DRAMA ON OIL RIG

Press, 22 July 1976, Page 15

DRAMA ON OIL RIG

When Edward Drake sank the first oil-well at Titusville in 1859. nothing was known of prospecting methods or drilling techniques. A modest wooden structure supporting a vertical ram, a secondhand motor and a series of iron pipes constituted the entire equipment.

Today no well is sunk without a very detailed preliminary study of the bedrock. With millions of dollars at stake nothing is left to chance.- Wells can now be sunk to more than 20,000 ft and when the oil companies are paying for the use of the most efficient modern technical equipment they take par ticular care over the selection o* their engineering personnel.

A 8.8. C.-20th CenturyFox television co-produc-tion, “Oil Strike North" dramatises the events that take place on just one rig — situated in the North Sea. The location for the series could not be more topical for as the world's hunger for oil increases more and more money is being spent on off-shore exploratory drilling.

Produced by Gerard Glaister, the series highlights the private and personal conflicts of the men who fight the elements and each other in their quest for oil aboard the

mythical Nelson One rig. lhe series will begin on TV2 next Sunday night The action in the first few episodes centres around James Fraser (Nig I Davenport), operations manager for Triumph Oil, Ltd. As the series begins he is surrounded by problems, the biggest being the finding and recovery of oil from his present site before his company's drilling rights expire. The major stockholders are ready to >ell to another oil interest. As an expert in the field he knows that the site is “safe" but he is forced into promising the com pany an early return for their money. The more time and care given to the exploratory drilling the better, but the company wants results. Fraser employs Frank Ward (Michael Whitney), a top technician, to head the drilling team as troubleshooter, unaware that by interrupting his holiday in Mexico with his wife he will give him personal worries that might result in disaster for the f’g

Apart from financial an tagonism from his own company Fraser has to appeal for an extension of his drilling right to the British Government and also has to face local op-

postion in the form nf Angus Gallacher (Cal lum Mill), reporter toi the "Muirhead Gazette " There are fears that the local fishermen will be affected by the new mach inery and also that the roads in the area cannot cope with the Increased industrial traffic. These are very real issues in the North of Scotland at the present time and local inhabitants are also very concerned that the wealth that will undoubtedly come to the United Kingdom will not result in a major increase in their standard of living, but will leave them with an influx of foreign work era resulting in a price rise in housing and leisure facilities.