THE first big oilfield to operate in the British sector of the North
Sea celebrates 20 years of production today -- a birthday it was never
expected to reach.
When the giant Forties complex started pumping crude oil from below
the seabed, it was expected to run dry in commercial terms by 1992.
But, with the aid of developments in technology, operators BP have
pushed the expected life of the country's biggest single oilfield beyond
the year 2000.
The field asset manager, Mr John Mogford, said: ''It would be nice if
Forties got to 40. It is certainly realistic to say it should have a
30th birthday.''
Each of the four main production platforms in Forties contains four
times more steel than the Eiffel Tower and each is big enough to
encapsulate almost the whole of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
Forties has now given up some 92% of its recoverable reserves of oil,
generating more than #18bn in oil revenue for the UK.
Today's milestone is being marked in Aberdeen with a celebration meal
for dignitaries but it will be business as usual for the 600 men and
women working out in the field.
They and the other 600 Forties workers with whom they alternate will
each have a bottle of 20-year-old malt whisky delivered to their homes.
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