Britain S Onshore Oil Industry

The history of the European oil and gas industry reflects local as well as global political events, economic constraints and the personal endeavours of individual petroleum geoscientists as much as it does the development of technologies and the underlying geology of the region. The first commercial oil wells in Europe were drilled in Poland in 1853, Romania in 1857, Germany in 1859 and Italy in 1860. The 23 papers in this volume focus on the history and heritage of the oil and gas industry in the key European oil-producing countries from the earliest onshore drilling to its development into the modern industry that we know today. The contributors chronicle the main events and some of the major players that shaped the industry in Europe. The volume also marks several important anniversaries, including 150 years of oil exploration in Poland and Romania, the centenary of the drilling of the first oil well in the UK and 50 years of oil production from onshore Spain.

This book is an appraisal of current offshore industrial relations, and safety regulations instituted after the 1988 Alpha disaster in the North Sea. This text discusses the oil industry's attempts to contain subsequent, unwelcome regulatory interference, and examines the fraught history of trade unionism in the offshore industry, the conflict over health and safety, and the sometimes brutal struggle over union rights as the workforce attempted to achieve a collective voice in the reshaping of the safety and production environment. The authors conclude that, as yet, offshore safety has been little, or not at all, improved.

Monograph describing the development and economic implications of natural gas and petroleum found in the North sea coastal waters of the UK - discusses the extent of these petroleum resources, their value as energy source and their economic impact relating to the balance of payments, investment, economic growth, power supply trends, energy policy, petroleum industry offshore installation development, etc. Charts, diagrams, graphs, references and statistical tables.

Waves of Fortune provides an overview of the UK offshore oil and gas industries. The book arose from The Scenario Planning Workshop held at the Institute of Petroleum, London in May 1995, which was organised and chaired by the author and was attended by some of the most senior and influential figures in the industry. The workshop identified 14 key 'drivers' that will shape the future of the industry. Each of these drivers is examined in turn in the book and the four scenarios produced at the workshop are reproduced. Each scenario represents a different view of the future - each developed by a group of industry leaders. An account is also given of the history of scenario planning, the techniques involved, and of how this forecasting tool can provide a unique means of looking at the future.

The fascinating story of Dorset's oil industry. This is an essential book for those interested in Dorset’s industrial history.