| Description | Tape 1 Side A: GEOFFREY MOULTON TILLING born 23 December 1944 Cheshire. Background to names. Has younger sister. Paternal family: knew grandparents. Grandmother nee Cowlie from Hampshire. Grandfather's family from London. Mentions Thomas Tilling, bus, engineering company. Grandfather born in Bristol, soldier in Grenadier Guards in trenches, First War. Details re grandparents. Grandfather later in oil industry, Essex, spent time in Borneo jungle. He later became farmer in Cheshire, failed, bankrupt, returned to oil industry in Ellesmere Port. He became safety officer. His younger brother also in oil industry. Describes grandfather, his personality. Recalls his generosity at Christmas. Mentions uncle also in oil; black market hair cream. Grandfather had dogs, grandmother had cats. Mentions own fondness for dogs, cats. Explains current job, Decommissioning Manager, Phillips Petroleum. Explains responsibilities. Mentions family resemblances in looks, character, approach to situations. Maternal family: grandfather of Scottish/Irish ancestry. Details re his brothers, one a boilermaker, another a magistrate. Grandfather in Royal Marines in both world wars, died at 56. Close to him. Details. Recalls time of his death, news being broken to his brother. Impact of seeing a man cry. Grandmother and mother born in same cottage. Recalls great grandfather, his second family. Mentions recurring name Mabel in family. Was only eighteen months younger than great uncle. Grandfather was McFarland. Details re names. Describes parents, their ambition for children. Peaceful childhood. Explains fulfilment of expectations. Father not formally educated but became Plant Manager. Recalls being first in own branch of family to go to university - a lot riding on it. Explains. Grandfather McFarland a Lieutenant Colonel in Royal Marines. Mentions other family members.
Tape 1 Side B: Describes father. Hierarchy in family. Recalls childhood friend's perceptions of family relationships. Father a good influence. Family atmosphere in oil refinery. Recalls discussing father's work at home. Often went with father to work. Explains. Recalls de-waxing unit. Significance of this. Refinery manager, his family were friends. Went with father to Works Club. Refinery owned by Lobitos Oilfields, later Burma Oil. Reference to Ecuador, Castrol. Work was very hands-on. Recalls opportunities in childhood, e.g. going on Manchester Ship Canal Railway engine, interest in railways, Meccano, Manod stationery steam engine, gearing. Belief that engineers should get their hands dirty. Explains difficulty translating diagrams to physical reality. Mentions aunt who was aged 16 at time of own birth. Details re mother, her clerical work during war, her meeting with father. Mentions genealogical work done on family, old exercise book diary from family haberdashery shop in Cheshire. Details re Christmas Club. Explains own link back to funeral of diarist. Details re mother's health problems, death. Details re childhood homes. Grandfather, ex-Marine, bought grocery/general store business in Ellesmere Port. Recalls semi-detached home when c.3. Reference to school. Recalls childhood games on haystack etc. Mother took over grandfather's shop. Recalls shop-kids' gang, rationing, sale of candles during power cuts, getting sweets from shop. Details re shop. Saw lot of hardship in neighbourhood. Grandfather sold shop. Details re next childhood home, a new house, in which father still lives. Area was then rural. Recalls sense of community, membership of choir, being altar server. Explains sense of music. Sang in operatic society. Grandparents had pianos.
Tape 2 Side A: Liked reading adventure books as a child. Details. Liked Shakespeare. Current taste. Mother a reader. Likes crosswords, puzzles. Did Mensa test as adult. Explains. Invited to join. Details re test, outcome genius rating. Has been a member since. Relates this to career work. Reference to lateral thinking. Not a strong churchgoer. Explains involvement with church when young. Attitude to Christianity, Christian ethic, need for religion. Feelings about current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Parents were politically interested, right wing. Own position, view on racial tolerance etc. Reference to British Empire. Absence of black, coloured people at school. Had, has sense of belonging to school. Went to Parklands primary, then King's School, Cheshire. Feelings about school, its character. Explains students' sense of belief in themselves. Always at top in junior school. Placed in lower stream at secondary school, a shock. Rapidly moved up streams to top. Explains. Good at most subjects. Wanted, from early age, to have scientific career. Did Latin because of university requirements. Details re headmaster, a mathematician and cleric. Origin of school, link with cathedral. Recalls sport at school, was elected captain of House League cricket team. Details. School expected all to be leaders. Details re uniform, school form levels. Recalls friend's punishment for non-regulation headgear, another's expulsion for a prank when school photograph being taken. Explains positive feelings about school, other activities. Recalls decision to be a chemical engineer. Progress in different subjects. Stayed extra year at school before getting into university. Accepted into Newcastle. Mentions its link to Durham.
Tape 2 Side B: University (cont'd). Explains choice of Newcastle 1964. Details re interview procedure resulting in offer of place. Recalls life in 60s, Beatles, rock and roll, the Animals, night clubs etc. Took part in dramatic production early on. Reference to Marian Foster, Kate Adie. Had girlfriends. Details. Explains own attitude to relationships, strong focus on personal aims. Met wife at university. Details. Became involved in fencing. Explains skills, psychological aspects of fencing. Used organisational skills in fencing club. Recalls powerful team including future Commonwealth Games competitor. Met wife at dance. Describes her, compares with self, describes relationship. Close family. Details re children, partners, grandchildren. Recalls significant lecturers in fuel science at Newcastle. Mentions Professors Coulsen, Sorensen, Ian Fells, John Harker. Did vacation course at Shell refinery. Fellow students in course were from Iraq (a Kurd), and from France. Mentions friend at university, later political enemy. Recalls lesson in Middle East international politics when university tried putting two Iraqis together. Shell acted on recommendations in report from own study. Recalls giving presentation to Shell, help with getting job later. Details re work carried out during study dealing with reactors etc, heat exchange. Shell attitude to students' work, their use of the work.
Tape 3 Side A: Recalls consciousness of North Sea oil possibility. For most it was off radar screen. Own primary interest in refining. Reference to Algeria. Mentality in 1960s that UK had 300 years' worth of coal. UK now no longer industrial country. Recalls discovery of Ekofisk oil, own first awareness of North Sea potential. Graduated 1967, got job with Shell Chemicals as Technologist. Details re other possibilities. Explains lifelong interest, excitement in refining. Mentions fires, explosions in refineries, understanding of power there. Sense of being in outer space. Excitement of being the one who puts things right. Mentions investment involved. Example of intuition when dealing with a problem pump, cavitation etc. Describes rhythm in refinery. Recalls bureaucratic, autocratic, culture of Shell Chemicals, Carrington, non-Shell origin of many people there. Explains paternalistic attitude of Shell. Gives example. Explains work - ensuring plant worked efficiently. Explains manufacture of expandable polystyrene, potential problems. Transferred to Shell Research as Scientist 1969 working on pilot plants with polystyrene, testing chemicals etc. Details re styrene production. Recalls resolution of problem on distillation column, example of interpretation of data, importance of sticking to guns in arguments with colleagues. Example of value of shutting down plant, even at great cost. Difficulties with complexities of fluids in refinery. Crude oil un-definable, different according to where it comes from. Was not active in politics but Conservative voter. Recalls doing political things, e.g. during hourly paid, tradesmen, operators walk-out; having to operate plant. Reaction of strikers when they returned. Details re later 15-week strike, picket. Shell operated plant. Recalls working as fitter, illuminating experience. Explains benefit to own normal work.
Tape 3 Side B: Blank
Tape 4 Side A: Since last recording, has taken early retirement from Conoco Phillips. Explains merger situation at Phillips. Has set up Decommission Development Consultants Ltd, has mainly oil industry clients. Explains decommissioning issues. Emphasis on liabilities, situations for larger, smaller companies. Explains preservation of companies' reputations, beyond sale. Mentions real, perceived environmental consequences. Impact of reputation on downstream sales, granting of licences etc. Reference to Department of Trade & Industry (DTI). Explains potential for ongoing financial penalties for former owners of licenses. Possible to manage situation proactively. Many companies not experienced in this area. Importance of integration of different disciplines of project development, public relations, legal, government relations. Many North Sea fields expected to terminate production soon. Few decommissioning people around. Few companies have been through decommissioning process. Field is not career-enhancing. Explains. Attitude of industry to decommissioning. Describes demolition, scrap merchant image of decommissioning work in media. Recalls early university vacation course with Shell, Carrington. Worked with Shell Chemicals on manufacture of expandable polystyrene. Details re potential problems in process using styrene. Recalls crudeness of instrumentation etc. Further details re process. Explains process of sticking polystyrene beads together, testing, highly specified machinery, making fine shapes possible. Potential problems. Origin of expandable polystyrene. Defines styrene. Explains Shell's involvement in polystyrene. Mentions company reputation. Details re company attitude to polystyrene manufacture, organisation of processes. Recalls dealing with problem with compressor with no lagging. Mentions Shell purchase smaller chemical companies. Shell had no culture for making solids. Solids handling a science in its own right compared with liquids. Explains importance of having empathy with process, outcomes. Own feelings about refineries.
Tape 4 Side B: Further explanation of attraction of work in refinery, challenges of dealing with problems, testing theories etc. Mentions value of material being processed, judgements that need to be made when irregularities occur. Explains controls available to engineers etc when making plant work. Comments on invisibility of oil. Recalls being called out to noisy pump, way of approaching problem by listening, hearing cavitation. Impact of relatively small problems on whole refinery, high costs involved. Moved to work on polystyrene. Details re arrangements in Shell for Chemical Engineering field 1969. Worked on fire alarms, cranes, research into polystyrene etc. Reference to Adrian Todd. First experiences of management. Compares laboratory, plant work. Importance of having good relationship with operators. Compares lives of senior managers, tradesmen. Mentions other interests of tradesmen. Further details re pay strikes 1968/9, unions involved. Union situation in UK at time. Shell's response to strike, own experience replacing strikers, working with dyes etc. Reaction of workers when they returned to job. Attitude of non-striking workers. Recalls own participation in situation, aggrieved reaction of one worker. Impact of own action on general relationships. Never belonged to union during career on principle. Explains. Mentions personal background, family attitudes. Reference to National Union of Students. Few colleagues were in unions.
Tape 5 Side A: Strikes (cont'd): recalls going through picket lines, attitude of strikers. Own reaction. Opinion of strikers' pay claims, potential impact. Decided after c3 years with Shell Chemicals that career prospects limited. Appointed Process Engineer, Esso Petroleum, Milford Haven petroleum refinery 1971. Details. Put in Project Coordinators' Group. Details re expansion of refinery. Role of Project Coordinator. Transferred into start-up team. Compares Esso with Shell Chemicals. Many Americans in Esso. Culture change. Describes personnel. Esso dynamic, structured. Expected to deliver. Initial job liaison for railway construction, fire-fighting arrangements. Details re fire-fighting situation, fire certification, own approach to requirements of tankers etc. Got kudos from resolution of problems. Explains way of testing crude oil storage tanks for leaks. Mentions reputation issues for company, need for avoidance of pollution by dye used in testing tanks. Recalls way Shell would have approached problem. Easier to talk across disciplines in Esso. Details re morale-boosting game in Esso when checking equipment. Explains term 'punch-list'. Recalls colleagues in Esso, their ways. Example of nick-name. Recalls one manager whose chink in armour was cats. Explains value of knowing what makes people tick. Own reputation for being team player but feels an individualist. Details re approach to work in Esso, basic practices. Feels more comfortable using own initiative. Management want everybody going in same direction. Explains value of individualists. Esso more friendly to individual player than Shell. Saw Esso as chance to gain significant experience. Explains. Attitude to advancement. Too much of rebel to be in top posts. Details re increase in Esso processing of crude oil. Responsible for start of primary fractionation unit (pipe-still).
Tape 5 Side B: Recalls personal life when first at Milford Haven, birth of children. Wife a teacher. Details re her work situation in Wales with language etc. Own working hours regular, able to have non-work life. Explains leisure activities, DIY activities, e.g. putting in friend's central heating. Recalls fencing when student, own strengths. Feelings about Conservative Government, Ted Heath, his handling of miners' strike, 3-day week etc. Comments on move of UK to Europe. Feelings about European prospects now, possible future super-state. Compares with US situation. Mentions language situation, feelings about majority of people in Europe. Own view of logical development for Europe. Own over-riding aspiration - peaceful world order. People accept organic growth. Recalls own early consciousness of evolution of North Sea industry. Reference to Energy Institute. Recalls arrival of North Sea gas. Value of experience in Esso. Mentions natural roots in north of England, wanted job there. Joined Rohm & Hass, Middlesborough as Process Engineer 1973. Work involved production of monomers. Recalls reason for company's reputation concerns, earlier accident involving casualties. Recalls Esso decision to rename as Exxon, impact on producers of signage. Feelings re name change. Comments on being back in chemicals industry for family reasons. Mentions new Phillips Petroleum terminal. Knew little about them. Further details re Rohm & Hass, their high turnover, poor management. Opinion of company. They made nasty chemicals. Details re inhibitors. Describes narrow escape from breathing vapour. Devised system for recycling alcohol in plant using nomograph. Details. Feelings re life under Labour Government. Appointed Senior Process Engineer, Phillips Petroleum 1975. Initial role to work on new terminal crude tanker jetty. Details.
Tape 6 Side A: Appointment to Phillips Petroleum (cont'd). Describes company, personnel, attitude to non-Americans, culture, changes in attitudes over the years. Early on they found it difficult to mix with locals. Senior managers from bible belt, teetotal. Explains changes. Got on well with American staff. Details. Strong family feeling in company, rivalries. Gives example of 'Phillips standard', compares with situation in Esso. Recalls accessibility to high level staff. Expectations of career with company. Phillips also in joint venture with ICI refinery, Teeside. Explains role of Phillips terminal, pressures, production of methane, ethane, propane, butane etc. Mentions delay of start-up. Mentions colleagues. Explains processes leading up to start-up, role of stabilisers, recovery of gasses as products. Recalls race with BP to get crude oil ashore into tanks by pipeline, won by Phillips with oil from Ekofisk. Describes last-minute discovery of Ekofisk oil - reason for there being North Sea oil industry. Promoted Chief Process Engineer 1979. Explains responsibilities. Mentions earlier involvement in oil pollution equipment, became representative for UK Petroleum Industries Association. Details. Background to appointment. Liaised with local authorities. Explains. Details re oil spill at Phillips terminal. Recorded the event, costed it. Mentions reputation issue for company. Details re membership of other organisations including appointment as industry-representative school governor. Interested in idea of furthering idea of engineering in school. Explains involvement with SATRO (Science and Technology Regional Organisation), role of organisation, promotion of engineering. Recalls production engineering trip for students. Got to know Phillips hierarchy. Recalls study following Flixborough disaster.
Tape 6 Side B: Impact of Flixborough chemical plant disaster. Comments on situation. Details re cause. Advent of Health & Safety Executive. Details re oil company concerns re possibility of failure of big-inventory pipelines etc. Study of energy efficiency, conservation. Recalls benefit of company suggestion scheme. Went to US as Teeside representative to give paper re energy efficiency, sat at top table with senior company people. Reference to Falklands war. Details re American involvement in war. Opinion of situation, Margaret Thatcher. Feelings about Americans. Opinion of her successor. Details re staff, trainees etc. Was Careers Officer of Institution of Chemical Engineers, Northern Branch. Details re speaking programme. Details re family situation, children, wife's health. Difficulty balancing job with home needs. Helpful attitude of company. Promoted Senior Process Engineering Specialist, London 1985. Explains extended family rearrangements, home in Bedfordshire village.
Tape 7 Side A: Senior Process Specialist, Exploration & Production 1986. Explains move back into operations. Managed project to de-man two existing platforms, bring under remote control. Explains decline in gas pressure, problems with water in pipeline. New wells had higher pressure. Explains decision to do away with some operational constraints so able to accept lower gas rates. Mentions cost of manpower. Details re dehydration of gas. Explains problem with gas molecule and water combination, need to avoid hydrates. Further technical details re separation of gas, water, process of getting rid of hydrates. New concept introduced. Department of Energy, responsible for safety, preferred platforms with men on them. Explains safety aspects. Industry was moving into mechanised platforms, subsea production etc. Mentions use of satellite, radio control to operate platforms. Advent of 'not normally manned installations'. Led workgroup in UKOOA (UK Offshore Operators' Association) on issue. Concept eventually accepted. Mentions use of helicopters on unmanned platforms. Danes more radical - details. Explains involvement in UKOOA, negative impression of its effectiveness. Improvements under Brian Taylor, John Hall. Recalls review of pipelines within weeks of Piper Alpha disaster. Led Phillips Task Force in post-Piper review. Gave papers in de-manning. Phillips first in field. Recalls hearing of Piper disaster. Comments on state of Piper. Immediate reaction of Phillips to disaster. Recalls visit of Pipeline Inspectorate. Wrote report for them. No risers in the wrong places. Didn't have too much to do. Pipeline Inspectorate not happy with report. Compares with other reports. Recalls high power meeting, hostile attitude of Inspectorate. Report finally accepted with no changes. Details re approach to exercise.
Tape 7 Side B: Piper Alpha disaster aftermath (cont'd). Parts of industry panicked, spent millions on changes. Comments on meeting between engineering and the political. Phillips able to calm politicians and civil servants, have rational conversation. Comments on other companies' approach of spending money. Need for proper analysis of situation. Explains Phillips systems. They didn't have overall coherent safety management system. Details. Impact of Piper disaster. Phillips system developed corporation-wide as Process for Safety Excellence. Necessary to show continuing progress. Other elements added on to award-winning Process for Safety and Environmental Excellence. Mentions impact of Alexander Kielland disaster. Details. Piper situation couldn't have occurred on Hewett platforms. Explains. Reference to LOGS (Lincoln Offshore Gathering System). Further details re post-Piper layers of review in Phillips. Impact of Piper on American personnel. This was own first experience of risk-based analysis. Used consultants. Recalls Phillips colleagues at time. Mentions hands-on attitude in Phillips. Main competition was in winning licenses. Explains motivations in company. Mentions co-ventures. Mixed with people from other companies. Differences between cultures only manifested in disputes. Appointed Exploitation Projects Team Manager 1990. Explains company's promotion, grade structure. Phillips not market leader or trailer in salaries. Explains company arrangements re partnerships, allocation of projects, choice of teams combining engineering, operations people. Came in under budget over all projects. Company reorganised. Explains approach to exploitation policy using people from different disciplines, own role. Most projects in southern basin. Task to develop existing assets, put projects in place. Potential problems with system. Mentions esprit de corps. Model was used elsewhere in Phillips. Was recognised within company as being able to take on tasks.
Tape 8 Side A: Recognised as a lateral thinker. Relates to Piper Alpha situation. Comments on attitude to money spent post-Piper, value of figures to politicians, throwing money at situations. Mentions presence of unions on Hewett platforms. Reason for people being in unions. Maureen people didn't want to be unionised. Mentions OILC (Offshore Industry Liaison Committee). HSE (Health & Safety Executive) slow, over-stretched. Compares their approach with own. Recalls major success on Hewett - issue (post-Piper) with Department of Energy (DoE) re over-population of platforms, need to resolve situation or lose license, options available. Mentions work being done on Hewett. Explains negative attitude of Arco, 'the alternative operator'. Three months notice to sort out situation. Decision to build Hewett Quarters platform - own responsibility. Details re costs. Background to having platform built in Middle East - a first. Recalls reaction from EU on previous occasion re jacket built in Korea. Reference to John Moynihan. Got OSO (Offshore Supplies Office) onside. Explains collusion between yards bidding for contract, strong-arm tactics. Reference to John Wakeham. Details re getting approval to award contract in Dubai. Reference to Hugh Murray, OSO. Engineering done in Wembley. Contract awarded September 1991, complete January 1993. Installation on time, under original budget, 90% of material from UK. Details re operation. Explains layout of Hewett, placement of Quarters Platform. Recalls visit by dignitaries to platform, complex arrangements, temporary stranding on platform through fog. Attitude of rest of industry to operation. First decommissioning study on Maureen 1982, before start of production, later considerations 1992. Details. Recalls involvement with UKOOA Decommissioning Subcommittee - first engineer. Details re unsuccessful election for Chair. Mentions Brent Spar.
Tape 8 Side B: Appointed Vice-Chairman UKOOA Decommissioning Subcommittee. Details re Shell's disposal of Brent Spar 1995. UKOOA interested in environmental issues. Focussed on engineering activity, not politics. Explains processes involved in demolition of platform, problems, difference between installation, removal. Difficulties removing piles etc. Explains inbuilt energy in structures, dangers of collapse, demolition below waterline etc. Attitudes of builders of platforms early on. Comments on dangers of using explosives for demolition, potential environmental consequences. Explains approach of Decommissioning Subcommittee, development of standards. World changed after Brent Spar. Explains. Subcommittee became full committee with more engineers. Details. Describes Brent Spar episode. Explains Ospar (Oslow Paris Commission) requirement. Details re Greenpeace occupation of Spar, other actions. Timing coincided with Environment Ministers' meeting; pressure on Shell. Details re moratorium on dumping not signed by Britain, France. UKOOA's problem - Shell had not been upfront on issue with industry. UKOOA unable to make media comments. Mentions Shell's human rights reputation in Nigeria. Own view of Shell's conduct. Phillips potential situation re emergency response. Reference to ferry Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. Not prepared for Brent Spar-type issue. Lesson of Brent Spar - more than legal rights necessary. Comments on Greenpeace's credibility compared with oil industry's, government's. Mentions Greenpeace's financial difficulties pre-Brent Spar. Explains UK ambivalence towards oil industry. Compares with current situation re Iraq war, credibility of government. Oil industry unpopular. Industry generally, never unpopular until it's virtually dead, when people get nostalgic. Compares oil industry, shipbuilding, mining. Oil industry remote. Details. Change in attitude to North Sea industry. Impact of concept of globalisation. Lesson from Brent Spar - another way of disposal possible. Own view.
Tape 9 Side A: Brent Spar (cont'd). Recalls consultation leading to ultimate disposal in Norway by Shell. Shell clawed way back from torrid time, gained respect. Details re early damage to Spar, problems with tipping on side, danger of buckling from forces involved. Exploitation Projects Director 1993 - change in title, similar responsibilities. Problem with Audrey platform water buildup. Details re Audrey. Reservoir straddles median line. Explains consequences of this. Mentions Conoco share. Explains redetermination procedures, costs. Obdurate attitude of Conoco. Details re de-watering possibilities, costs. Cultural clash between Conoco and Phillips in UK. Explains. Recalls contact with Hamilton Brothers. Compares them with Phillips. Reference to Fred Hamilton, Frank Phillips. Recalls Phillips' can-do culture, eg Ekofisk discovery, handling of Ekofisk sinking problem, jacking up platforms simultaneously. Details re complicated processes involved. Significance of access to top in Phillips, willingness to listen to crazy ideas. Own focus became decommissioning. Maureen decommissioning: process began 1995. Describes aspects leading to resolution particularly concerning cost, safety, environment. Reference to DTI (Department of Trade & Industry). Itemised every element on platform including marine growth. Explains options for disposal, potential environmental impact. Comments on accuracy of Greenpeace statements on re-use of steel. Phillips carried out parallel international studies of onshore disposal. Conclusion that disposal onshore feasible. Details re studies of refloating possibilities, breaking platform out from seabed. Details re buoyancy etc. Models tested in tanks. Mentions cleaning of oil tanks. Question re disposal of tanks, considerations of safety risks. Looked at charges levelled at Shell with Brent Spar.
Tape 9 Side B: Maureen decommissioning (cont'd). Details re weight of platform, draught etc. Problem with buoyancy, stability. In the end, Maureen was broken up in water alongside quay. Mentions issue of drill cuttings. Knew Greenpeace's angles. Tried to sell Maureen but unsuccessful. Explains. Had one offer, possibility of use off Congo, not acceptable. Details. Greenpeace against drilling new wells. Problems of disposal in Africa. Dangers of misrepresentation of Phillips. Main purchase costs related to later disposal. Possibility of sale to Shetland as bridge material. Details. Mentions idea for offshore hotel. Details re ten thousand ton concrete loading column sitting on seabed, plans for its disposal prior to Brent Spar. Impact of Ospar Clean Seabed legislation. Decommissioning programme put together. Details re stages of process. Mentions time constraint. Details re outside personnel involved. Compiled database of people, organisations with interest in decommissioning, including former workers' widow. Prepared document for DTI. Mentions concern re drill cuttings. Reference Peter Hulse, head of Decommissioning Unit, Professor John Shepherd, Southampton Oceanographic Centre. Mentions quality controls of investigations. Details re various forms of drill cuttings, toxicity etc. Mentions currents around Maureen, concerns re food chain. Explains complexities re lifting Maureen's template from seabed, pre-analysis, watch for dolphins, whales, seals, seasonal activities of fish. Describes ways of chasing fish etc away. Quick positive response to decommissioning programme from DTI, 2000. Mentions establishment of project team 1998. Refloating of Maureen June 2001. Media missed out. Explains. Saw operation by computer. Describes different stages, reaction. Operation took fifteen hours. Describes weather.
Tape 10 Side A: Maureen decommissioning (cont'd). Mentions the original Maureen (person). Explains platform-naming tradition in Phillips. Maureen became a ship during decommissioning, responsibility of maritime authorities instead of HSE. Describes lift off seabed, expectation of wobble. Explains cut water plane area. Recalls slight but safe tilt. Explains process causing skirts to break with seabed. Nobody on board during refloat. Details re depth. Describes tow, use of tugs. No problems with tow. Positioning of towlines. Explains use of loading column, disposal of water from Maureen's legs to column, then to tankers. No discharge of water into sea. Details re disposal of parts of Maureen, change of ownership. Reference to Aker Kvaerner. Loading column became part of marina. Cost of disposal around £200 million. Greenpeace happy with decommissioning process. Kept in touch with them whilst it was happening. Reference to Pete Wilkinson. Feelings re Maureen decommissioning. Mentions television interview. Reason for refloating in 2001, not 2000, related to Phillips corporate activities, Chairman Jim Mulva's agenda. Recalls arguments over timing. Conoco-Phillips merger: details re shareholding, leadership, finance and operational/exploration/production management. Merger confirmed September 2002. Left company December on early retirement. Not easy marriage of the two companies in Aberdeen. Explains. Mentions completion of Maureen decommissioning 2003. Explains own role. Last job for Phillips on Bacton facility 2002. Reference to Hewett 1998 and other installations, decommissioning liabilities, derogation. Explains reasons for taking redundancy, attraction of decommissioning work, staying in England rather than living and working in Aberdeen. Feelings about leaving the new organisation. Unsettled time in company since merger. Mentions constant change in oil industry.
Tape 10 Side B: Explains current work in decommissioning field, financial aspects for oil companies. Reference to own company Decommissioning Development Consultants (DDC). Time for people to consider their liabilities. Able to help with this. Details. Importance of having security arrangements. Explains use of letters of credit. Financial details. Important for companies to have reserves to carry cost of decommissioning. Situation re derogation for companies with platforms over ten thousand tons. Some companies trading off acceptance of decommissioning liability alongside unexplored acreage. Explains feelings about this. Telling companies what they don't want to hear, i.e. about decommissioning, like planning for funeral - matter of attitude change. Feelings about working for self, from home. Physical aspect of having less pressure. Details re children, grandchildren. Plans for DDC. Reference to Offshore Europe, Aberdeen. DTI supportive of DDC venture. In discussion with organisation trying to break into satellite oilfields. Would be engineering consultants for this. Mentions Chairmanship of UKOOA Decommissioning Committee. Was founder of Teds (The Early Decommissioning Synergy Group). Reference to membership of North Sea Decommissioning Group, Decommission Committee for International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, formerly Exploration Production Forum. Strategy in Phillips to be on all committees possible. Explains. Gave many talks re Maureen, decommissioning. Maintains networks, e.g. with Norway, conferences. Details. Attitude to retirement. Still member of Mensa. |