| Description | Tape 1 Side A: VIVIEN MURRAY GAYMER nee GALL now GIBNEY born 21 February 1946 Spalding, Lincolnshire. Paternal family: grandfather head-brewer at Youngers Brewery, Edinburgh, a lowland Scot. He wrote letters to the Scotsman. Describes him. Recalls his porridge breakfasts, way of eating it. Grandmother, a formidable woman, lawyer's daughter. Details. She qualified, taught at Athol Crescent Domestic Science College. Details re her. Father dentist/doctor. Explains. Details re social conventions. Father worked in Dundee, specialised in facia-maxillary work. Mentions his friends on Sunday Post, local who became film star. Father joined up as doctor for war, assigned to India. Mentions his bridge playing, horse riding. He was with early field hospital at Normandy landings. Social attitudes in army. Father a republican. Explains. Recalls smells of grandparents. Maternal family: mother born in mission near Cardiff. Details re her family, relationships. She qualified at Tommy's (St Thomas' Hospital), joined QAs (Queen Alexandra's Army Nursing Corps) before war. She was in Africa. Details re her work with neurological team, Michael Cramer. Parents met in Belgium. After war father became GP in Lincolnshire. Details. Mentions his health. Details re his colleagues. Parents worked with unmarried mothers. Details re extended family, father. Reference to George Watson School, Edinburgh. Attitudes to father's friend's nervous breakdown, personal problems. Reference to John Millers, confectioners. Had close relationship with father. Recalls incident re dental treatment, being tricked re having teeth out. Explains influence of father. Comments on own, sister's impressions of him. Recalls father observations about war. Learned from him re making decisions, weighing arguments. Always expected by parents to earn own living. Father's attitude to his career.
Tape 1 Side B: Recalls parents' social lives, father's bridge companions, their dress. Own experience of social life in Lincolnshire, inheritances etc. Went away to boarding school. Explains parents financial effort. Describes mother, her looks, character. She was a JP (Justice of the Peace). Impression of her. Comments on JP system. Details re childhood home, garden. House was also father's surgery, garden. Had gardener. Father a visionary gardener. Describes street, neighbourhood. Went to Riddlesworth School. Reference Diana, Princess of Wales. Later went to Felixstowe College. Recalls Headmistress, Ruth Jones, her personal style, influence, lifestyle. Describes school life. Love reading. Recalls wireless. Had maid at home. Recalls visiting her house with an outside loo etc. Recalls the egg lady, hard working people in neighbourhood. Saw King's funeral procession, had day out in London to see Queen's coronation decorations. Recalls lunch etc. Mother a monarchist. Explains own support of monarchy. Mentions exchange student trip to US. Went to Sheffield University to read law. Became ill in first term. Details re symptoms, diagnosis, treatment by Michael Cramer, cure, false information about progress. Further details re Felixstowe College, studies, progress. Did not like sport. Explains. Wanted to go to university. School not creative re careers. Details re standard routes followed. Followed law at father's suggestion. Explains enjoyment of law study at Sheffield. Details re policy of Sheffield Faculty of Law re quota of women applicants, actual admissions. University was liberal minded. Recalls two deans, Olly Marshall, later High Commissioner from Barbados in London, John Wood, later high court judge. Mentions other staff. Recalls effect of illness on memory etc, support of tutors.
Tape 2 Side A: Was active on Students' Representative Council (SRC). Explains dislike of proportional representation, potential abuse of system. Involved in debating society. Role of SRC. Background to interest in debating. Recalls winning prize in first year at Sheffield. Details re debate in a Wakefield Jail. Recalls sounds there, later correspondence with inmate. Mentions interest in politics, media, franchise, democracy etc. Was aware of early stages of oil industry. Recalls own early vote for Labour. Got degree in 1968, became part-time lecturer. Mentions further illnesses. Explains decision to become executive secretary, take Kings Lynn secretarial course, change of mind, decision to read for the bar. Got teaching job at London College of Printing. Did bar exams by correspondence. Details re trip to US with English Speaking Union 1963-4, interview beforehand. Influence of trip on life after time at school. Details re school in US, introduction to choral music, courses taken. Reference to assassination of President J F Kennedy. Details re headmaster, his wife. Reference American Indians; Edmund S Meany Library. Influence of Dorothy Meany. Recalls religious activities at school. First acquaintance with Black people. Details re travel in US by Greyhound bus etc. Importance of American experience to later career, contacts, understanding of people. Describes American approach to problems. Compares with English approach at time. Reference to passing Harrier jets from RAF Wittering. Explains teaching law at London College of Printing while doing bar exams. Mentions Margaret Thatcher; Print Union. Learned about print unions, printing industry. Taught contract law, tort etc to students of HND (Higher National Diploma) etc, printing students.
Tape 2 Side B: Took bar exams 1971. Wanted to go into business. Appointed Deputy Chief Clerk, Inner London Magistrate's Court 1971. Recalls job interview. Proportion of women there. Details re sister, her education, US travel, marriage, later study. She is Director of Training for BUPA. Relationship with her. Importance of Magistrate's Court job in own experience, exposure to unprivileged sectors of society, police. Describes working environment, colleagues. Recalls magistrate Neil McGillivrit, example of his treatment of a case. Recalls feelings re different standards in court. Reference to Sir Frank Milton. Recalls confrontation with Chairman of Lay Justices re a case that should be acquitted. Learned in job to stick to guns, speak in public. Background to move to Institute of Practitioners in Advertising as Assistant Secretary (Legal) 1974. Good conditions of work. Details re salary, location of offices, colleagues. Answered members' questions on law. Details. Consumer law, advertising were coming to the fore. Benefits of job. Feelings about advertising people. First experience of expense-account lunches. Recalls decision to join Mobil Oil 1975, salary offered, interview for job. Gender balance in Magistrates Court. Situation in advertising industry. Own attitude. Women graduates in Mobil Marketing & Refining. Recalls salary being lower on joining Mobil. Describes Mobil in 1975. Appointed Legal Advisor. Soon asked to do work for Mobil North Sea Ltd, assisting R. Dan Vock. Had to organise permits, consents for Beryl Alpha platform, a condeep which came on stream 1976. Recalls trip to platform, earlier anxieties of people because of superstition. Details re aspects of job, dealing with Government departments, Customs, telecommunications, performing rights etc. Comments on legislation, regulations.
Tape 3 Side A: Legal Advisor, Mobil (cont'd). Recalls Beryl Alpha tow-out, captain of tug operation, establishment of authority during operation. Own main job was marketing, refining, advertising, pipelines etc. Recalls fascination with North Sea work, people. Gives example of slow work approach in marketing area. Joined Mobil North Sea 1976. Describes culture of Mobil UK, compares with Mobil North Sea. Explains admiration for President, John Luttrell. Details re him and other colleagues. Small size of staff. Worked with people from Mobil Research & Development Corporation (MRDC) who were responsible for construction of platform. Involved with sub-contract work, Aker Maritime fitting out etc. Spent lot of time on contracts, UK legislative aspects with Department of Energy. Worked on employment law issues. Ran workshops in Aberdeen teaching offshore managers etc. Recalls attitude of one to having a Black offshore, own need to speak straight to engineers. Attitude of Americans to unions. Mobil unlikely to employ union people because of good wages, conditions, understanding of man-management etc. Some human resource people had experience of unionised refineries. Attitude to other companies. Camaraderie among lawyers. Recalls working on legislation re schedules related to licenses. Impressions of BP, Shell. Reference to Monopolies Commission. Recalls Beryl Alpha coming on-stream, reaching peak production, unusually, nineteen years after first production. Complex reservoir. Mentions gas, water injections. Involved with UKOOA (UK Offshore Operators Association) re Petroleum Submarine Pipelines Act. Details. Mentions Bob Dyke, Hamilton Brothers, and others on committee. Reference to British National Oil Corporation (BNOC); State 51% share; British Gas; Lord Kirton; Graeme Hearne; IRC (Industrial Reorganisation Corporation); Richard Bond. Explains participation agreements. Reference to Tony Benn.
Tape 3 Side B: Participation agreements (cont'd). Recalls Government meetings with oil companies. Dan Vock, self advised Mobil to volunteer early. Mobil decisions taken from US but Petroleum & Submarine Pipelines Act rule that management must be in UK - reason for existence of many UK subsidiaries. Government primarily interested in BP, Shell. BP first in, got favourable participation arrangement. Details re other companies, Mobil's position. Own role included going to meetings, preparation of minutes which sent to New York. Details re security. Encouraged to add own interpretation to minutes. Pressures from New York to get same deal as Esso. Recalls intensity of negotiations re rights to natural gas, natural gas liquid. Government wanted more people signing up. Impact of BP signing. Impression of Hamilton Brothers - run by Fred Hamilton. Recalls senior Mobil people, tanker scandal, a charismatic bully, warning about him. Details re Alan Baker, Treasury solicitor later legal advisor for BNOC, Britoil. Mobil's feelings re Tony Benn, British Government. Mentions counsel opinion from Rosalind Higgins now at International Court of Justice. Own view of British Government approach. Recalls own role in newspaper advertisement re first production from Beryl platform. Reason for advertisements. Later advertisement a rebuttal of claim that North Sea licensing regime a license to print money. Mobil always aware of public relations. Mentions arts sponsorships. Explains own part in Mobil's fifth licensing round negotiations re 9/13 block, background to situation. Reference to Amoco Gas Council Group. Explains introduction by BNOC of standard form operating agreement. Got involved in negotiating amendments to existing operating etc agreements. Recalls drawn-out negotiations for Northwest Hutton operating agreement amendment. People involved.
Tape 4 Side A: Had lot to do with Department of Energy (DoE). Details. DoE encouraged industry. Explains relationship with them. Mentions John Brooks and others. Also dealt with upstream people, foreign companies. Own work covered Netherlands, Norway. Norway followed different pattern, State much more prominent. Explains. Recalls changes to Stavanger with oil, refusal of Norwegian culture to change, attitude to work. Reference to unions. Own involvement with environmental issues, lower calibre of second-generation Mobil people. Comments on attitude of Mobil to environment, their understanding of the North Sea, UK officials. Reference to Nigeria. Comments on own approach to work, reputation. Impressed by American can-do legal approach - compares with their legalistic, stuffy approach now. Compares with British situation. Recalls reputation of in-house lawyers. Acceptance of lawyers in industry has changed. Situation in US where people more frightened of law. Comments on own influence on operating agreements etc. Recalls Dan Vock's successor, dispute re negotiations with Britoil re natural gas liquid. Reference to church link, Ian Clark, Shetland. In New York 1978-9 in headquarters of producing division. Mentions marriage. Details re husband, his situation in New York. Describes work in Head Office. Compares with work in UK. Got involved with different projects, including anti-trust group. Mentions colleagues. Recalls lawyers' conferences in US, giving talk re Lord Denning. Details re a T-shirt that shocked head of division. Compares culture of US office with UK office, attitudes, ambitions etc. Explains preference for working in subsidiary. Compares with later situation in Enterprise Oil. Difficult to succeed in foreign corporation. Mentions quota for women, ethnic minorities. Own attitude, attitude of others to achieving women.
Tape 4 Side B: Attitude to women, expectations (cont'd). Impact of career on personal life. Details re marriage, social life. Effect of time in US, compares impressions with earlier time there. Got to know how decisions were made. Big business not always corrupt. Mentions sixth licensing round, involved in operating agreements back in UK. Mentions 7th 'milk and biscuit' round. Reference to BNOC, Sandstone Oil and Gas, Warburg bankers. Recalls difficult Mobil negotiations, own role as negotiator. Explains keys to successful negotiations. Exxon most difficult company to deal with. Explains. Describes their approach. Role of informal meetings. Reference to expense accounts. Advantage of lunch negotiations, progress possible, compares with formal meetings. Oil business a club in which everybody knew everybody. Benefits of this. Return to UK 1979, impact of Conservative Government, later unpicking of participation. Floatation of BNOC, beginning of privatisation. Mentions shortened working weeks. Was number two lawyer in Mobil. Details re bosses from US. Attitudes to own career prospects, first thoughts of leaving Mobil. Feelings about 'Mother' Mobil. Mentions being responsible for a licensing round. Mentions impact of changes to Britoil. Reference to Alan Baker. Details re establishment of Enterprise Oil. Reference to Wytch Farm, Denis Rooke, British Gas, Julian West. Recalls being approached 1983 to apply for job as Commercial Director, interview by Graham Hearne, appointment as head of Legal Department. Mentions salary, other conditions. Feelings about leaving Mobil. Details re Enterprise offices in Fenchurch Street, City, shortage of furniture, small staff then. Mentions separate health and safety department in Mobil.
Tape 5 Side A: Enterprise Oil, Head of Legal Department 1984 (cont'd). Explains setting up Legal Department. Had to be familiar with assets. Mobil involved with most Enterprise fields, therefore familiar with operating agreements. Reference to BNOC. Significance of floatation. Recruited secretary Maggie French from Arthur Anderson. Details re her. Reference to current forthcoming Enterprise lawyers' farewell lunch, closing of company. Explains complex floatation process, involvement of bankers, lawyers, accountants. Asked to head negotiation team. Mentions Government golden share. Details re floatation, first under new European regime. Details re listing particulars, first in UK. Explains difficulties, attitude of UK Government. Recalls atmosphere around Enterprise, feelings about floatation, starting afresh. Reputation of Enterprise. Attitude of British Gas. Story of the 'tails', British Gas snipping tails off seismic surveys. Recalls dip in oil price between time of publication of Enterprise's offer for sale, offer closing. Intervention of Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ). Reference to golden share. Attitude of Secretary of State. Final shareholding, board seats of RTZ. Mentions later shareholding by Lasmo, Elf. Reference to 9th licensing round. Farm-in deal with Conoco. Enterprise short of data so driver was to acquire assets as fast as possible. Details. Reference to Tanks, Oil & Gas. Own first experience of buying, selling companies. Details re Graham Hearne, attitude to him. He was a former solicitor, had worked for Rothschilds. Recalls own skills. Growth of Enterprise. Details re farm-in with Conoco in block 22/11, approach to working with several other companies, initial no-show of oil, subsequent success. Recalls excitement, competition for name, decision on Nelson. Positive attitude of other companies to discovery. Britoil had internal enquiry.
Tape 5 Side B: Blank
Tape 6 Side A: Has had foot surgery since last recording. Mentions new house in France. Had shingles, long recovery period. Reference to passing aircraft. Details re farm-in agreement with Conoco resulting in Sedgwick discovery. Complex negotiations leading to Nelson discovery, reaction of partner companies. Recalls early results on Nelson. Secrecy during licensing rounds. Recalls Enterprise's need for data. Reference to Tanks, Oil & Gas. Oil industry lawyers supported each other. Industrial espionage happened. Gives example in Canada. Mentions membership of UKOOA Legislative Committee. Recalls evolution of Enterprise, own role as senior lawyer, being on Management Committee. Legal function always at heart of company. Recalls attitude of Graham Hearne at start, later, being tested by him, own reaction, his support. Able to structure company to do things properly. Attitude of managers, ethos of company. Mentions Enterprise approach in Third World countries. Mentions oil reserves reporting, BP, Shell. Enterprise was on New York, London Stock Exchanges. Explains Enterprise's reporting of reserves. Reference to Davis, Polk & Wardwell, New York lawyers. Explains own reserves verification process within company, competing pressures re reserves, people trying to achieve targets etc. Explains different categories of reserves: proven, probable, possible. Reference to SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission). Comments on Shell's downward revisions of reserves, attitudes to process. Graham Hearne was aware of litigious culture in US, understood value of good legal framework. Situation for lawyers working in large companies. Compares with situation in Enterprise being smaller. Mentions pressure to keep legal bills down. Enterprise put all business with one main firm, Herbert Smith. Details. Example of advice from Smith's lawyer, relationship with Smiths.
Tape 6 Side B: Relationships with outside law firms (cont'd). Reference to other firms, individuals. When doing Texas Eastern acquisition worked with Denis Hersh, Joe Rinaldi, in US. Details. Recalls growth of oil and gas lawyers, early perception that lousy lawyers ended up in industry. Situation now. Mentions own successor Andrew Wilson. Was in minority as woman lawyer, often only woman in a meeting. Two departments at Enterprise which were run by women, marketing, legal, had good track record re employment of women. Details. Reference to Carol Boyd. Recalls 10th licensing round 1987, Enterprise block awards. Enterprise percentage in Nelson increased to 100%. Recalls consideration of future well abandonment in early days. Mentions plans for Beryl Alpha removal. Provision made in accounts for future decommissioning. Explains. Recalls initiation of ideas for acquisition. Mentions business lunches, scuttlebutt etc. Enterprise had Business Development Group which did deals. Other sources of ideas. Enterprise small enough for ideas to be shared. People seconded from one department to another. Recalls decision-making re acquisitions, role of Board, Graham Hearne. Mentions disagreement over one deal. Hearne surrounded himself by strong people. Details. Enterprise had good non-executive directors. Details re their backgrounds etc. Possible to run arguments in front of Board. Never any fear, bullying. Impact of oil price on oil companies. Enterprise always prudent in pension fund. Explains. Details re homes in 1987, long working hours, impact of work on home life. Recalls routines, exercise etc. Early days in UKOOA, links through meetings.
Tape 7 Side A: Quotes from 1987 Annual Report re oil price outlook, stock prices. Mentions Beryl, Nevis, Ness all in block 9/13. Details re Enterprise Italian interests 1988. Piper Alpha disaster: recalls reaction. Mentions watching videotapes of event. Explains Enterprise reaction, health and safety lessons. Highest survival rate came from divers, people who acted on their own initiative. Mentions own trips offshore, need for minder. Comments on safety culture of Occidental, almost non-existent management systems. Need for all to check systems. Comments on Cullen Report, implications of its recommendations. Details re steps taken at Enterprise. No major accidents at Enterprise. Recalls fatal crane accident at Mobil. Recalls 11th licensing round 1989, Enterprise did well. Details. Recalls John Brooks, his style, predecessors. Sometimes Brooks asked for work programmes that were too much for companies applying for licenses, e.g. to drill more acreage than they were willing to. Explains approach of oil company to making application for license. Mentions attitude to offering, accepting entertainment etc with Government officials. Business was always done at informal meetings. Comments on Margaret Thatcher, John Major, unions. Small impact of OILC (Offshore Industry Liaison Committee) on Enterprise. Acquisition of Texas Eastern by Enterprise 1989. Background to Texas Eastern, block 9/13, Northwest Hutton, Fulmar. Details re Texas Eastern acreage in Norway, Indonesia. Mentions Enterprise non-understanding of ways of business in Indonesia, bribery, corruption etc. General Manager ended up in prison. Further details re Texas Eastern. Explains pre-emption agreement. Reasons for Enterprise's interest in Texas Eastern, uncertainty re possibility of pre-emption rights being exercised.
Tape 7 Side B: Texas Eastern acquisition (cont'd). Recalls trip to Houston with colleagues. Details. Enterprise were not front runners. Describes Enterprise bid, attitude to possibility of pre-emption. Reference to Panhandle Energy. Explains circumstances leading to success of Enterprise bid, late-night negotiations of sale and purchase agreement. Having been successful, had to get money. Explains underwriting etc. Explains sequencing of two tranches. Pre-emption rights exercised. Details. Reference to Amerada Hess, Gas Council. Recalls hearing before Court of Appeal, own reaction at losing. Positive reaction of company re decision. Details re further actions of Amerada Hess, British Gas (BG), Enterprise sharing assets with them. Involvement of Department of Energy. Benefit of Enterprise's good record on outcome. Was in charge of making arrangements work. Comments on conduct of BG's lawyers. Risk taken by Enterprise worth taking. Details re Enterprise's legal advisors. Story of own reaction to a tiresome lawyer. Acquisition period was a dip for self. Positive attitude of company. Recalls, 1990, Arbroath field, tax situation re second accumulation, years of argument, drilling of blue water well demonstrating that Arbroath separate. Mentions Italian drilling operation. No impact of summer of discontent 1990. Graham Hearne became Chairman/Chief Executive 1991. Details. Background to own appointment as Company Secretary, Head of Legal Department. Details re personnel in photograph of non-executive directors - a good powerful non-crony group. Feelings about becoming Company Secretary, duties. Comments on own position, influence in company. Hard to get good deputies on legal side. Mentions break-up of marriage. Mentions post-Piper situation for Occidental resulting in sale of company to Elf-Enterprise Petroleum, political sensitivities. Details re arrangement, negotiations. Reference to Piper Bravo.
Tape 8 Side A: Elf-Enterprise Petroleum (cont'd). A marriage of convenience. Explains. Elf were dominant partner. Recalls tax situation, attitude of French to negotiations, attitude of Enterprise. French found Enterprise difficult. Explains. Recalls Elf-Enterprise Bond, personnel involved in Bank Holiday meeting, own role, ability to cut through negotiations. Comments on relationship with French, impressions of each other, personalities involved. Relationship worked well. Enterprise listed on New York Stock Exchange - a difficult decision to reach. Explains. Reasons for listing, especially raising funding. Mentions importance of communicating in language American people could understand etc. Attitude of American lawyers to Enterprise framework. Recalls 14th licensing round 1993. Recalls sale of Northwest Hutton to Itachi, Japan. First oil production from Scott field. Recalls celebration parties - organised by Jane Stevenson; good wine and food. Enterprise parties were stylish. Comments on Enterprise attitude to art collections. Mentions canteen offered to staff in London, numbers of young members of staff. Reference to Time Out magazine guide to free meals in London. Feeling among some juniors of cliquish nature of Enterprise. Own view. Enterprise never hierarchical. Details re Graham Hearne's background. Recalls esprit de corps in Enterprise. Sad for people when acquired by Shell. Bid for Lasmo 1994, difficult time for company. Details re bid, failure. Public perception of Enterprise. Bid on agenda for long time. Enterprise, Lasmo long time rivals. Recalls Rio Tinto Zinc, Lasmo shareholdings in Enterprise. Reference to Elf. Lasmo bid was damaging to company. Reasons for failure. Own involvement in structuring deal. Brent Spar controversy 1995. Comments on Shell's handling of situation, Greenpeace's case.
Tape 8 Side B: Brent Spar (cont'd). Comments on how Enterprise might have dealt with situation. Mentions Shell situations with Nigeria, recent reserve estimates. Comments on own dealings with Shell. Feelings about John Major. Comments on Tony Blair, his majority. Does not support war in Iraq. Took over responsibility for human resources. Background to appointment, previous situation. Feelings about job, leaving legal department. By this time Enterprise had interests around the world. Role in HR. Mentions enthusiasm of subsidiary Enterprise companies. Explains sale, 1998, of North Sea assets to Intrepid. Reference to Brent Spar. Easier to sell when prices are high. Explains. No signs then of possibility of Shell takeover. Mentions occasional approaches. Role of board at time of takeover attempts. HR job was a challenge. Difficult to persuade some managers of need for change. Recalls redundancy programme, professionally run. Details re procedure followed, consultations. Reference to oil price. Recalls Enterprise at time of retirement, increased size, tensions, more disparate management group. Impressions of life offshore - went once a year. Recalls maintenance shutdown, fire injury on Nelson, going offshore, discussions re problems with bullying culture, subsequent investigation, changes made at top. Comments on responsibility of people on Nelson, turnaround of situation there, macho environment, distressed people. Mentions women who work offshore. Effect of women on industry, in business. Significance of Piper Alpha disaster on staff relations. Second marriage 2000. Details re husband, his work, meeting with him. Explains decision to retire early at 55 in 2001. Mentions illness when a student, recent health problems. Current activities. Recently appointed on arbitration panel re gas dispute. Future prospects.
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