| Description | Tape 1 Side A: ADRIAN DEREK GLENDON HILL born 2 May 1934 Curepipe Mauritius. Paternal family: father in Colonial Agricultural Service, based in Nigeria, Mauritius, East Africa, England. Grandfather was principal of Black Rock Technical College in Dublin. Mentions their correspondence, the Troubles, concern re people's personal safety there. Knew grandmother nee Glendon. Details re names. Occupations in family. Parents' names, dates. Mother nee Phelan. Her family of Irish extraction. Details re grandmother's marriages, her relationship with own mother. Reference to Spanish flu. Father an agronomist. Mentions his genetic work. He bred sugar cane in Mauritius. Explains situation there, resentment re British administration. Details re Mauritius, its value to British for Far East routes. Recalls father's stories, his personality, work in UK dealing with field crops etc. Mother a teacher, governess in Mauritius. Describes her personality, difficult adjustment to house work in UK after experience with servants in Africa etc. Details re siblings, names. Details re Curepipe, centre for British expats, society there, bilingual administration, father's reports re agriculture etc. Details re debate about his successor, appointment by Colonial Office. Background to independence, French reaction. Family went to UK 1938, then to Africa. Earliest memory of England. Main young memories of Tanganyika during war, e.g. father's work rounding up Germans. He was Director of Agricultural Research Station, did war-directed work producing quinine. Details. Describes home in Amani, climate. Changes to research station since, shortage of funds. Details re recent visit to childhood house, changes. In childhood had English nurses, governess, went to boarding school in Kenya, four nights travel by train from age 6. Details.
Tape 1 Side B: Journey to boarding school (cont'd). Further details re trip, stops on the way. Railways were racially segregated. Details. Recalls relationship with parents. Schools were privately owned, run on British basis. Details re subjects, headmaster's skewing of exam results. Recalls father listening to Lord Haw Haw, his reaction, doubts about situation, fears of German invasion in East Africa. American sailors came during war for rest and recreation. Recalls their barbecues. Did reasonably well at school. Took law articles at Aberystwyth University and with future President of Law Society Frederick Jessop. Reference to Buggins Term, attitude of Law Society to Jessop, revolt by provincial solicitors against London establishment. Went to school in Bedford. Encouraged by mother in music but musically illiterate. Read a lot. No particular influence to do law. Explains difficulties progressing in law without financial, other means. Not good at sport. Did rowing. Explains process of doing articles for law. Qualified 1956. Did National Service 1956 at time of Hungarian uprising, fears of World War III, preparations. Details re articles, legal qualifications. Compares own and present system. Comments on experience of title abstracts, British Gas long-term contracts. Value of early training. Further details re Frederick Jessop, his presidency of Law Society. Details re premium when training. No salary. Accommodation arrangements. In Royal Army Service Corps during National Service with BAOR (British Army on the Rhine), Dusseldorf, moved to Army Legal Aid. Details. Returned to position in London with Barnard Taylor and Douglas-Mann, Lincoln's Inn 1958. Recalls salary. Worked on commercial conveyancing, litigation. Small amount of litigation in oil industry. Details re main areas of dispute.
Tape 2 Side A: Explains dislike for litigation. Explains interest in gardening, geology, mushrooms. Has an allotment. Details. Background to job with Berlitz School teaching English in Germany, France 1961. Describes Berlitz method. Opinion of it. Appointed Assistant Solicitor with Theodore Goddard, Solicitors, London 1961. First experience of oil industry work, assistant to Laszlo Gombos in work with French State Oil Company, Bureau de Recherches Petrolieres (BRP) (later Elf). Details. Explains situation re licensing when North Sea industry began. Details re conventions concerning the sea, continental shelf, Law of the Sea Convention 1982 etc. Recalls own first consciousness of North Sea industry, Dutch discovery. Importance of international law accepting states having right to exploit submarine mineral resources. Recalls geologists' denials re oil. Significance of 1958 convention for coastal states. Own first of North Sea awareness when French State wanted UK production licenses. UK's ratification of Continental Shelf Act 1964 brought it into effect internationally. Explains. Recalls division of North Sea into grid pattern - different from onshore system. Some constraints re ratio of width/length of areas offshore. Details re terms of licenses. Involved in committees dealing with law governing licenses. Focussed on international law and licensing aspects. Comments on protection of fisheries, their rights. Mentions academic input into legal committee. Licensing Committee probably initiated North Sea grid system. Recalls pressure from Government to pursue North Sea industry, scepticism among oil industry geologists. Recalls surprise of oil discovery - greater than with gas discovery. Mentions Amoco Arbroath Field 1969, Forties 1970. Recalls BP's enthusiastic reaction, decision to develop on basis of first well. Explains caution felt by many about North Sea potential.
Tape 2 Side B: Not involved in first UK licensing round 1964. Describes process of applying. Reference to BRP. Explains organisation of North Sea grid system, varying sizes, numbering of blocks. Details re first, second, third rounds. Problem in early days with technology. Based in London. Also worked in other areas assisting Laszlo Gombos, eg publishing, matrimonial. Reference to George Weidenfeld. Details re Gombos. He set up energy resources section of IBA (International Bar Association), was instrumental in establishment of Petroleum North Centre (Centre for Petroleum Mineral Law & Policy) at Dundee University. Reference to Terence Daintith, first Director. Aberdeen not prominent in early days. Recalls prominence of Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft. Describes Gombos, flamboyance of personalities then. Recalls changes in industry under 1974 Labour Government, early plans for low gas prices, no large tax take. Sea Gem disaster 1965: recalls its impact on health and safety regime. Background to joining Conoco Legal Department 1968. Reference to Stock Exchange work. Married 1963. Details re wife nee Whitson, children. Met wife at Berlitz School, Paris. Details re Conoco in early 1960s, its international situation, acquisition of downstream companies, Lybian crude, European operations. Reference to Jet Petroleum. Details re office, largely American staff, involvement with advanced refinery in Lincolnshire later used for North Sea crude and production of petroleum coke. Details re first Conoco licence, Viking Field discovery 1968. Little Government control then. Compares with now. Recalls placing contracts. London had little autonomy. Details. Mentions Government royalty, corporation tax in early days. No special oil/gas taxes. Reason for relaxed Government policy. Recalls early Conoco partnership with National Coal Board (NCB), later Gulf.
Tape 3 Side A: Comments on relationship between NCB, Conoco. Describes NCB reputation then. Explains importance of contacts with Government, advantage of having NCB as partner. Own role in first years 1968-70 involved downstream work dealing with retailing. Moved to upstream 1971. Reference to Craven A cigarette factory, Conoco's new premises in Southwark. Summary re work with downstream company, selling refinery gas, consents etc. Three fires in terminals - had to deal with these. Details. Went to public enquiry. Plymouth Terminal relocated. Recalls dealing with public, false compensation claims. Office moved to Oxford Street. Describes informal Conoco culture, compares with French, Belgian oil companies. Recalls rules re women's dress in Conoco, attitude to legal advice. Worked on end of negotiations for Viking Principal Agreement. Explains. Details re southern basin partnership. Recalls Gas Council contract-signing media ceremony with blank piece of paper. Mentions Conoco's discovery of Murchison, Hutton fields. Reference to 3rd Licensing Round, UK part of Statfjord Field. Own work mainly on drilling and other contracts. Details. Reference to Santa Fe, KCA Drilling. Recalls different attitudes of drilling contractors according to market climate. Drilling contracts fairly standard. Huge range of operating agreements. Change in 1974 with Labour Government. Reaction of Conoco. Politics: recalls parents' attitudes, own position. Feelings about 1974 Labour government. Details re their policy plans for oil industry, tax regime etc. Marginally involved in Licensing Round applications. Lawyers busy after award of license dealing, e.g., with relationship between consortium parties. Compares UK, Norwegian approach to organisation of consortia - in Norway it was government decision. Licensing award system discretionary in UK. Explains procedure involving examination of company proposed programmes.
Tape 3 Side B: Significance of connections, eg Conoco/NCB, in license applications. BP, Shell/Esso got good licenses. Details re London office's international responsibilities. Conoco kept clear of Nigeria. Details re bribery there. Conoco didn't make big money early in North Sea. Attitude of 1974 Labour Government to North Sea, decision to revamp tax regime with Oil Taxation Act. Explains exemptions of earlier gas contracts. Reaction of Conoco to Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT) etc. Importance for oil companies to keep good terms with host countries. Explains hostile reaction to change of license terms. Conoco, Phillips, Amoco took counsel opinion re possible recourse against UK Government, possibility of State Department involvement. Mentions relationship with DTI (Department of Trade & Industry). Early action of BNOC (British National Oil Corporation) to acquire Conoco partners NCB Exploration. Change in NCB. Reaction of oil companies to compulsory state participation, attitude of Conoco, decision to enter negotiations early. Recalls joint negotiations with partners Gulf and Department of Energy (DoE), credit for NCB partnership. British Government strapped for funds, needed to access oil without spending money. Details re their strategy. Explains Norwegian approach. UK didn't make money from state participation, a reason for Margaret Thatcher's actions. UK wanted BNOC to have access to information. Conoco's form of participation generally adopted. Origin of Conoco proposals re NCB credit etc. Government desperate to get two big American oil companies signing participation agreements. Explains attitude of Government to gas fields, oil, condensates, natural gas liquids. Effect of return of Conservatives. Details re roles of individuals involved in negotiations. Reference to Tony Benn, foreign exchange. Negotiations were fun, became harder.
Tape 4 Side A: Explains Illustrative Agreement 1964, key document, making objectives of UK Government, US oil companies etc possible. Details re attitude of American companies, relationship between parties. Agreement enabled US companies to apply for licenses. Mentions tax benefits. Reference to Angus Beckett. Explains Conoco's position at time re Illustrative Agreement. License situation a sham at time. Explains cancellation by most UK companies of Illustrative Agreements, Conoco's different situation. Reference to US allowance. Explains later UK dropping of nationality restrictions, big changes in double-taxation situation in 1960s. Conoco also had impact through Unitisation Agreements which became standard. Explains. Details re common reservoirs. Mentions Statfjord, dealing with Statoil. Explains Law of Capture in US, badly managed reservoirs, wasteful competition for two owners of one reservoir, value of unitisation. In Statfjord field, Conoco unique in being on both sides. Recalls Milt Barber, Conoco, his background. Unitisation agreements in US less complex than in North Sea. Recalls difficult partnership with Tricentral. Example of risks of reservoir damage, protection of operator, stand taken by Tricentral. Mentions element of personalities. Explains Gas Transportation Contracts. Mentions Government policy re not having surplus of pipelines. Reference to Continental Shelf Act; Petroleum Submarine Pipelines Act etc. Mentions taxation, transportation agreements, exoneration liability. Most transportation agreements favourable to pipeline owners. Explains. Details re charges for transportation. Government introduced code re tariffs 1996. Aim was transparency, timetables for negotiations, greater competition, greater speed of process etc. Now many aspects in law as result of EU (European Union) Gas Directive 1998. Situation before this. Parties who wanted access never complained, or formally asked Government re third party access. Details.
Tape 4 Side B: Further details re third party access rights into existing pipelines. No formal application up to present day. Guidance notes now being written re tariffs etc. Licensing Round 5: first to have standard JOA (joint operating agreement). Background to situation. Change with 1974 Labour Government. Industry asked to devise a standard JOA - put together by UKOOA (UK Offshore Operators' Association) - based on Conoco agreement. Reaction of industry. BNOC pro-forma agreed. Details re 51% agreement etc. Most JOAs today based on BNOC form. Comments on its value. Thrust of original form favoured non-operators. Negative consequence of this. Details re BNOC negotiator John Field. Tony Benn present in background. Met him on day of signing UK Participation Agreement 1976. Details re error, signing of blank piece of paper, resolution of situation, later signing of real document. Reference to Lord Kirton. Impression of Benn, his impact on the industry. He wasn't as prominent as might have been thought. Reaction of oil companies to Benn, participation agreements. Mentions Industrial Relations Act, union relations. Conoco not usually in hot seat re unions. Explains. Most offshore workers not from unionised backgrounds, less interested in unions. Explains. OILC (Offshore Industry Liaison Committee) unsuccessful in recruitment. Mentions Conoco onshore union agreement. Conoco's attitude to unions. Reason for lawyers being kept out of union negotiations. Own feelings re unions in North Sea. Mentions generous wage levels, shift patterns. Health and safety: pre-Piper Alpha most fatalities were contractors' people, not oil company people. Licensing Round 6: changed terms re 'carrying' BNOC. Details. Explains royalty rates. Reference to PRT. Licensing Round 7 'milk and biscuits': details.
Tape 5 Side A: EU contested Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between oil industry and Government re preference for UK companies. Reason for UK not being taken to European Court of Justice. Way of issue being tackled involved public procurement regime, redefinition of utilities. Details. Situation re privatisation in UK. Government forced to abandon Buy British policies. MoU cancelled. Details re earlier establishment of Offshore Supplies Office (OSO). Conoco's attitude. Recalls Burma collapse, consequences for Conoco. Changes under Conservative Government, oil price drop 1981. Government refused to legislate to unwind participation agreements. Details. Impact of privatisation of BNOC, takeover of Britoil by BP. Many lawyers in BP were former BNOC lawyers. Mentions British Gas, its privatisation. Recalls trauma of acquisition of Conoco by Dupont through an initial misunderstanding. Reference to Hudson Bay, three-way tussle for Conoco, anti-trust situation. Impact on working relationships of takeover period, tasks that had to be performed, demoralising legal work, fears of Mobil takeover. Explains staff reaction to Dupont takeover. Comments on Dupont's attitude; they didn't interfere in day-to-day work. Mentions Seagram's large minority shareholding in Conoco, situation re Dupont. Impression of Margaret Thatcher, her impact on industry. Impact of privatisation on UK. Compares with French, German situations. Few UK electricity companies UK-owned, loss of national control. Possible consequences of this. Recalls unravelling of oil participation agreement. Family situation at time, children's education. Moved to current home 1981. Work didn't intrude into family life. Explains. Mentions Conoco CDR chemical additive invention used in pipelines. Reference to error in Christopher Harvie book re Conoco passing into French hands. Reference to Elf.
Tape 5 Side B: Oil price collapse 1987. Death knell of BNOC. Conoco didn't noticeably change character. Mentions current turnkey contract approach. A lot of inhouse legal work stopped, outside legal contractors used. Conoco driven by engineers in early times, won awards. Gives example re seismic equipment, liquefying natural gas for meat industry, petroleum coke. Informal atmosphere in Conoco. Piper Alpha disaster 1988: reaction to event. Comments on cause, poor communications etc. Details re Claymore oil feeding flames, not cut off. Occidental less safety conscious than Conoco/Dupont. Mentions Conoco awards. Recalls shock of disaster. Was Chairman of UKOOA Legal Committee at time. Mentions Cullen Enquiry remit. Early part focussed on witnesses. Second part dealt with recommendations. Role of UKOOA, expert advice based on hazardous chemical plant procedures, safety cases. Explains Cullen's attitude re need for regulations all based on assessment of risk. Criticism of previous system, dual role of Ministry of Energy. Details. Reference to unions. Decision re role of Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Comments on various acts, their applications. Reference to Sea Gem disaster. Details re old, new offshore regimes, problems with old system. Reference to Flixborough disaster. Significant change re acceptance of safety cases by HSE as condition of development of fields, for all activities including decommissioning. Own role including selection Scottish of legal personnel; McGrigor Donald chosen. Details re daily routine checking reports etc during Enquiry. Mentions technical and other committees. Further details re Enquiry, acceptance of recommendations, resulting legislation, regulations, own role. Comments on accessibility of new safety information to non-specialists, compares with previous system. Possibility now of complaints, access to HSE, remedies possible.
Tape 6 Side A: Further details re accessibility of safety information. Comments on amount spent on safety. Recalls Delimitation Treaty, drawing of median line between UK, Norway, argument over continental shelf. Reference to Foreign Office. Fields crossing median line subject of specific treaty. Reference to Statfjord, Murchison. Explains two-table system. Details re unitisation agreement, periodic redeterminations. Time taken to develop fields. Re-determinations fraught because of shenanigans, involvement of two governments, hard feelings. Details. Gives example of tricks, distrust. High cost of first re-determination of Statfjord. Same situation with re-determinations within countries' borders. Own monitoring role. Ultimate tie-breaker when experts unable to agree was to draw lots. Details re other work on expropriation, Conoco issues in other countries, eg dealing with Gabon, Chad. Mentions use of foreign experts. Recalls Law of the Sea, 1958 Geneva Convention re abandonment, attitude of industry to disposal of platforms on sea floor. Attitude of fishermen. Use of structures as fish breeding grounds. Oil industry wanted more flexible removal criteria. Explains OSPAR (Oslow Paris) Convention which strengthened conditions re disposal of platforms. Comments on Brent Spar situation, law re abandonment of wells - not platforms, tough new legislation. Explains corporate veils, new procedures to be followed. Esso, 50% owner of Brent Spar, not attacked during controversy. Protest should have been against UK Government. Explains. Recalls embarrassment of Government, threats to Shell Esso. Eventual disposal of Spar. Involved in civil liability, pollution damage work. Background re conventions, compensation for pollution from tankers, strict liability, limited liability. Explains Fund Convention, international fund. Involved in international negotiation. Recalls E&P (Exploration and Production) Forum. Attitude of different countries.
Tape 6 Side B: Outcome of conference re liability, attitude of different countries, UK to limits, convention etc. Reference to Non-Uniformity principle. Convention signed 1976, never ratified. Recalls earlier interim oil industry voluntary agreement re strict liability to victims of pollution up to limit. Details re Opol (Oil Pollution Association) Agreement which is still basis of northwest Europe liability regime. Norway a limited signatory. Details. Relationship with Norway has been tense. Own experience of Norwegian officials. Describes Hutton tension leg platform, its stability. Mentions visit to Statfjord B platform. Stayed overnight on platform in Gulf of Mexico. Details re trip out, perilous lift to platform. Partnership with Chevron on Britannia - first shared operatorship in North Sea. Explains background, development of Chevron relationship after rivalry. Joint venture company established. Mentions effect of unitisation. Britannia unusually had five separate licences. Explains changing attitude, late conditions, of DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) to operator having equity interest in field, argument over this. Long time persuading DTI to accept Britannia as operator. Comments on licensing rounds 1989-94 including 13th 'Frontier Round', ad hoc arrangements because of extra risks. Mentions avoidance of number 13. Conoco headquarters moved to Aberdeen. Impact on own situation, took away lot of work. Involved after that mainly in gas sales. Details re selling UK Conoco gas to Continent, sales trips. Made first sale of UK gas on Continent. Mentions involvement in other industry organisations. Became writer for UK Oil & Gas Law (with Daintith and Willoughby), General Editor since 1993. Details. Explains role of publication. Feelings about retirement from Conoco. Does consultation work. Details. Reference to UK-Belgian pipeline.
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