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Title: BERYL'S SAGA: The First Chapter

Reference number: 0693

Date: 1975

Sponsor: Mobil

Sound: sound

Original format: 16mm

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 17.00 mins

Description: The construction of 'Beryl A' oil rig platform at Arundel, Norway, and its installation in the North Sea.

Shotlist: [No credits] Aerial shots of Beryl A platform being towed out to sea from Stavanger in Norway in the early hours of July 4th, 1975 (0.59); Towing operation begins in earnest when platform reaches open sea (1.13); Title (1.18); Map of the North Sea with sector boundaries marked and some of the main gas and oil fields: Stratfjord, Hutton, South Viking, Leman and Beryl (2.37); Rig supply vessels in heavy seas (3.09); Doyle Maars?, Mobil North Sea Production Manager, and Jim Terry, Project Manager, talk about preparations necessary before oil extraction can begin at the Beryl field (4.16); Model of the Condeep platform (concrete deep water structure) which will be used. Jim Terry explains how the platform will be used with the aid of a wall chart (4.43); Shot of deck of model platform (4.50); Jim Terry continues his explanation (5.02); Animated diagram of platform (5.10); Shots of the construction of platform base at Stavanger and explanatory diagrams of same (6.42); Work on three deck support towers begins (7.05); Shot of utility shaft during construction (7.12); Model shows extent of equipment to be installed in shaft (7.26); Night shots of construction work (7.52); Shots of construction of platform deck at Arundel, Norway (7.57); Map shows how deck was towed to Stavanger to be linked with base (8.06); Shots of deck in construction (8.33); Shot of the detailed deck model utilised during construction (9.38); Aerial shots of deck being taken out of Arundel, straddling two converted oil tankers (10.03); Aerial shots of the waiting base (10.09); Diagram explains how the deck will be fitted to the support columns (10.20); Shots of now submerged base, columns projecting only a few metres above the sea. Shots of the approaching base. Operation to fix the two sections together begins (11.33); The two halves mated, the structure begins to rise from the sea (11.57); Shots of completed platform (12.10); Tug fleet assembles and towing operation then begins (12.43); Jim Terry and Doyle Mars? explain how the whole project was managed (13.36); Shots of the platform on oil field site (13.43); Drilling rigs are now assembled on platform deck (14.19); Shots of refinery at the mouth of the River Thames where Mobil's share of the oil from the Beryl field will be landed (14.31); Construction of drilling rigs continues on the platform (15.16); Shots of the crew's living quarters, kitchens, cabins, recreation room (15.46); Personnel arrive by helicopter (16.02); Shots of two more Cindeep platforms under construction in Norway (16.11); Beryl A is finally operational (16.34); Mobil (16.40)