for North America. Impression of Fred Hamilton, his hands-on attitude. Miller's skills in finance. Feelings about Hamilton's style. Relationship with him. Recalls a deal going sour, Hamilton's reaction. North Sea involvement at time of Esmond Gas project (1985). Recalls putting project together, North American downsizing, growing focus on North Sea. Discovery of Ravenspurn North. Changing tax regime, DoE attitudes. Impact of Conservative government. Gas price key to Esmond. Details. Recalls role of Ian McKirkney of Amoco. Reference to Gas Council. Own role in North Sea financial, legal work. Staffing up work in Aberdeen. Feelings about Aberdeen, criticism re company downsizing etc. Cyclical nature of oil industry. Early, later memories of Aberdeen. Recalls London office, finding space as requirements grew, lease arrangements. Impression of Gas Council. Reference to Art Denny, Amoco consultant.
Tape 2 Side A
Impact of Thatcher regime. Reference to Esmond, Ravenspurn, Argyle, Duncan, Innes fields. Impact of Peter Morrison. Manager of Budgets & Systems in Hamilton Brothers (1986-7). Explains role. North Sea operation UK driven. Recalls Hamilton personnel in London. Fred Hamilton called the shots from 'home office'. Recalls his visits etc. Recalls Dick Ludgie's team's fast work on Esmond. Hamiltons first to make heavy lift, building most of platform onshore - key to speed, under-budget result. Reference to Ravenspurn. Details re lift operation, own involvement. Hamiltons' attitude to risk. Mentions insurance underwriters. Director, Accounting & Systems (1987-90), made system worldwide. Details. Lean times in oil business. Mentions involvement of Worldcom. Problems with satellite systems. Major oil companies viewed Hamiltons as upstart. Mentions Hamiltons being first with UK oil. Recollection of Texaco partnership. Recalls surprise at numbers of BP staff compared with Hamiltons. Changes in BP oil. Reference to Amoco, John Browne, Totale. BNOC partnership with Hamiltons, bureaucracy problems. UK Vice President, Finance & Administration (1989-92). Responsible for company support departments. Details. Reference to Ed Blair. Describes work routine, contacts with Fred Hamilton, his way of working. Example of his approach, working with him at long distance. Significance of handshake deals in doing business. Involvement with unions. Feeling re unions in North Sea etc. Recalls UK government attitudes to industry, bidding for blocks at Department of Energy, pressure to get programme done on time. Role of John Brooks, Peter Morrison, later Minister of Petroleum. Reference to Malcolm Pattinson. Pressure to buy UK equipment. Details. |