WATCHING THE WORLD Wish list for industry

With David Knott from London At this time of year many European children write letters to Father Christmas containing wish lists of gifts they would like to receive. I am getting a little old for this now, so instead here is a wish list of things I would like to see the petroleum industry achieve in the near future. My first wish is for at least one huge oil discovery to be made somewhere in the North Sea. I would like it to be in deep water, although not too deep.

Dec. 18, 1995

3 min read

At this time of year many European children write letters to Father Christmas containing wish lists of gifts they would like to receive.

I am getting a little old for this now, so instead here is a wish list of things I would like to see the petroleum industry achieve in the near future.

My first wish is for at least one huge oil discovery to be made somewhere in the North Sea. I would like it to be in deep water, although not too deep.

The reason is that I would like at least one more giant platform to be built and installed here. It does not matter whether it is steel or concrete, as long as it involves innovative engineering on a grand scale.

While floaters, subsea developments, and extended reach wells are economically sound concepts, and good engineering practice, they simply do not inspire awe in the same way as say a Troll or Heidrun platform.

Call me sentimental, but as a journalist I prefer to write about ambitious projects rather than those that appeal to accountants. Also, I suspect press visits to subsea fields may prove a little too claustrophobic for comfort.

Green shoots

My second wish is that petroleum companies, which have almost universally spent the last few years cutting their operations to a minimum, should begin to think expansively againnot for the short term but for long term survival.

Despite my nostalgic yearning for large oil and gas projects, I accept that the future is small scale. And the more I speak to alternative energy gurus, the more I am convinced petroleum companies need to evolve into all around energy companies if they are to be here 50 years from now.

Gas fired electricity generation, wind and wave power, biomass, and a whole host of other alternative energy ideasall ambitious and many needing big company research and developmentare gaining in credibility.

Oil is going to run out one day, but increasing public acceptance of the views of environmental pressure groups may lead to its exploitation being curtailed by legislation long before the reservoirs are dry.

If I was an oil company director, I would set up a team to study alternative energy sources seriously and would seriously think about including expansion into green energy in my long term corporate strategy.

Spar suggestion

My third wish is for the derelict Brent spar loading buoy to be put to good use, if possible. I know the owner, Shell U.K. Exploration & Production, has had many proposals for what to do with it. Here is mine:

If the Brent spar were to be used as a floating prison, in which to detain Nigerias military dictators, several of Shells current problems would be solved at once.

Brent spar would thus be recycled, and the usage would get most of Shells detractors off the companys back. And a new Nigerian government might actually enable the liquefied natural gas project to go ahead.

In a spirit of seasonal forgiveness I would suggest mooring the spar in shark infested waters until Gen. Abacha and his colleagues grasp the unfamiliar concepts of democracy and of not killing political opponents.

Of course, even with such a cargo of contaminants, I have a feeling that many groups, previously opposed to deep sea disposal of offshore installations, might be tempted to allow just one dumping without protest.