| Description | Tape 1 Side A DENNIS ROARK KRAHN born Canyon, Texas 17.2.1947. Present position: Director of European Offshore Affairs for the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC). Covers North Sea area. Explains trade association work, services provided. Members are drilling contracting companies - 15 in Aberdeen. Reference drilling technology; safety; training. Interaction with other organisations, eg UK Offshore Operators' Association (UKOOA), Well Services Contractors' Association (WSCA), Health & Safety Executive, individual company clients, eg BP, Shell. Doesn't deal much with individuals working in companies - work at organisation level. Reference US heritage.Comments on current state of oil industry in North Sea: cost effectiveness, innovation result from the going getting tough. Optimistic about current situation, prospects. Family background: Oldest of 4 children. Parents oldest in their generation. Comments on significance of being first born. Grandparents on both sides were pioneers in Texas. Details. Lived in Vega, Texas, the wild west. One great grandfather was in Palace Guard for the Kaiser. Details re name. Also has Scottish, Irish, English background. Mentions derivation of own middle name.Siblings: Details re their present dispersed whereabouts. Family on the move all the time. Sisters Debbie, Karen, Connie. Knew grandparents on both sides. Paternal grandfather, Everett Krahn, a surveyor, later farmer in Texas in the golden age of farming. He later went to Atoka, Oklahoma. Reference Indian influence in Oklahoma. Describes grandfather. Recalls his involvement with local people, intellectual sophistication. DK gave own son grandfather's name. Taught to drive by grandfather in wide open prairies in Texas. Recalls smell of his cigar smoke, countryside.Times got harder for the farming industry after World War II. Mentions farming prosperity in and before war years. Paternal grandmother lived into her 90s. She was a school ma'am. Recalls stories told by her. Great grandfather knew William Bonnie, 'Billy the Kid' who used cattle for target practice. Story of the old women back in Kentucky seeking news of civil war soldiers. Feels sense of loss at not having asked more questions.Maternal grandparents: grandfather was a man of athletic ability. He built many houses in the town, owned the lumber yard - used to help him. Recalls evocative smells of lumber, freshly sawn wood. Grandfather had a hardware store. Details. He had a dealership from Mobil, sold propane, petrol etc. He was in motion all the time. Saw him every day. Details. Was trusted by him and others to do jobs etc. Drove car by age 7, looked after shop by 12. Milked cows every day by hand to supply mother with needs for younger sisters. Explains.Maternal grandmother was half Indian and not proud of it. Explains. She experienced discrimination. Details re American Indians. Doesn't know much about that part of heritage. Aunt doing some research. Grandmother still living, c95, in a rest home. Comments on own interest in American Indians. Grandmother wouldn't have been seen as most desirable person for grandfather to marry. Grandparents didn't talk about emotional matters. Their life was built on accomplishments. Recalls occasion when in doubt as to what path to follow.
Tape 1 Side B Maternal grandmother (cont'd): Recalls lesson on importance of responsibility. Application of early lessons in life to professional life. Oil was not a presence in childhood life. Home town was on Route 66, Chicago to LA. Filling station was important. Recalls people staying in town when there was heavy snow. Meeting with a man in the oil industry led to choice of profession. Describes home - a little house on the prairie, austere existence. Father farmed his own and others' land. Recalls arrival of a Cesna 182 aircraft outside house, flown by Max Banks, petroleum engineer, who ran a drilling contracting company. Became the son Banks didn't have. Did some roughnecking on rigs for him. Father named E L. Explains. Reference grandfather's name Everett Lavell. Father died of emphysema in 1989. Details. He was a farmer/rancher but it was hard to make a living. He did other things too. Describes relationship with him. Because times were hard, had to help on farm. Compares childhood with own son's life. Reference golf. Recalls richness of own childhood. Father's farm only had a crop every 4-5 years. Explains his attitude to discipline. Describes his personality, his involvement in the community. He worked on his own a lot. Mother still living. Details re her background, accomplishments at school. Father went to Hawaii in World War II, came back to do university degree - open to GIs to do this. Importance of education in family. Comments on son's education situation, quality of own education. Recalls reading Beowulf, reaction to it. Mentions father being on school board. Quality of teachers, eg Mrs Kennedy who encouraged love of English literature. Family didn't have TV for some time. Details. Had a dog, horses when growing up. Rather solitary upbringing because of distance of nearest neighbours etc. Details re own environment. Didn't keep up with music. Regrets this. Explains. Grandfather played banjo. Both parents smoked, mother stopped only recently. Alcohol not part of life. Explains. Reference Baptists, Methodists. Didn't learn how to use alcohol. Home was in a dry area Religion: baptised in Methodist Church etc, but church not a prime role in life. Explains attitude in bringing up own son. Childhood memory of Christian principles. Feelings about honesty, possibility of being too honest. Gives example. Attitude of parents to lying. Strong discipline in childhood. Had corporal punishment in school, at home. Details. Father was an inward romantic. Great grandfather who knew Billy the Kid, and made several trail drives, couldn't be sure in the morning if he'd be alive at the end of the day. Explains. Reference Zane Grey; Larry McMurtrie; Lonesome Dove. Father kept romantic vision but farming life was difficult even though he was good at what he did. Recalls having to work hard (as a boy) for little reward, hazards and worries of farming. Drawn to studying petroleum engineering. Mentions interest in history, people. Long held desire to go to South America. Explains. Reference plans to go service by Angus Smith, Oil Industry Chaplain, on day of interview. Details re courses taken at school, procedure for application to go to university. Reference Texas Tech, Lubbock. Was always top of the class at school. Studied hard. Recalls parents' attitude to own education. Mother was top of class. Schools attended: Vega Elementary School; Vega Middle School; Vega High School. All in the same building. Went to Tulsa (private) University. Explains change from Texas Tech.
Tape 2 Side A University of Tulsa: Importance of Professor Kermit Brown. He helped arrange oil company scholarship from Chevron, who also provided summer jobs. Paid whole way through university this way. Father felt the loss of the extra pair of hands but happy at (DR's) progress etc. Own feelings about this. Work was a big break - had a lot to learn about wider world. Had a lot to catch up on, still catching up. Is a child of the Cold War. Explains. Recalls nationwide IQ tests. Missed out on EQ (emotional intelligence). Feelings about living in Scotland, including rich emotional life. Compares self with son in this respect. Reference wife. Recalls death of grandfather, father's funeral, different reactions of different people. Reference Irish people. Comments on different attitudes to emotion.First experience overseas was in Luderitz, South West Africa (now Namibia). First experience of apartheid etc. Reference Robin Island; Nelson Mandela. Recalls efforts to speak foreign languages, learning different thought patterns. Details re Luderitz, diamonds, security etc.Recalls starting petroleum engineering at Texas Tech, changing to University of Tulsa. Explains. Got summer work with Chevron working in offices, on drilling rigs roughnecking etc. At time of graduation, after 4 years, already had practical experience.First experience of a drilling rig was drilling a water well. Got a scholarship while at Texas Tech. Still meets benefactor. Explains. When at Tulsa, did more office, engineering work. Got experience of difficulties, danger working on rig floor. Describes dangers. Never injured. Awareness of safety better now.Explains reason for becoming a driller. Drilling is more of an intuitive art than a science. Recalls a sublime mathematician who was not so good at drilling. Explains intuition in drilling. Describes life-cycle of drilling process, hazards to avoid, battling the elements. Importance of communication between people, listening to machinery. Oil industry construction is like a big Mecano set.After completing time at Tulsa, posted to work offshore New Orleans for Chevron (1970).1965-70 Details re summer jobs. Recalls impression of oil people, their attitude to efficiency etc, lack of social awareness, emotional involvement. Typical American company culture. Explains.
Tape 2 Side B 1970-71 Chevron Lafourche - South Louisiana offshore, Drilling Representative offshore: First appointment as company man. Reasons behind appointment, oil company policy. Explains relationship between oil company and drilling contractor. Offshore Louisiana was industry's first offshore oil work, began with extensions of quays to rigs. Describes evolution to barges, posted barges etc. Got there while spirit of innovation was taking place. Explains thinking behind the semi-submersible rig, its significance. Details re other staff, relationships. Importance of hierarchical structure. Reference Kirby Shank, Drilling Manager; Jack Holmes, Chevron Worldwide Drilling Manager. Got to make a lot of decisions because Chevron was lean and mean then resulting in DK (already) having responsibility. Recalls small number of levels between self and President. Was not afraid of responsibility. Enjoyed the work etc. Explains. No consciousness of North Sea oil then. Theoretical model for finding oil there was not right. When oil discovered in northern North Sea, Chevron got involved. First heard about it in 1973.Details history of the jack-up barge. Reference Korean war. Describes fearless attitude to dangers of offshore work. Recalls fire, explosion in first job, having to jump into the water. Recalls two blowouts on rigs, fatalities etc. Most supervisors had been in wars. Describes their attitude. People didn't really start worrying about safety as a topic until late 1980s. Explains attitude before that - of individual responsibility - change to new mindset. Everybody thought they were doing things (right). Didn't have the tools. Explains. Nothing like a good accident to teach you what not to do. Importance of sharing information, statistics, near-misses etc. Reference Piper Alpha.Explains function, design of posted barges, hazards. Explains snubbing unit, dangers with extra pressures.1972 Chevron Calco West - Houston and Lafayette , Drilling Representative on/offshore: Worked in Houston, took care of land rigs. Territory was south half of Texas including East Texas field, one of the biggest oilfields in the world. Details of work, accommodation, lifestyle etc. Did a lot of things on handshake. Changes since then with liabilities etc.1973 Went to South Africa working with Sedco 135 triangular rig as Drilling Representative/Company Man. Details. Lived in Cape Town. First experience working with divers. Describes them. Recalls their fearlessness. For some in North Sea, diving was a hazardous occupation in the early years. Mentions diving bells, effect of helium on speech etc. A lot of the work they did is now done with remote operated vehicles. Comments on Sedco 135. Explains evolution to semi-submersibles - Sedco credited with this. Story of first trial of a semi-submersible model in a swimming pool during a barbecue.Describes typical daily routine. Had to be able to answer questions on various matters. Reporting procedures. Drilling goes on all day every day because rigs are rented by the day and time matters. Self and Tool Pusher always on call, eg in case of well kicking. Explains indicators of the possibility of well kicking, procedures followed. Reference Well Control Certificate held by everybody working offshore in a responsible capacity.
Tape 3 Side A Explains process of decision making offshore. Reference regular morning report.Important years in career. Learned to work with team. People on drilling rig usually practical people, good with hands etc. Many ex miners, ex military people on North Sea rigs - people who can think for themselves, are strong, courageous etc. Where somebody couldn't get along because of personality conflict it wasn't held against you. Explains. Lots of strong personalities - which was what you wanted if they welded into a team.Drilling is done in small teams so teamwork is important. Learned then to work with a team. Also learned technical matters. Explains.Attitude to work, decision taking. Explains need for a multi-disciplinary team. Trusted by company to take decisions etc. Comments on the lone decision maker then and now. Took mid-life crisis to go to Oxford for theoretical management studies re organisational behaviour etc. Explains own internal intellectual questioning about some decisions being taken on incomplete information. Mentions mentor Jack Holmes, Chief Drilling Engineer. Multi-disciplinary approach necessary now for North Sea. Own current job is multi-disciplinary. Model of the lone decision maker - an American thinking model - can be overdone. European thinking model of more debate, discussion should be taken into account. It, too, can lead to decisions not being taken, or be sub-optimal. Explains. Describes others' perception of self as an approachable person. Always tries to be integrative in relations between oil companies, drilling contactors etc. Explains.1973-74 Project Drilling Manager - Tsimiroro Core Project - Chevron Madagascar: Details re outfitting rig etc. Benefited from own self-sufficiency - and a generous cheque book. Recalls loading Hercules aircraft etc, working with people, impromptu arrangements, camp facilities. Worked also with natives - some had never had a pair of shoes and could only speak their own language and ended up working on the drilling rig. Comments. Explains reporting procedure. 1975 Acting Drilling Manager/Drilling Manager: Mentions big changes in Chevron organising overseas branch. Had most experience, so sent to various places. In Portugal during the revolution against Salazar dictatorship. Details re work off Portugal using Bideford Dolphin. Rode rig during tow from Bergen (construction yard) to Portugal. Details re height above water level, extraordinary views etcRecalls helping supervise recovery of a BOP (blow out preventer) on the sea floor in 1100 feet of water. Record dive at the time. Divers in decompression for a week afterwards. Reference joint venture with Gulf Canada; Comex (French) diving company. Details re loss of BOP. Mentions discovery of oil off Newfoundland after earlier doubts.1975 Chevron Overseas formed to pursue exploration. North Sea was just starting. Burmah Castrol failed having discovered Ninian Field. Chevron took over operatorship of Burmah share of Ninian. (DK) supervised the rig, got wells drilled. Then, after period in office, went to shipyard in Greenock for building of a DP drill ship. Took it to Greenland.Rigs on North Sea were small, not fit for the job, everything more difficult than it should be. Details. Weather tough. Recalls attitude to danger. Reference Alexander Kielland, Sea Gem disasters. UK was seeking energy independence in an uncertain world with Arab embargoes, Arab-Israeli conflict etc. Industry was encouraged to get things done. Cost-plus attitude of Thatcher Government. Industry told the security of the nation was at stake. Instructions then, 'take the money and get the job done'.Was getting very well paid. Details. Had great responsibility, freedom to act, status. Explains. Feeling of being in control.
Tape 3 Side B North Sea (cont'd): At 27 was working with older men. Explains qualifications for job, own management style, leading from the front. Nobody knew how to do the things the industry was being asked to do. Recalls financial pressures. Excitement in the air, adrenalin pressure. Everything was half as big, sophisticated as it should have been. UK technical expertise was not very high then. They (British) gradually took over. Their marine background, instincts refreshing compared with land-based approach in US.Describes an example of inadequate equipment - slip joint. Recalls taking risk by not disconnecting in heavy weather. Describes in detail aggressive approach to job - would act differently today. Has experienced 55-60 feet waves. Others experienced green water on the deck.Political situation ashore: recalls brown outs, 3 day weeks, strikes etc. Knew things were not exactly right. Attitude was: if there's a strike find a way round it. Any obstacle, money would remove it. Explains.Unions: Drilling industry doesn't have a history of unionisation. Explains. Industry just walked around union problems. Some marine companies in Norway, UK, did have unions but kept them under control. Cannot remember any stoppage of work on UK drilling rigs. In Ninian Field production platform catering people went on strike, had to cook own food. Was not socially aware then. No sympathy in oil industry for union activity. Explains. Aberdeen in 1970s: Was young and single. Social life was great. Integrated with local people. Aberdeen was friendly, similar egalitarianism to that in home town. Describes. Comfortable with Presbyterian work ethic. Gives example of this. But Aberdeen slow to capitalise on oil industry. Comments on North East conservatism.Pensioners and others saw prices going up. Own experience of buying and selling a house. Effect of booming oil price, money being thrown round on lavish functions etc. Even the way platforms were built was extravagant. Now having to be more efficient. Not rosy for all people. Didn't encounter any hostility. Explains advantage, in understanding Scottish personality, of own experiences (before coming to Scotland). Very happy here.The world doesn't punish failure like it used to. Explains. Failure can be a badge of honour. Importance of being able to take risks. In North East persona, sometimes a lack of willingness to contemplate risk that has associated with failure. Own approach. Attitude to own son. Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference centre, beach leisure centre etc 10 years too late. Oilfields stay around for longer than people think. Aberdeen has missed a few advantages. Feelings about Aberdeen.Relations between people working offshore were good. Some American, Canadian ex-patriots more vocal etc than more conservative Scottish, English workers. Explains. Compares standards of supervision in the early days and today.Lot of entrepreneurially-minded people working on rigs could see opportunities, had ideas, built companies, made improvements and made a lot of money etc. Enthusiasm then to give things a try, lot of money around1975 Drilling Manager - Chevron Denmark: Chevron Overseas took over operatorship in Denmark for Gulf. Interim appointment. Explains. Describes Danish approach to the industry. Reference marine background; union orientation; welfare; housing. Compares their standards with UK, US approach. Gives example of military precision of Danes.
Tape 4 Side A Drilling techniques across the North Sea generally state of the art because of plentiful supply of money, good communications etc. Compares with old oilfield in Rumania. Important change in technology after Chevron had taken over as operator for exploration in Denmark because of chalk reservoirs. Describes overnight impact of horizontal drilling worldwide on old, previously low production wells. Reference Gulf. Innovation can make an astounding difference.Describes technique of horizontal drilling, use of gyroscopic and magnetic survey tools, bending steel drill pipe. Other innovations are downhole mud motors, pdc bits, different kinds of mud etc. Origin of bent wells. Recalls lawsuits about bent wells, oil being taken from neighbouring properties. Advantage of multiple bent wells drilled from offshore developed on platforms in Gulf of Mexico. Explains use of magnetics. Reference electronics, accelerometers, gyros etc. Got good at placing wells. Technology today is astounding. Explains. Eg possible to follow an old river bed. Further details re early application of bent drilling.1976 Assistant Project Manager - Ben Ocean Lancer: Background to appointment. Reference Ben Line; ODECO (Ocean Drilling & Exploration Company). Monitored construction of dynamically positioned drillship in Scott-Lithgow shipyard, Greenock, Glasgow. Impression of Glasgow. Stayed c1 year in shipyard.1977 Drilling Project Manager - Chevron Greenland: Details re complex travel and negotiations in Iran, Algeria, Denmark to get a rig to Greenland. Reference National Iranian Oil Company. Details re costs involved. Had to be prepared to tow icebergs away from drilling operations, eg using nets. No oil found that year in Greenland. Mentions environmental, political sensitivities. Impression of Greenland. Reference Danish help with administration in Greenland. BNOC (British National Oil Corporation) didn't impact on own work. Drillers don't get involved in many political, tax etc issues.Personal life: devoted most time to work. Social life with work colleagues/associates. Details. Feelings then about getting married, settling down. As a single person found it easy to move around. Lived in hotels for c10 years. Was getting all of the most challenging projects. Work was competitive. Explains. Had several mentors. Began to sense own lack of diplomacy. Looked down the way at people working on the rig, tried to keep them happy rather than up the way enough. Explains. Attitude of hierarchy to own approach. Began to be worried about own life situation.1978-79 Chevron Aberdeen - Platform Drilling Manager for Ninian Central and Northern platforms: Ninian production was starting - the 3rd biggest oilfield. Responsible job. Budget for drilling operations was over Ð300M. Details re numbers of wells on each platform, numbers of contractors under own direction. Was shore-based. Describes Kishorn platform construction. Recalls scope of work, concerns re deadlines from financiers, Government, impact of weather.Details re Kishorn construction, feat of engineering in concrete gravity platform. First acquaintance with need to integrate with multi-disciplinary teams. Describes different interfaces; contrasts with previous experience of drillers working independently. Had to liaise with contractor who built drilling modules. Details.Southern drilling rigs were incomplete coming out of the yard. Had to get them finished somewhere else. Not unusual for yards to slow down near completion stage. Explains. Describes an accident when a man lost most of a hand when BOP (blowout preventer) dropped on it.Did series of interviews with workers on southern platform re how to improve things. (Company) interaction with working men wasn't very good. Improvements included supply of work clothes. One man had got hypothermia. Mentions other improvements. Attitude of people onshore. Learned that people at the workface had good ideas. Reaction of drilling contractor to situation. Called in client-contractor relationship.
Tape 4 Side B 1978-79 Chevron Aberdeen - Platform Drilling Manager for Ninian Central and Northern platforms: Comments on Kishorn accommodation, working etc conditions. Drilling modules built for Chevron elsewhere were late, difficulties getting them out of module construction yards. Further difficulties in Dundee, strong union tradition there. Some modules eventually put in place unfinished. Explains sanguine attitude to this. Reference 3-day work weeks; blank cheques to work with. At that point, probably tying up 25% of UK capacity to produce new plant/equipment - indicator of importance to the nation.World much more cooperative place now than it was (in the 1970s). Reference Maggie Thatcher's changes to union power; Labour Party took away union block vote. Example of changes - before, if there was a strike in Aberdeen Harbour, diverted to another place. Industry avoided the problem. Now, there is the idea of social partners, consultation. Explains. Reference economic imperative, worldwide competition.Drilling process step by step: describes. Reference blowout preventers. Explains role of drilling teams on deck, a tight knit society with a strong camaraderie. One job is replacing the bit - time taken for this. Describes communication within teams. Compares to a rugby that plays well together. Recalls working on rig floor. Hard job. Lot of kinetic, potential energy. Need for vigilance. Compares attitude to work now and in earlier days. Comments on sounds of each stage of work - familiar and comforting to workers. Atmosphere filled with sounds. Silence, when shut down, ghostly. Describes. Effect of noises on hearing.Describes satisfaction of work on rig. A place of remarkable presence. Mentions statistics re numbers working offshore, proportion of drillers.Sound of the sea different when on rig. Explains. You hear the wind, feel the power of the sea. Describes storm weather. Reference standby boat.Further description of teams working together. Talents, sensibilities required of the driller, eg to a bit that is dull, a well that is kicking, reaction of machinery etc. Need for driller to be able to process many disparate pieces of information etc. Describes in detail.The bit: Tricorn bit invented by Howard Hughes' father. Reference Spruce Goose (aircraft); brassiere designed for Jane Russell. Bit technology has changed. Details. Changes in own working lifetime. Example of how technology is allowing oilfields to have much longer lives than originally estimated. Reference horizontal drilling. Competitiveness of industry brings out new technology - as has happened in Aberdeen.Drillers write reports at end of each 12 hour shift. Mentions time/depth curve. Significance of teamwork, camaraderie etc.
Tape 5 Side A 1980 Manager of Drilling Engineering Group, Chevron UK, Aberdeen: Another job in the same area, working on how to drill faster, better. Explains. Improved functioning of mud systems. Details. People were less conscious of environment than now, mainly after efficiency. Improvements in directional drilling.Had special interest in mechanisation of drill floor in the interest of safety. Explains. Examples of iron roughnecks, pipe handling machines. Had authority to spend money, was adventurous. Mentions completion of modules, training etc followed by improvements to systems - was on a learning curve.Mud: Got better at testing, quality control. Details re substances used, processes involved. Headway made with oil-based muds, now out of fashion because of pollution. In 1980, some environmental concerns. Mentions mud causing irritation to skin. Started developing different muds, different protective equipment. Recalls first meeting with environmentalists, in South Africa, their hostile reaction to self. Reference whales. Sensitivities lacking then. Explains. Feelings now about sustainability. (Industry) has come a long way.Always had sense that in US they went about things the wrong way. Explains. Own development of idea of progress and sustainability. Reference Patrick Moore. Changes of attitude in industry. Brent Spar event happened because of Greenpeace. Oil companies, being competitive, have to find product, then convince public re price, purpose. Reference European public. BP led by charismatic individual, Sir John Browne, who has intellectual ability to make visionary statements etc. Meets with environmentalists from oil industry UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) programme. Best brains talking about sustainability. Recalls Society of Petroleum Engineers meeting in Stavanger re Health, Safety & the Environment addressed by President of Nigeria. Lot of young people, females there. Not many females in drilling industry. Explains. Some in (catering etc) industry, some engineers. Comments on effect of female psyche coming into situation. Now oil industry talking with Non-Governmental Organisations, eg World Wildlife Federation, Friends of the Earth with positive accomplishment in mind. Reference Greenpeace's, radical agenda. Necessary to recognise that in radical agenda there are rules of the game. Comments on (environmentalist's) attitude Comments on conservatism re duration of oil industry in Scotland. Reference Scottish wife, own love of Scotland. The oil is not going to run out. Alarmists most interesting to media. Explains need to change way of doing business, get better. Reference computer business; Telecom. 1981 Senior Production Engineer - Chevron UK - Aberdeen: Crossed the Rubicon. Having been in drilling all life, felt need of something different. Explains. Attitude of company. Not a great career change. Describes difference between drilling engineering, production engineering, reservoir engineering. Hadn't developed political skills. Wanted to develop technical and other skills. Explains unease in job in a big corporate society. Details. Feelings about Scottish people - like the people of childhood days. Started to have premonitions re parts of life not looked after. Necessary to exert political skills in corporate job. Mentions own qualifications for the job. Took more care of people below than above - whereas in big corporation, necessary to care for and feed people above. Explains. Not enough to let accomplishments speak for themselves.Describes nature of work in production, compares with drilling. Explains 'batch process', 'continuous process' approach.Changes in Chevron came later with oil price crisis 1986. Cultural change 1983-84 in merger with Gulf. Chevron was quintessentially American. Mentions policy of hiring local people. Reference training programmes.
Tape 5 Side B 1983 Manager of Well Test Group/Supervisor of On-Site Well Test Operations, Chevron Overseas Petroleum: Rewarding job. Explains. Details re work. Describes sound, heat. Explains process of well testing, need to test burn, flow. Importance of tests. Mentions safety considerations. Importance of having most complete (test) burn (flare) possible offshore. Reference pollution. Recalls seagulls circling, being warmed by the heat. Details re countries visited to test wells. Explains enjoyment of work. Reference boom time of the industry. Lived in San Francisco - a high point of life.Compares attitude of Californians and Aberdonians to oil people. Reference Ventura, Los Angeles oil wells; offshore oil spill. Recalls changes to Aberdeen life, city finally coming to terms with the fact that the oil industry was here to stay.Always was good at drilling - details - but production engineering not so suitable for own skills. Started to feel unable to make progression.Marriage 1984 Linda Balharry, a Scot, (b. 24.9.1955). Details re meeting, acquaintance. Reference old Dundee name Balharry. Comments on ease of making friends in Aberdeen. Son Andrew Everett Balharry Krahn, 10, born in Oxford. Reference own grandfather; tradition of giving children mother's name.1984-85 Staff Engineer, Coordinating Group, Chevron Overseas Petroleum for Austral-Asia, South America and Nigeria: Moved into Engineering Department after company reorganisation. Details re domestic arrangements. Went into staff position, doing audits on drilling rigs, solving technical problems. Had a skilled engineering group. Details. Feelings about job. Worked with some of the most skilled engineers recognised with national awards etc. Eyes opened to notion of multi-disciplinary teams, rather than working by intuition. Attitude of company to non-performing contractors. Own attitude. Developed interest in decision making. Mentions discomforts being felt at things not understood.Learned to fly, got private pilot's licence. Details. Experienced need to process a lot of information. Reference respect for the driller.Did extensive self analysis; did personality test. Explains. Recalls feelings at learning of own personality type. Details re own capabilities, limitations. Now everyone into personality colours, sub-types etc. Recalls different way people in group reacted to situations, appreciation of value of diversity. Comments on history in family of moving to new places, restlessness.Applied to go back to university, accepted in Oxford.Not bothered by oil price crash to 10 US dollars in 1986. Explains. Reference merger with Gulf. Attitude of engineers (to oil price etc)Professional aspirations: Didn't till political landscape to achieve senior position. Had feeling that progress in company would lead to efficiency expertise, not enough to satisfy intellectual curiosities. Details. Recalls reunion for engineering alumni. Feelings about them, their range of experience etc, constraint in specialisation by the corporation. Feelings about waiting till retirement to get experiences.Had respect for the company. Given scholarship to university, travel, good people to work with etc. Mentions mentor, Jack Holmes, Chief Drilling Engineer for Chevron.
Tape 6 Side A Mentor, Jack Holmes, Chief Drilling Engineer for Chevron (cont'd): Details re him. He was also at University of Tulsa. Recalls his influence in own career. He remained with company until retirement. Describes his personality, style. He relieved pressure by drinking to excess, later became a teetotaler. Details re his work in Bay Marchand, one of the biggest fields in Gulf of Mexico. Reference Forties; BP.1987-98 Research into the North Sea Service, Supply and Subcontracting Industry at Oxford University: Background to study period. Reference business administration. Explains earlier decision not to take opportunity to go to Horton's Business School, Pennsylvania. Mentions being one the youngest, first engineers in company to be invited to go overseas. Studied at Templeton College, Oxford, lived in Wolfson College. Explains decision not to go back to (Chevron). Corporation policy was not to keep place for people who left. Comments on this. Sold up and went to New York, visited wife's aunts. Story of upgrading to Concorde, champagne on the way.Impressions of Oxford University. 3 Rhodes Scholars in class. Reference Roger Penrose; Stephen Hawking. Humbling experience. Details re study which was similar to MBA. Interviewed nearly 20 companies from Aberdeen which had been innovative. Explains relevance of study to present work. Feelings, discoveries about innovative companies, the people who ran them. Reference Jimmy Milne; Ian Wood. Recalls successful enterprise of Marshall Bailley, a former schoolteacher, who improved a shell shaker. Details re him.Piper Alpha disaster: Was in Oxford at the time. Not touched by it. Comments on disaster. Reference Challenger (spaceship) disaster. Comments on Cullen enquiry. Reference Dunblane, Paddington disaster enquiries. Statement of HSE (Health & Safety Executive) re current risk of disaster. Progress has been made since.Was never on Piper Alpha. Explains. People didn't generally go to other companies' platforms. 1990 Formed own company, did drilling consulting work. Explains. Worked supervising a rig. Details re amount paid daily. Compares with accountants' fees. Wanted to go offshore again. Eye-opener that as a contractor didn't have same respect as when in Chevron.
Tape 6 Side B Own company (cont'd): Importance of political skills clear after study period. Describes experience as a consultant, financial aspects. Necessary to be prepared for a downturn. Explains. Good training for what doing now.1992 Director, European Offshore Affairs, IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors): Details re appointment - initially opened office in London. Mentions long experience in opening offices. Involvement with HSE consultations for safety case regulations post Piper Alpha. Describes the thoroughness of British Civil Service consultation when writing statutes. Met Tony Barrell, then head of HSE. Describes. He developed Offshore Safety Division after Piper Alpha. Feelings about working with such people. Reference Paddington Rail Enquiry.Also worked with International Maritime Organisation which makes conventions for shipping. Details. Brief history of IADC - formation in 1940 in the US as the American Association of Drilling Contractors. Most drilling contractors
round the world belong. Explains scope of drilling work in own area. Most drilling is offshore. Main office in Aberdeen. Originally in London. Reference Safety Case Regulations; Prevention of Fire and Explosion and Emergency Response (PFEER); Management Adminstration Regulations (MAR); DCI Construction Regulations. Came to Aberdeen in 1995 after getting these regulations finalised in London.Describes duties now. Tries to find common causes among members and pursue them. Importance of training. People will always talk about safety. Mentions drilling practices, human resources. Trying to form an IT working party. Explains. Reference Houston website. Explains potential spares market.Cycles in the industry are severe for drilling industry. Reference Department of Trade & Industry. Lot of fallow prospects now. There could be ways of using them etc. Comments on attitude of corporate behemoths, ability of smaller more nimble innovative companies. Reference stock market. Contractors have a big part to play re innovative thinking, work with no frills, have an idea of fair play.LOGIC is leading oil and gas industry competitiveness. Explains what they are doing, own role. Reference Parliament; DTI. Role of oil companies.Expects to do present job for a while. Feeling about current relationship between drilling contractors and oil companies. Mentions holistic view down supply chain. Reference DTI. Feels compelled to tell people that the supply chain is a real thing, problem with one part not conferring dignity on another etc. Progress made in health and safety area. Explains.Possible to have a difference factor of 7 in rental rate for a drilling rig. Explains situation for drilling contractors in bad times and good. Attitude of oil companies. Need to try and get some middle ground. Barrier to good communication. Adversarial relationship. Situation could be more productive - hopes to accomplish this in next few years.Comments on own situation, ability to accomplish things through influence, cajoling etc. Reference LOGIC; Supply Chain Management; DTI; HSE. Gives examples of causes promoted.In drilling industry there is a disproportionate number of UK people working in the drilling industry to the number of rigs at work here. Would like to discuss drilling side of story with DTI. Comments on sharing spares idea. Reference harmonising training. Mentions need for dignity for drilling workers.IADC mostly volunteer labour. Details. Comments on volunteer work. Reference PTA.Comments on present situation. There is a little more cooperation. Explains. Long time to work up trust. Example of oil company exploitation of contractors, need for business ethics. Reference UKOOA. Talisman (oil company) seems to be able to delegate work out. Others can't let go of it. Explains. Holding on is causing work to be blocked up. Details.
Tape 7 Side A Trying to learn what sustainability and biodiversity mean. Explains application in own private life, garden etc. Reference childhood home; Cuba; Darwin's book on earthworms etc. Society of Petroleum Engineers, United Nations etc getting started.Work at IADC: Knows how to work in international context. Reference International Maritime Organisation. Working for standards that will make members operate more safely. Easier to (be effective) at international level. Workforce of Exxon, BP same as nation of Norway - indicates level of their power. Need to have a way of doing things when confronting them. Explains. Value of working with regulators. Mentions International Regulators' Forum which IADC attends.IADC now into behavioural modification. Explains. Mentions psychological aspects of work, hazards involved in altering personal lives etc. Advantages of structure of IADC. Working with universities. Reference Rhona Flin, University of Aberdeen; Patrick Hudson. Details. Explains own changes of behaviour re safety, risk etc.Comments on factors that bind people in the drilling industry. Some people like team work, dependence on each other. Need for workplace to be environmentally sound. Details.Comments on potential influence of current position.Believes there is an untapped wealth of individuals who could contribute (re policy). Mentions use of personnel transfer baskets (on rigs). Reference offshore safety committees. Mentions potential volunteer workforce in Aberdeen.Importance of Employment Relations Act, need for IADC to take action on it. Have done so very quietly. Momentous impact. Explains. Reference situation in US where drilling industry is in the south, south west, and there is no union tradition. Prohibited by head organisation to work with human relations people on the Act. Details. Mentions number of people on rigs who would like to be in a union. Reference AEEU. Feelings about workers having a relationship with union, own inability to be involved.Feelings about possibility of European kind of social partnership. Reference working hours; holidays; wages. Personal life: Goes back home (US) to visit family occasionally. Describes the August roundup. Thinks of Aberdeen as home. Feelings about Scotland, Scottish people, crack (conversation), egalitarian tradition etc. Influence of Scotland is out of proportion to number of people living here |