Gallery: Life boats, offshore training and hyperbaric chambers – Aberdeen’s oil industry through the years
1978 - Examining a model of the Seaway Swan semi-submersible at Deemouth Centre, base of Seaway Diving (UK) Ltd.
3 February 1978
Examining a model of the m.v. Seaway Swan at Deemouth centre, Aberdeen, base of Seaway Diving (UK) Ltd. This semi-submersible was designed and built, say the company, to combat ever-increasing operation costs and inflation. Its year-round service capability is aimed at reducing the average 5-7-year discovery-to-production phase.
Since the discovery of the Forties Oil Field in the 1970s, Aberdeen and the oil industry have gone hand in hand, allowing the Granite City to make a name for itself as the oil capital of Europe.
The North Sea oil boom saw a burst of oil-related business that created countless jobs for people living in the north-east. In October 1971, Aberdeen and the surrounding area was home to around 56 oil-based firms – just two years later this had soared up to 217.
From life-saving rescue boats to state-of-the-art hyperbaric chambers – let’s take a look back at some photos of the Aberdeen oil industry from our archives.
Do you remember the oil boom in the 70s? Do you recognise any of the oil workers in these photos?
1977 – Offshore Europe organisers were faced with a weighty problem when presented with the task of positioning a six-tonne anchor in the exhibition hall.
1978 – The controls and gauges which operate the hyperbaric chamber in which dives are simulated at Comex Diving HQ at Bucksburn, Aberdeen.
1983 – Claymore’s safety officer Alan Wicks stands by one of the platform’s six lifeboats.
1980 – Managing director Michael Hey, second right, presents Frank Edwards with his certificate to mark 10 years with Comex Houlder Diving Ltd.
1962 – Sgt William Johnston of Aberdeen City Police, left, receives a photograph of the national trophy awarded in the interest of road safety for children from AA Henderson of Scottish Oils and Shell Mex Ltd.
1984 – After opening the RGIT Maritime Rescue Section base in Stonehaven, George Band, director general of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association, joins the lads in the inshore fast rescue craft.
1975 – A view of training underway at the Comex base in Aberdeen.
1986 – Energy Minister Alick Buchanan-Smith emerges from the new hyperbaric chamber at the Comex Houlder centre, accompanied by company chairman John Houlder, right.
1980 – Conoco North Sea’s simulator, duplicating two control rooms on an offshore production platform, comes into use for the training of North Sea oil workers.
1979 – A look into the Comex observation bell, showing submersible pilot engineer Mike Angove at the controls.
1987 – Energy Secretary Cecil Parkinson officially opened the new National Hyperbaric Centre in Aberdeen and viewed the latest technology.
1984 – One of the first visitors at the Kestrel Underwater Engineering open day at their premises at Albert Quay was Lord Provost Henry Rae, centre.
1994 – Sutec sales manager Bert Ohlsson is seen displaying the firm’s ROV with Stuart Parkes, left, project manager with Slingsby Engineering.
1978 – Examining a model of the Seaway Swan semi-submersible at Deemouth Centre, base of Seaway Diving (UK) Ltd.
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Gallery: Life boats, offshore training and hyperbaric chambers – Aberdeen’s oil industry through the years
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