1. 1974
Norway office is opened
BP has had a presence in Norway
for almost a century, establishing a
downstream business in 1920. However,
it wasn’t until 1974 that it opened up an
exploration office in the coastal town of
Stavanger and bought a share of what
was to become the Ula field. BP quickly
made a number of discoveries,
including the Valhall and Gyda fields.
1975
First North Sea oil
comes ashore
First oil from the Forties field
flowed through BP’s newly
built Forties Pipeline System
(FPS) on 3 November 1975.
Queen Elizabeth II officially
began production by pushing
a symbolic gold-plated button
in BP’s control centre in
Aberdeen; Harold Wilson,
the Prime Minister, was there
too. Forties would go on to
supply one fifth of the UK’s oil
demand at its peak.
1975
Four discoveries in one year
By mid-1970, BP’s exploration team was
enjoying significant success in the UK
Continental Shelf. In one year alone, the
company discovered the Rhum, Andrew,
Magnus and Clair fields and the promise
of millions of barrels. With the exception
of Magnus, it would be decades until the
company could overcome technical
challenges to develop them.
1979 The first
commercial
mobile telephone
goes on sale
1978
First oil reaches the Sullom
Voe terminal
To enable oil production from the east of the
Shetland Islands, BP constructed the 1,000 acre
Sullom Voe terminal. For almost 40 years, the
terminal has processed oil and gas from more
than 30 surrounding fields. At peak, the terminal
processed up to 1.5 million barrels of crude per day.
1970
The first UK giant oilfield
In October, BP discovered what would become
one of the jewels in its crown: the Forties
field, 180 kilometres east of Aberdeen. BP’s
engineers immediately set to work building
a series of connecting pipelines, as well as
terminal facilities to transport, process, and
store this energy resource. The pipeline was the
largest deepwater pipeline ever constructed.
1979 Sony Walkman
goes on sale
1979 Margaret
Thatcher becomes
first female Prime
Minister of Great
Britain
Queen Elizabeth II
inaugurates the
Forties field, 1975
Sea Conquest drill rig with
supply vessel alongside
Cecil Parkinson,
former Energy
Minister, visits the
North Sea, 1979
1971
The video arcade
game is invented
Prince Philip visits Nigg Bay
and views North Sea platform
fabrication, 1974
Welders at work
on the subsea
pipeline from
Forties field to
Cruden Bay,
1974
Forties
First employees in
Norway office
1975
Microsoft
is founded