06 2011 REVIEW 12 COOPER RIVER Making safety Investing for ...€¦ · Cover story 52 Tech talkBP’s head of technology, David Eyton, explains why ... NGLs across Canada and in the

BPMAGAZINETHE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE OF THE BP GROUP ISSUE 1 2012

06 2011 REVIEWBP’s results and strategy in focus

12 COOPER RIVERMaking safetyprocesses personal

36 NORTH SEAInvesting for the future

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LOOKING TOTHE FUTUREBP Magazine talks to the company’s head of technology tofind out how techniques such as enhanced oil recovery arehelping to tackle the energy challenges of the future.

52 SPOTLIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

BP MAGAZINEThe international magazine of the BP Group – ISSUE 1 2012

BP Magazine is published quarterly for external readers around theworld, as well as past and present BP employees. Its content does notnecessarily reflect official company views.

The copyright for photographs and illustrations in BP Magazine is notalways owned by BP. Please contact BP Photographic Services for details.

managing editorDavid [email protected]

editorLisa [email protected]

distributionCarolyn Copland+44 (0) 20 7496 4340

designPhil Steed – Steed [email protected]

print managementWilliams Lea

image contributorsBP ImageshopAction ImagesGetty ImagesHeart AgencyDebut Art

Welcome. At the heart of any successfulbusiness you’ll find dedicated people working asone team towards the same goal. This is certainlytrue at BP’s Cooper River plant in the US, where aclear vision and a simple approach to safety andrisk management has turned the petrochemicalsfacility into a role model for the rest of thecompany. On page 12, we visit the site to talk toplant manager Mark Fitts and some of his teamabout the importance of personal responsibilitywhen it comes to keeping each other safe. Andthere are plenty of other examples of teamworkelsewhere in the magazine. On page 60, we findout about a new network that brings surfacescientists from different disciplines together totackle similar challenges, and on page 22, humanresources director Helmut Schuster talks aboutwhy BP’s recruitment strategy is moving from a‘buy’ to ‘build’ model, with a focus on long-terminvestment in people’s capabilities. We also visitthe North Sea (page 36), to find out how newinvestment is set to bring growth and value to BP and the region, and on page 6 we review the2011 financial results, and take a look at thecompany’s strategy for the next two years.Lisa Davison> Editor

contents / issue 1 2012

© BP p.l.c., 2012

+ Features

06 In numbers A review of BP’s financial results from 2011 and anoutline of its strategic plans for the future. By David VigarPhotography by Jon Challicom

12 Role model How the team at BP’s petrochemicals plant atCooper River in the US is taking a personal approach to safety andrisk management standards. By Amanda BreenPhotography by Joshua Drake & Marc Morrison

22 People person BP’s director of human resources, HelmutSchuster, talks about increasing recruitment levels and setting rewardfor the long term. By Lisa Davison Photography by Graham Trott & BP Imageshop

30 New talent The development programmes that are helpingnew starters get to grips with their BP careers. By Hester ThomasPhotography by Mehmet Binay & Graham Trott

36 New investment Four decades after the Forties field was firstdiscovered, the North Sea is still proving to be a valuable asset. By Helen Campbell Photography by Stuart Conway & Richard Davies

46 Best practice How BP is using a set of environmental andsocial practices to help identify the potential impacts of new projects.By Nick Reed Photography by Mehmet Binay & Aaron Tait

Cover story

52 Tech talk BP’s head of technology, David Eyton, explains whyit’s important that technology informs strategy and vice versa. By Lisa Davison Photography by Marc Morrison & BP Imageshop

60 Linked in The new BP network that is helping surface scientistsfrom different parts of the company get together to solve similarchallenges. By Martin Thomas Illustration by Brett Ryder

66 Recipe for success Paralympian athlete Stef Reid talks aboutpreparing for London 2012. By Amanda BreenPhotography by Action Images & Getty Images

+ Regulars

04 For the record A snapshot of BP news and statistics fromaround the world.

28 Viewpoint An infographic highlighting the role BP plays in theUS economy. Illustration by Infomen

44 Viewpoint BP donates seismic data to US universities forfurther research. Imagery by Fledermaus

58 Viewpoint An infographic highlighting some of BP’s projectionsof long-term energy trends. Illustration by Myles Talbot

65 BP Faces The British Kestrel’s chief cook serves up an Indianfeast. Photography by Richard Davies

72 Viewpoint Forty new BP recruits get the chance to spend thesummer working with the London 2012 Organising Committee.Photography by Stuart Conway

74 Archive The early days of the North Sea business. Photographyby the BP Archive

78 Parting Shot Onboard the Byford Dolphin drilling rig in theNorth Sea. Photography by Stuart Conway

Cover image: BP’s upstream laboratories at its InternationalCentre for Business and Technology, Sunbury, UK. Technicianstudies enhanced oil recovery technology under a microscope.Photograph by Simon Kreitem

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48 Hands-on approachBP Magazine visits the CooperRiver facility to find out how it became a role model withinthe company in safety and risk management.

30

Russia

Brazil

Singapore

Canada

Australia

Angola

Panama

For the recordHighlights from around the globe > Spring 2012

the quarter in numbers

3The number of years thatAustralian cricket captainMichael Clarke has agreedto work with BP to helpeducate drivers about BPUltimate premium fuel.

5The number of years on Air BP’s new supplycontract with the world’slargest commercial airline – United Airlines.

12The number of companieswho have formed analliance to accelerate thepace of environmentalperformance in producingCanada’s oil sands.

45The number of days ittook BP’s new floatingproduction, storage andoffloading vessel to travelfrom Singapore to its newhome, offshore Angola inBlock 31.

BP has reached a settlementwith the Plaintiffs’ SteeringCommittee (PSC), subject tofinal written agreement, toresolve the substantialmajority of legitimateeconomic loss and medicalclaims stemming from theDeepwater Horizonaccident and oil spill.

The PSC acts on behalf ofindividual and businessplaintiffs in the Multi-District Litigation (MDL)proceedings pending inNew Orleans (MDL 2179).BP estimates that the cost ofthe proposed settlement,expected to be paid fromthe $20-billion Trust, would

US: GoM settlement

04 Issue 1 2012 BP MAGAZINE

be approximately $7.8billion. This includes a BPcommitment of $2.3 billionto help resolve economicloss claims related to theGulf seafood industry. Priorto the proposed settlement,BP had spent more than $22billion towards meeting itscommitments in the Gulf.

Heading out: Vessels ofOpportunity leave port in Louisiana, July 2010.

BP MAGAZINE Issue 1 2012 05

Global Dividend riseBP has raised its quarterlydividend by 14% – to eightcents a share in the fourthquarter of 2011. It is the firstrise since the companyresumed paying thedividend at the end of 2010.BP group chief executiveBob Dudley (above centre)said that returningoperational momentumand strong cash flowgeneration in 2011 gave the company increasingconfidence in its plans togrow value for shareholders.

RussiaRefining efficiency A $14.6-millioninternational consortiumto make oil refining inRussia more efficient andenvironmentallysustainable has been giventhe green light. TheSkolkovo Foundation hasgiven official approval forthe establishment of acentre of applied researchon energy efficient heatexchange and catalysis(Project UNIHEAT),involving Imperial CollegeLondon, the BoreskovInstitute of Catalysis and BP.The project will focus on

increasing energyefficiency and reducingheat loss in oil refining byup to 15% by improvingrefining operations,enhancing oil productionprocesses, and reducingCO2 emissions.

BrazilDeepwater expansion The Brazilian NationalPetroleum Agency (ANP)has approved BP’s ‘farm-in’to four deepwaterexploration and productionconcessions operated byPetrobras, located in theBrazilian equatorial margin.BP is taking a 40% interestin each of the blocks,located in the Barreirinhasand Ceará basins. Together,the blocks cover a total areaof 2,113 square kilometres(815 square miles).

Global Board changesProfessor Dame AnnDowling (below) has joinedthe BP board as a non-executive director. She isthe head of the departmentof engineering at theUniversity of Cambridge,where she is professor ofmechanical engineering.Meanwhile, Sir William

Castell has decided not tostand for re-election at the2012 annual generalmeeting, after six years onthe board.

PanamaOil shipmentsBP has begun shippingcrude oil bound for the US west coast viaPetroterminal de Panama’s(PTP) trans-Panamapipeline, marking the start of a seven-yeartransportation and storageagreement between thetwo companies. Under theterms of the agreement, BPhas leased a total of 5.4 million barrels of PTP’sstorage located on theCaribbean and Pacificcoasts of Panama andcommitted to east-to-westcrude oil shipmentsaveraging 100,000 barrelsper day through the trans-Panama pipeline.

Canada NGLs saleBP has agreed to sell itsCanadian natural gasliquids (NGL) business toPlains Midstream CanadaULC for a total of $1.67billion in cash. BP’sCanadian NGLs businessowns, operates and hascontractual rights to assetsinvolved in the extraction,gathering, fractionation,storage, distribution andwholesale marketing ofNGLs across Canada and inthe Midwest US. Subject tothe satisfaction of othercustomary closingconditions, the acquisitionis anticipated to close inthe second quarter of 2012.

GlobalLPG saleBP is to sell its liquefiedpetroleum gas (LPG) bottlesand tank-filling operationsin Portugal, UK, Austria,Poland, Netherlands,Belgium, Turkey, China andSouth Africa, as well as itsnon-refinery-integratedwholesale business. Alsoincluded in the sale are LPGstorage terminals, bottle-filling plants, customerlists, operating licences and logistics assets. BP is,however, keeping its autogas business.


➔ strategy + results

Year end> Behind the numbers

In numbers: BP’s chief financialofficer Brian Gilvary, takes to theplatform in February 2012 tooutline BP’s fourth-quarter andyear-end results to investors.


Report> David VigarPhotography> Jon Challicom

For BP, 2011 was a year of recovery,consolidation and change, in which thecompany set up a new safety andoperational risk organisation, introducednew global standards and saw productionstart to rise again after a large number ofmaintenance turnarounds. With thesechanges in place, last October Bob Dudleyset out a 10-point plan to grow shareholdervalue; and in February 2012, Dudley andhis management team met with theinvestment community to provide detailsof how the company intends to implementthe plan, by playing to its strengths.

RESULTSIN FOCUS

Strategy and results> Year end


Large, internationaloil companies, such as BP, ExxonMobil,Shell, Chevron, Total and ConocoPhillips,are often described as ‘supermajors’. Theterm dates back to the mega-mergers of thelate 1990s and denotes firms that havegrown to a massive scale. Their globaloperations stretch from finding oil and gasdeep beneath oceans and deserts, to sellinghydrocarbon products to consumersaround the world.

The conventional wisdom has been thatsuch companies are, by definition,integrated enterprises – operating in everypart of the supply chain – working oilfieldsfrom discovery to depletion, runningrefining and marketing operations acrossmajor consumer markets and working inall areas of the downstream, from gasolineand diesel to the full suite of lubricants andchemicals derived from hydrocarbons.

Today, however, as the energy industrybecomes more complex and competitive,many companies are beginning to vary themodel. ConocoPhillips, for example, haschosen to operate its upstream anddownstream as two separate, standalonebusinesses. In BP’s case, the question hasbeen how to create long-term value in away that builds on and complements arigorous and continually improvingapproach to risk management.

The answer for BP’s group chiefexecutive, Bob Dudley, lies in doing whatBP does best – and, therefore, not trying todo everything. In a speech in Oslo thisFebruary, he said: “A supermajor can’t besuper at everything,” before highlightingthe areas in which he believes BP has builtdistinctive skills and technology –exploration, deepwater activity, giant fields, gas value chains, a world-class

downstream business, technology andrelationships.

The plan is that by investing in theseareas, where it has most competitiveadvantage, and divesting businesses thatare less competitive, or less well-positioned, BP will focus its dollars on theassets that create the most value.

So, for example, BP is increasing itsspending on exploration, and focusing onupstream projects that have high cashmargins – the net cash provided byoperations divided by the number ofbarrels produced.

In the US, where demand for gasolineand diesel is declining, it is investing inrefineries at Whiting, Cherry Point andToledo, which can process many differenttypes of crude oil and are well placed toserve large consumer markets. Meanwhile,it is divesting the Texas City and Carson


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refineries, which are less strategicallypositioned and well configured.

It’s increasing the proportion ofpremium lubricants it sells, but selling offpart of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)business, including bottling and tankfilling. BP has also divested a number ofmature oilfields, which it believes othercompanies are better placed to operate, aswell as smaller upstream businesses, suchas those in Vietnam and Pakistan.

One of the biggest changes of emphasisis that BP is asking investors to measure itsprogress by how much operating cash itgenerates rather than simply how much oilit produces. The logic is that long-termvalue depends not only on volume, but onthe margins derived from each barrel –quality as well as quantity.

Outlining the strategy to investors inFebruary 2012, Dudley said: “Our period of

“Our period of consolidation is over. Now,it’s time to deliver investment, growthand value – achieved by playing to ourstrengths. That means making choices.”Bob Dudley

Executive team: members of BP’s executivemanagement team at a presentation toinvestors to unveil BP’s financial resultsand provide details on the company’sstrategy. Top, Andy Hopwood, upstreamexecutive vice president for strategy andintegration, discusses BP’s pipeline of long-term projects.

2011 – ‘SOLID’ RESULTS

BP described 2011 as a ‘year ofconsolidation’ with a major emphasison safety and a large number ofmaintenance ‘turnarounds’.Nonetheless, the company turned inwhat Dudley called a ‘solid’ set ofresults, with profits rising 6%.Highlights include:

● $21.7 billion of underlying replacementcost profit compared with $20.5 billionin 2010.

● BP’s first dividend increase in a year – a14% increase to 8 cents per share forthe fourth quarter of 2011.

● A turning point in October, whenproduction began to rise again aftermaintenance turnarounds – productionwas 170,000 barrels a day higher in thefourth quarter than the third.

● Average production for the year was3.45 million barrels a day, ahead of theexpected 3.4 million.

● The highest-ever earnings for BP’srefining and marketing business, withunderlying replacement cost profit for2011, before interest and tax of $6 billion – a 23% increase on 2010.

● Continuing to meet commitments inthe Gulf of Mexico region – by the endof 2011, more than $7.8 billion hadbeen paid to meet claims andgovernment payments.

2012 – ‘A YEAR OF MILESTONES’

In 2012, BP expects to pass severalmilestones as it implements its 10-point plan. These include increasesin exploration, new projects andcapital investment:

● High margin production backonstream, following turnarounds inAngola, the North Sea and elsewhere.

● Drilling 12 exploration wells, doublethe 2011 total.

● Starting up six major upstreamprojects.

● Operating with eight rigs in the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the year.

● Increasing organic capital investmentto around $22 billion.

● $2 billion of financial performanceimprovement in refining andmarketing since 2009.

● Completing payments into theDeepwater Horizon oil spill trust.

2013-2014 – FINANCIALMOMENTUM

In 2013 and 2014, as investmentcontinues, BP expects to see greaterfinancial momentum. Maindevelopments are planned to include:

● Increasing exploration activity – up to 25 exploration wells per year.

● A further nine major upstream projects– making 15 between 2012 and 2014.

● Unit operating cash margins from newupstream projects in 2014 expected tobe double the 2011 average (assuminga constant $100 per barrel oil price andexcluding TNK-BP).

● Whiting refinery upgrade expected onstream in second half of 2013.

● Completion of $38 billion divestmentprogramme by the end of 2013.

● High value, focused portfolio that playsto BP’s strengths.

● Around 50% more annual operatingcash flow by 2014 compared with 2011.*

● BP expects to use around half of thisextra cash for increased investmentand around half for other purposes,including increased distributions toshareholders.

YEAR BY YEAR – HOW THE PLAN IS UNFOLDING

“Our vision is to build an ever-stronger portfolio,upstream and downstream, generating sufficientcash, both to invest in our pipeline and rewardthose who invest in us as the circumstances ofthe firm improve.”Bob Dudley



consolidation is over. Now, it’s time todeliver investment, growth and value –achieved by playing to our strengths. Thatmeans making choices. We are choosingvalue over volume – measured in cash flownot barrels. We are choosing strategicassets over non-core ones. We’re investingmore in the front-end of exploration, anddivesting mature assets that others canderive more value from. So, we arechoosing not to try to be the biggest – butover time, to aspire to be the best: a safer,stronger and simpler BP.”

All of this is encapsulated in BP’s 10-point plan, in which point one is a‘relentless focus on safety and riskmanagement’ and point two is ‘playing toBP’s strengths’. The plan also outlines BP’sintentions to strengthen its portfoliothrough ‘active portfolio management’ –acquisitions and divestments; making thebusiness simpler through standardisation;and providing investors with more detailon individual businesses.

Measures of progress include bringinghigher margin operations onstream andmaintaining a strong balance sheet. Theexpectation for operating cash flow is togenerate around 50% more annualoperating cash flow by 2014, comparedwith 2011.* The extra cash will be sharedaround equally between investment in thecompany’s pipeline of growth projects andother purposes, including dividends toshareholders.

Dudley told investors: “Our vision is tobuild an ever-stronger portfolio, upstreamand downstream, generating sufficientcash, both to invest in our pipeline andreward those who invest in us as thecircumstances of the firm improve.” ■

Leading the way: BP’s groupchief executive, Bob Dudley,opens a session withinvestors to present thecompany’s financial resultsand discuss plans for thenext two years.

Strategy and results> Year end

*This is based on certain assumptions, including an oilprice of $100 per barrel. Full statement of assumptionsavailable at www.bp.com/strategypresentation4Q2011


➔ refining + marketing US> Petrochemicals

COOPER RIVERA chemical plant in South Carolina has become a role model within BP forthe way it has made safety and risk management relevant and real for thefrontline. BP Magazine visited the Cooper River facility to find out how asimple, personal approach to implementing a global set of standards andpractices has inspired a workforce.

Site inspection: Cooper Riveroperations personnel carryout a visual survey of a vesselat the facility.

MAKING IT PERSONAL


Report> Amanda BreenPhotography> Joshua Drake / Marc Morrison


Looking around the chemical plant, whichproduces up to 1.3 billion kilograms (2.8 billion pounds) of purified terephthalicacid (PTA) each year, observant visitors willspot some unexpected details.

Bright labels on pumps in the threeoperating units bear individuals’ names,declaring who is responsible formonitoring the good condition of thatequipment. With the plant manager’sname on one as well, the standard is setfrom the top.

Elsewhere, neatly-painted pipes arecolour-coded to signify the materials heldwithin and orderly tool sheds hold thenecessary instruments for the plant’soperating technicians to carry out minorrepairs. By paying close attention tokeeping a tidy ‘house’, the team at CooperRiver believes it is easier to identify andmanage risk in the plant where potentially

The concept of ‘good housekeeping’ might conjure up an imageof a well-kept home in suburbia. The world of industrialmanufacturing, often depicted as a grimy, faceless process, is lesslikely to spring to mind. But for BP’s Cooper River plant in SouthCarolina, US, good housekeeping is an approach that lies at theheart of safe and systematic operations.

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AREAENLARGED

ATLANTICOCEAN

Orangeburg

Spartanburg

Florence

Greenville

Anderson

Georgetown

Charleston

Columbia

SOUTHCAROLINA

LakeMoultrie

LakeMatthews

GEORGIA

NORTHCAROLINA

kmkm 1001005050

Cooper Riverfacility

hazardous chemicals, such as acetic acid,are processed at high temperatures andunder pressure.

“Upholding a high standard ofhousekeeping means a better detection ofpotential defects,” says plant manager MarkFitts, who has spent his entire career atCooper River, working his way up frommechanical engineer to today’s leadershiprole. “If manufacturing operations lookmessy with soiled equipment, people getdiscouraged; they stop seeing potentialrisks and the abnormal becomes normal.”

It is, after all, people who hold theplant’s safety, and consequent success, intheir hands. Although industrial processesmay seem impersonal, it’s clear thatputting the emphasis on people power iswhat works at Cooper River, located within30 kilometres (20 miles) of Charleston andone of the three US sites in BP’spetrochemicals portfolio.

Taking its name from the waterway onwhich it sits, Cooper River made its firstshipment of PTA in 1978. But the site hasanother definition for the acronym PTAthat has nothing to do with the white,crystallised powder that emerges, warm, asthe finished product from the maze ofpipes and reactors. It also stands for PeopleTaking Action. The slogan greets visitorsbefore they even reach the security gates,displayed on the forest-lined roadside, nextto an announcement on this month’s safetyfocus. However, signs at an entrance meannothing if they’re not supported by what’shappening behind the scenes.

Inside the gates, you don’t have to lookfar before you spot an object or a surfacewith somebody’s name or photograph on it.Names and faces of staff and their familiesappear on posters stuck to office doors, as areminder of why people are working safely.For those who have notched up 30 years ofemployment at the former Amoco site,their names are engraved in bricks formingthe steps up to the main entrance.

These roll-calls create a sense ofcommunity, highlighting that everyone


Petrochemicals> Cooper River

Close eye: maintenancecoordinator Moses Frostinspects Cooper River’seye wash system.

There is an array of naturalspecimens – from lifelessskeletons to moving snakes

– inside a white-washed woodenbuilding, within Cooper River’s10-acre recreation area. This is theplant’s teaching centre, a blend ofmini-natural history museumwith small-scale reptile house.

BP’s land management andsecurity specialist, James ‘Ernie’Nelson, points out a red ratsnake,native to South Carolina, inside aglass tank. The centre, he explains,has become a sanctuary for a fewformer pets, when locals need tofind them a new home.

They now form part of aneducation programme, as localschools, scout groups and collegestudents visit for experience of anoutdoor laboratory. There is plentyto see: set on the grounds of twoformer plantations, the 6,000-acreCooper River site consists ofupland habitat, marsh andwetland, close to the FrancisMarion National Forest.

With 500 acres set aside for theoperating site, the whole area iscarefully managed to preserve itsnatural resources. Looking afterthe expanse of pine trees andwaterways requires dedicated staff,whose efforts are split betweenforest and wildlife management.

Tasks include monitoring nestboxes, as part of a number of avianhabitat programmes; maintainingroads, fences and drainage; andundertaking prescribed burns tocreate fire breaks and stimulategrowth of native plants.

Nelson, who also runs thecommunity outreach andenvironmental educationactivities, says: “Our main focus ison the health of the forest and thewildlife within it, followed byrecreational activities. We haveremains of kilns here since brickmanufacturing took place on thesite in the 1800s; this is a greatplace to have another industry

today and it’s our responsibility tomanage the area for the future.”

Certified since 1990 by the USnon-profit organisation WildlifeHabitat Council as part of itsWildlife at Work programme,Cooper River was among threerunners-up for the council’scorporate habitat of the yearaward in 2011.

While the land remainsprivate property, the plant joinedthe council’s Corporate Lands forLearning programme in 1993, asone of seven pilot sites. Today,through scheduled visits, itcontinues to host children fromthe local school in Cainhoy, aswell as Master’s students from the College of Charleston’senvironmental studiesprogramme on field trips todevelop research methods andpractise resource management.

“Through our employees’ linksin the area, we also offer scoutgroups the opportunity to comehere to pursue merit badge workand Eagle scouts have completedprojects, such as building tablesand benches for visitors, as well asa deck for the teaching centre,”says Nelson, who joined theCooper River team in 1980,originally as a maintenancemechanic.

“Last year, we established anemployee biodiversity team, with15 people who now help tocoordinate activities in their areaof interest. There are options forfishing, hiking, kayaking,overnight camping and it’s greatto share that with the localcommunity.”

The plant also supports thelocal area through funding ofmaths, science and technologyprogrammes in schools, whileemployees volunteer as mentorsand teach in Junior Achievementsessions, a nationwide programmethat helps to prepare youngpeople for the workplace.

COOPER RIVER: MORE THANMANUFACTURING


Fine specimens: the Cooper Riverteaching centre is located in asmall wooden building within theplant’s 10-acre recreation area. Thecentre houses an array of naturalspecimens, both live and skeletal.




WHAT IS PTA?Purified terephthalic acid is the key rawmaterial for the manufacture ofpolyester fibre, resin and film. It is usedto produce polyethylene terephtalate(PET), one of the most versatile man-made products found in everydaymaterials, such as plastic bottles, hometextiles, clothing and photographic film.

A by-product of crude oil, paraxyleneis the raw material for PTA; shipped fromBP’s Texas City refinery by two double-hulled ocean barges, the first step in itsconversion to PTA takes place in theoxidation unit. Air reacts withparaxylene under high temperatures andpressures, in the presence of acetic acidand a catalyst, to produce a terephthalicacid that is cooled into crystal form.

Then comes purification, when theterephthalic acid is cleaned up, removingthe acetic acid and other impurities, toresult in the pure product required bycustomers. Onsite laboratories analyzeproduct quality, while utilities such assteam, power and water are captured andreused in the production cycle.

Once ready for shipment, one-tonnebags of PTA are either transporteddomestically by rail from the site, ordelivered to the nearby port ofCharleston by vessel for onwardinternational export.

has a part to play, whether they are on thefrontline of operations, in the laboratory orin the office building. “What good lookslike for Cooper River is, first and foremost,having engaged and involved people whoare doing, what I call, ‘the basics’ in anexcellent way,” says Fitts.

Those ‘basics’ are the fundamentals ofoperations that the plant has identified asthe most critical process safety andoperational skills required to deliver BP’soperating management system (OMS),which sets out common global standards,principles and practices in the four areas ofplant, people, performance and processes.Of 200 BP staff onsite, some 110 arefrontline operators and technicians.Defining priority skills, such ashousekeeping, shift handover andemergency drills, has been the way to bringOMS to life for the teams and individualsworking in, and supporting, the frontline.

But these critical safety and operationalskills – which encompass the commoncauses of catastrophic industrial failures –are not just for operators to focus theirattention on; according to Fitts, they toucheveryone onsite. “Each person can connect

Core product: Cooper River isone of the world’s largestproducers of purifiedterephthalic acid (PTA), achemical feedstock used tomake polyester products.

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» with many of our fundamentals and is ableto recognise their piece in the whole –whether that comes under developingeffective training and procedures ormaintaining the safe design and permitlimits of plant equipment, what we call theoperating envelopes.

“Our office administrators play asignificant role in supporting OMS and thefundamentals, through maintaining writtenprocedures, supporting training and thecore systems in our systematic processes.They are extremely valuable to the qualityand integrity of these systems and they cansee where they fit in to what we’re doing.People can be very innovative when theycan plug into a vision and that’s when youcan achieve extraordinary things.”

By involving staff and contractors atevery level, from every corner and shift onthe plant, with a vision of excellence inmanufacturing and safety, the results aretangible. Cooper River has a strong recordin safety and compliance; the site had noreportable process safety events in 2011. Italso has a clean record on environmentalperformance, with no permit excursionslast year, and in personal safety, the plant


“What good looks like for Cooper River is,first and foremost, having engaged andinvolved people who are doing, what I call,‘the basics’ in an excellent way.”Mark Fitts

Family affair: Norva Myles (right)holds a poster featuring photographsof her grandchildren. Below, IrwinLewis checks and maintains a pumpthat bears his name. Both theposters and the name tags are partof the site’s efforts to make safety apersonal responsibility.



has passed the four million hoursmilestone without a case requiring a dayaway from work.

Spreading a clear, consistent safetymessage through individuals talking to oneanother and regular training is makingsuch achievements possible. Every threemonths, all staff attend a full day’s safetyworkshop to focus on the fundamentalsand core technical skills. “We haveoperations and maintenance teams in thesame room together for training so theycan talk about what works for them.

“Each person takes a day off from theirshift to train – and we don’t consider ourengineering or support staff to be anydifferent, so they come along too,” says Fitts,who teaches some sessions himself due tohis technical background. “It’s a tremendousbenefit as it gives me the opportunity tospeak to every member of the team toreinforce our vision and strategy.”

Training on a three-monthly basiswould not, in itself, be enough tokeep safety and systematic

operating at the forefront of people’sminds. That’s why the plant has anindividual in every team, 35 in total, whoholds monthly conversations with theirpeers about that month’s safety topic.These HSSE champions pass on themessages face-to-face, avoiding the use ofemail when not everyone has or needs acomputer for their job.

“Our champions are ourcommunicators, that’s the best name I cangive to them,” says Norva Myles, behavioursafety specialist, who coordinates CooperRiver’s employee safety team. “The themeof the month might be personal protectiveequipment, or hazard communication, andthe champions go out to their groups tohave that discussion, then bring back anyquestions or feedback every two weeks.

“We also go out into the plant for anaudit every month, that’s how we know ifeveryone gets it. By making this a personalprocess, face-to-face, people feel like theyhave a part to play and it gives them anopportunity to share their experienceswith one another.”

Speaking up about what’s working –and what’s not – does not always come assecond nature, though. That’s whyeveryone, including contractors, is requiredto attend an ‘intervention training’programme to help them speak up and stepin if they notice anything of concern. Itsounds rather dramatic to an outsider, butit’s aimed at making people feelcomfortable to speak what’s on their mind.

“This is about teaching that ‘it’s the waywe do things because we care’,” says Myles.“There’s a way to say things, so anotherperson receives it and doesn’t feel harassed.In role play scenarios, we make it clear thatour mantra should be ‘it’s okay for you tostop me if something isn’t right, and I cando the same for you’.”

The plant’s Good Find card programme,introduced in 2005, gives employees theopportunity to put this ‘speak-up’philosophy into action. It is a toolencouraging colleagues to record any safetyissues observed around the site. Staff then

fill out the card – either by hand or online –and detail the actions they have taken.

There is an incentive behind theinitiative, as the employee safety teammonitors the issues raised and picks the‘best’ entries each month. Individuals arepresented with gift certificates, whileteams where all members participate bysubmitting at least one card in a month areinvited to lunch with the plant manager. Inthe meantime, the cards’ details are enteredinto a database to share across the plantand identify any emerging trends.

In the production units, safety messagesare reiterated on a daily basis. Process safetymanagement coordinator Irwin Lewis isamong the team who compiles, researchesand conducts training around the criticalsafety and operational skills in unit 2. “We’regetting a lot of positive feedback as the guysare seeing the results of their efforts,” says theformer technician, who has 29 years’experience at the plant.

“As an example, we run tag oremergency drills on Fridays, where wesimulate an abnormal event, such as loss ofpower. I feel passionate about these drillsbecause I know how much they can help toprepare people to respond.”

When operators feel a sense ofownership for certain areas of the plant,

“By making this a personalprocess, face-to-face,people feel like they have a part to play and it givesthem an opportunity toshare their experienceswith one another.”Norva Myles



such as the pumps that bear their names,that brings a sense of responsibility, too,according to Lewis. “It works really wellbecause everyone has a degree of pride andnobody wants their area to look poor incomparison to others. It also translates intoleadership and everybody here can displaysome degree of ownership andresponsibility for their equipment.”

Developing leadership skills, at alllevels of Cooper River, is high onthe plant manager’s agenda. The 20

members of the site’s extended leadershipteam are taking part in monthlyworkshops to hone their skills, based onthe Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s(MIT) Leadership Framework. Later in2012, the same training will be offeredacross the site to all leaders.

Sessions focus on everything from ‘sensemaking’ – how leaders translate a complexidea into straight-forward terms thateveryone can understand – to ‘emotionalintelligence’ – the attributes such as self-awareness, motivation and empathy thatwill separate an ordinary leader from anextraordinary one.

“The importance of simplifying thingshas been proven again and again,” Fittssays. “If a system or process is complicated,

Towering example: from left, Cooper River’s dehydration tower; BPoperators discuss safety amid a ‘cleanhouse’; tidal wetlands border theCooper River facility; and employeeswho have worked at the site for morethan 30 years have their namesetched into the bricks that make upthe steps to the front entrance.

people can’t see where they fit in. Once theorganisation understands the vision,there’s a path to follow and it’s vital to hearwhat people think when making changesto the way they work. As leaders, wesometimes forget that other people dothese jobs, so let’s find out what theirroadblocks are and have them tell us whatneeds to be fixed.”

The ‘vision’ for Cooper River and its teamis clear: to become a Centre of Excellence formanufacturing and safety. They are alsosharing their methods across the company,through BP’s Operations Academy at MITand the Managing Operations programme.There, other site leaders from the refiningand marketing segment, as well as upstreamdivisions, learn about successful practices atCooper River that they could apply to theirown businesses.

As for the South Carolinapetrochemicals manufacturer, althoughprocess details and audit methods may berefined, the big picture remains consistent.“The causes of major industrial accidentsdo not change, only new evidence is addedon how they occur and how to preventthem,” Fitts concludes. “So, we stay thecourse, identifying any gaps and applyingcontinuous improvement, but our messageand strategy remain the same.” ■


PEOPLEPOWERAs BP announces increases in its graduateintake for 2012, the company’s humanresources director, Helmut Schuster, talksto BP Magazine about building a career inBP and why it’s important that thecompany’s reward system reflects the long-term nature of the business.

Diverse workforce: BP hasstaff working all over theworld and in a range ofbusinesses. From top,biofuels in the US;petrochemicals at Hull, UK;onboard the British Ruby; afirefighter onboard theAtlantis platform in the Gulfof Mexico, US; and at BP’soffices in Muscat, Oman.Main image, offshore Angola.

Clear vision: HelmutSchuster was appointed BP’sgroup human resourcesdirector in January 2011.


Interview> Lisa Davison Photography> Graham Trott / BP Imageshop

➔ people


“As a company, we had been heavilyrelying on hiring from the externaljob market, much more than any ofour competitors.”Helmut Schuster

People> Recruitment and reward


In February 2012, BP announced that itplans to increase its annual UK graduaterecruitment by 50%, to almost 250graduates. It’s all part of what HelmutSchuster, BP’s group human resources (HR)director, describes as moving from a ‘buy’to a ‘build’ model.

Schuster was appointed as head of HR in January 2011, and has spent much of thepast 12 months working with BP’sexecutive team to review the organisation’sapproach to people management. “It was atime for a pause, really,” he says, “and one ofthe key things I learned was that as acompany, we had been heavily relying onhiring from the external job market, muchmore than any of our competitors.”

By external market, Schuster is referringto what are known as ‘experienced hires’,people often with many years of workexperience and deep expertise. With theirskills and knowledge of working in acorporate environment, this group willcontinue to play a vital role in thecompany’s recruitment plans. However, saysSchuster, it became clear “that we were nottaking on as many graduates or early careerhires, the so-called ‘second jobbers’ [thosewith three to five years of work experience],and helping them develop skills that wouldsupport us in the long term.” »

Growing up is never easy, especially whenyou’re doing it in some of the worst globaleconomic conditions seen for at least ageneration. Data indicates that more than aquarter of those who graduated in the UK in2007 were still without full-time work in2010 and a fifth of teenagers in the US are out of work. One trend often blamed foryouth unemployment is the decline of heavy and manufacturing industry – or‘deindustrialisation’ – in more establishedeconomies. Against this background, then,BP’s drive to increase graduate recruitment isencouraging news, both for young people andfor the industrial sector – whether in theemerging or more mature economies.

Hands-on experience:a researcher analysessimultaneous saccharificationand fermentation in a small scalefermenter at the Biofuels GlobalTechnology Centre, San Diego,US.



review of BP’s diversity and inclusionpolicies, along with setting some clearmilestones so that, as its graduate intakebuilds, the organisation can measure itsprogress more effectively.

The other area on which Schuster andhis team are focused is one that manypeople tend to be most interested in,whether they work for a large corporate ornot – performance and reward. “Since thecollapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, I think we have seen the unintendedconsequences of businesses focusing onpurely short-term reward systems,” saysSchuster. “We operate in a very long-termbusiness and, so, the time felt right toreview how we reward our employees andensure it reflects the nature of the job.”

Many people who join BP go on to workfor the company for years and rightlyexpect their organisation to support them,both in terms of professional developmentand financial reward. But, says Schuster, it’s also important that employees seethemselves as long-term stewards of thecompany and its assets.

“We want people to work for BP for along time and we’ve always acknowledgedthat for the first couple of years, your job isreally to learn how things work. But afterthat, we didn’t really have the rewardmechanisms in place that made peoplethink about how they could continuouslyimprove over time. So, we spent a lot oftime thinking about what we stand for as acompany and discussing the right way toreward our people. We all agreed that itshould be about much more than yearlyperformance.”

So, from 2012, employee reward will nolonger be based purely on individualperformance, but, instead, calculated on anassessment of the performance of the

employee, their team and the entirecompany. The idea is to build a system thatreflects the importance of teamwork andlong-term thinking, as well as annualperformance.

“We have thought about this verycarefully and have created a system thatrewards our people for the rightbehaviours,” says Schuster. “This is a long-term industry and it’s important torepresent that. I believe our new model isvery balanced and acknowledges anindividual’s short-term performance, whilemaking sure long-term issues, such assafety and risk management are properlyreflected in the way we do business.”

After a 23-year career with BP, manyof those years with some form ofresponsibility for people, Schuster

is well-placed to support BP in establishinga more sustainable future in terms of itsmost valuable resource – people. But withmodern society so focused on the next bigtrend, why should today’s graduates beinterested in the possibility of employmentwith the same company for all or most oftheir working lives?

“I think BP brings the right balancebetween direction and rigour, while stillallowing space for an individual to developand bring their personality to a role. I alsothink we operate in an industry that is vitalto the progression of all societies across theglobe. Energy is something that is always onpeople’s minds and I find that fascinating.The other thing I would say is that I believeBP people try to help make their colleaguessuccessful, they care about and try tosupport different ways of thinking. I thinkwhat we offer is a unique combination ofopportunity, community and excitement,and we should be proud of that.” ■

Defying the idea that having a careerwith one company is a thing of the past, headds: “Over the next 10 years, we want togrow a much stronger talent developmentpipeline. I believe hiring from university orearly in a person’s career helps to buildloyalty – we want people to come to BP andsee the opportunity to build a whole careerin one place.”

It’s a subtle, yet important shift in an agewhere global markets look set to continuewobbling. Suddenly, a solid career in anindustrial business that produces tangiblegoods has a lot to offer. But while thetraditional focus has often been on UK andUS markets, Schuster is keen to ensure thatBP hires from universities across the globe.“There is a bit more work to be done here,”he says, “but if you look at where the bigpieces of our portfolio are, where our newacquisitions are occurring, we need toensure we have a supply of talentedindividuals who understand differentcultures, speak the relevant languages.”

As an Austrian who joined what was regarded as a quintessentiallyBritish company more than 20

years ago, Schuster says this focus ongrowing a more diverse workforce is closeto his heart. He is quick to point out that BPwas nothing but ‘welcoming’ when he firstjoined in 1989, working in Vienna to helpgrow the organisation’s brand in centralEurope. And he cites his experiences ofworking on BP’s joint venture with Mobilin the 1990s as teaching him invaluablelessons about the importance of creatingan inclusive environment.

“I think this has always been a companythat prides itself on being inclusive,” saysSchuster, “but there is still some work wecan do.” Some of that work will include a

Global reach: clockwise fromtop, traders discuss their work,Chicago, US; Helmut Schustermeets BP staff; an operator atKwinana refinery, Australia;and operators in the controlroom at the Atlantic LNGfacility, Trinidad.

People> Recruitment and reward


Viewpoint> US in numbers

ILLUSTRATION: INFOMEN


➔ p e o pl e Global> Development programmes

BP is on a global search for a new generationof bright young talent. But joining thecompany is only the start of the journey.With its range of development programmes,BP hopes many new starters will choose tobuild their careers within the organisation.

NEW FACES

Future leaders: BP holds regularnetworking events for its new starters,helping them to build their contactsand learn from the experiences of othernew recruits. The photographs over thenext few pages show events in Londonand Azerbaijan for both upstream anddownstream Challengers and those onthe Future Leaders programme. Amongthem are Jerome Milongo (opposite) andElida Cavic (second down) and Jian Zhu (page 33).



Report> Hester ThomasPhotography> Mehmet Binay / Graham Trott


BP is set to increase thenumber of graduates itrecruits in the next few years,boosting its capability to takeon new challenges in meetingenergy demand.

The offer to new recruits is a career thatinvolves working at the frontiers of theindustry – the deep water, heavy oil,unconventional gas production, state-of-the-art refining and petrochemical plants. And inBP, new joiners are carefully integrated intothe business, with support from mentors whoare willing to share their experiences to helpthe next generation make new advances.

It is exactly this prospect that BP ishoping will attract ever greater numbers ofgraduates around the world, as it looks tobuild the skills required to provide theworld’s future energy needs in asustainable manner.

The numbers tell the story. In 2009, BP’supstream business recruited just under 300

graduates around the world. Last year, thatnumber rose to almost 500. By 2014, it willbe looking for some 700-800 new peopleevery year. It’s a similar story in refiningand marketing, where global graduaterecruitment is set to triple between 2010and 2014, rising from 110 to 350 newjoiners every year. The aim, in bothsegments, is to then maintain those levels of recruitment.

And it’s not just graduates that BP ishoping to recruit. In September 2011, itlaunched its Future Leaders programme(FLP), designed to attract high-potentialpostgraduates, with a minimum of threeyears’ experience, to take up roles in bothrefining and marketing and BP’s informationtechnology and services (IT&S) function.This year, it is looking for 40 candidates, withnumbers rising in the future.

So, what has prompted all this activity?Global demand for energy is growing, withestimates suggesting an increase of as


People> Development

THE NUMBERS● BP employs just over 80,000 people

worldwide. By 2014, the upstream anddownstream segments will berecruiting 1,150 Challengers everyyear. Assuming that hiring targets stay the same, by 2017, the Challengeprogramme will account for 4.3% of employees, with many moreChallenger alumnae populating thecompany globally.

● In 2011, some 37% of new Challengersjoining the upstream segment werebased in the US, while 25% were in theUK and 38% in the rest of the world.The split for downstream last year was42% in the USA, 18% in the UK and40% in the rest of the world. Thesepercentages will change as BP’sbusinesses grow in other parts of theworld, including large emergingeconomies, such as India and China.

● Candidates face tough competition togain a place on the three developmentprogrammes – more than 5,000 peoplehave applied for 40 positions in theFuture Leaders programme (FLP). “Thisnumber reflects the appeal of well-structured development programmesand BP’s attraction as a company,” says Paul Lawrenson, FLP globalprogramme manager in refining andmarketing. “We’re offering greatprogrammes in which people can dovaluable, rewarding work. There’snever been a better time to join BP.”

much as 40% over the next 20 years. At thesame time, the energy industry is facing agrowing skills gap, as large numbers ofexperienced workers retire.

As a result, BP needs to prepare a newgeneration with the skills, knowledge,values and behaviours to take the company into the future. BP has developedseveral graduate programmes that helpsupport new starters in their initial yearswith the company.

The longest running of its graduatedevelopment plans is its upstreamChallenge programme – an earlydevelopment initiative for technical andprofessional disciplines – which has been running since 1993. Aimed atundergraduates and postgraduates with upto three years’ work experience, Challengehas evolved into a highly-structured,competency-based programme. It providesgraduates with practical experience andformal training to build strengths in

particular disciplines, includingengineering, finance, subsurface and wells.

Greta Uranich, global operations managerfor the programme, explains how Challengeworks: “Each of our ‘Challengers’ will gothrough two job rotations, over a period ofthree years, with each rotation providingappropriate field or operational experience.This is complemented by on-the-jobexperience, along with up to 25 days offormal training every year. In addition, ourChallengers receive support and coaching,regular assessments and feedback.”

BP invests both time and money in itsdevelopment programmes, witheach Challenger receiving extensive

support from a network of managers,mentors and buddies. As Uranich puts it: “It takes a village to raise a Challenger.”

For Kirsty Dawkes, a geophysicist for BPAngola, it was this commitment to trainingand support that attracted her in the firstplace. Based in Sunbury, Dawkes is a third-year upstream Challenger who found outabout the programme while on a summerinternship with the company. “It was thetraining aspects – both formal courses andon-the-job training – that I foundparticularly attractive,” she says. So far, shehas attended technical courses related toher discipline, software, offshore safetysurvival and, most recently, influencingand presentation skills.

The Challenge programme may beattractive, but it also lives up to its name.Alex Townsend, a start-up support engineerin the Angola global projects organisationin Singapore and Sunbury, and now in hisfirst post-Challenge role, says: “It is a

challenge. I got a phenomenal amount outof being on the programme, but to getthrough it all, you must plan, apply yourselfand grab the opportunities available.”

For Townsend, the high point wasduring his third role as a process engineeraboard the Greater Plutonio floatingproduction, storage and offloading (FPSO)vessel in Block 18, Angola. “I joined theturnaround team to replace and repair anumber of defects on the platform [a‘turnaround’ is a planned, periodicshutdown of a facility in order to performmaintenance]. We managed all the changessuccessfully and the FPSO started up ontime, without any injuries or leaks. Also,because it worked more efficiently, youcould see the outcome of your work and itspositive effect on people.”

One of the key elements about theprogramme is that it is designed to thrownew recruits into real projects, right fromthe outset. Sometimes, that can meanmoving country, getting to grips with anew career, new colleagues and a newculture – all at the same time. JosephPayton knows this well, having movedfrom the UK to Germany after just ninemonths of working with BP, to take up arole as quality assurance technical support manager with the global fuelstechnology team.

“The company gives you greatresponsibility, backed up with supportivemanagers,” he says. “It’s been great comingto a new country and liaising withcolleagues in other surrounding countries.You’re working with high-calibre peopleand pushing ahead with technology.”

Scott Lepley, a PhD graduate based in »


Houston, meanwhile, has found himselfworking as a geologist with the Brazil teamas part of his second upstream Challengerotation.

“I’m working with world-renownedexperts,” he says. “Not many people get[these experiences] in a lifetime’s careerand here I am in my third year workingwith the best.”

However, it isn’t only the upstreambusiness that is looking to develop its newrecruits in this way. In September 2011,BP’s refining and marketing businesslaunched its own Challenge programme.Simone Tillmann, global head of thedownstream programme, explains why:“Although other programmes exist indownstream, the ultimate aim is for themall to migrate to Challenge, so that we canoffer a globally consistent framework.”

Downstream Challenge is similar to itsupstream partner, in that it offers a numberof job rotations over a period of around

four years, support from mentors, plustraining in core skills and behaviours.Unlike the upstream programme, somebusiness areas allow Challengers toexperience roles across different segments.

Challengers graduate from each of theprogrammes when they have met all theircompetency and training goals, movinginto a standalone role within their chosendiscipline.

Meanwhile, the FLP aims to developmature graduates for early leadership roles.Applicants must meet strict criteria – thatthey hold a postgraduate degree, haveprofessional experience related to theirdiscipline, have lived or studied outsidetheir home country and have demonstrableleadership potential. Fluent English ismandatory and they must be able to speaka second language.

An extensive recruitment campaign hasbeen carried out in nine countries,including the UK, US, China and the

United Arab Emirates. New recruits beganjoining BP in March 2012.

“There are three main elements to theFLP development offer: education,experience and exposure,” says TessaArnold, head of the IT&S Academy. “Newjoiners will go through a series ofstructured learning modules. They willundertake two distinct roles, one of whichmay be outside the home country, gainexperience in a major business project andhave exposure to the global business andsenior leaders.”

All these global developmentprogrammes have great appeal, asthey offer a clear structure, goals

and associated training. Leyla Safarova, anenvironmental advisor in Azerbaijan and afinal-year upstream Challenger, says shewas attracted to BP because of thedevelopment programme. “This is the onlyprogramme in our country that gives sucha great opportunity for graduates,” she says.“You work and learn at the same time.There’s very good training and, for me, thechance to gain formal certification inenvironmental management from the UK’sInstitute of Environmental Managementand Assessment.”

All three graduate developmentprogrammes place their emphasis on whatit takes to develop a career, along with thevalue of knowing who to turn to for

“This is the only programme in our country thatgives such a great opportunity for graduates. Youwork and learn at the same time.” Leyla Safarova


People> Development

support and advice. Among other things,great importance is attached to networking,and formal opportunities are provided.

One new opportunity took place in2011, when the upstream Challenge teamorganised a global poster competitioncalled Global TechnoFest. The competitionran in 10 of BP’s regional hubs, includingNorway and Alaska, and was designed togive Challengers the opportunity to sharetheir projects and ideas with the wider BPcommunity. All the teams were encouragedto demonstrate how their work supportssafety and risk management, businessimpact and technical excellence.

More than 300 individuals took part inthe competition and six teams were laterselected to display their work at a finalshowcase in BP’s London headquarters,attracting interest from staff and seniorexecutives

“The exhibition helped Challengers gainfar greater exposure for themselves and theirwork,” says Uranich, “while also enablingthem to become better connected.”

Currently, BP has around 1,650Challengers worldwide. However, there arethousands more who have since‘graduated’ from the programme and arenow in significant roles around the globe.Al Vickers, vice president for safety andoperational risk in BP’s global wellsorganisation, based in Houston, joined thecompany 15 years ago as a Challenge

graduate. Since then, he has enjoyed adiverse career that has spanned upstreamand downstream segments in operational,engineering and managerial roles, acrossthe UK, South Korea, Angola and the US.

Carl Orsbourn, meanwhile, aperformance and planning manager for UKRetail has also experienced a remarkablywide-ranging career. “I’ve had a range ofjobs since joining BP,” he says, “working,among other things, as a project manager, apricing manager and in a variety ofoperational roles in California.”

Both men are committed to helpingnew Challengers find their feet.Orsbourn is the refining and

marketing commercial Challengeprogramme coordinator, finding roles fornew recruits, allocating mentors, runningassessment panels and helping supportChallengers find their next role, followingtheir graduation from the programme.

Vickers, who recently gave a speech at aUS Challengers’ induction event, isimpressed by the quality of the youngentrants he meets. “I see outstandingpeople,” he says, “They’re dynamic, mobile,energetic, refreshing and want to learn. It’salso clear that they know how to accessand network information at a phenomenalspeed. As a leader, you can learn a lot fromthem, as they’re learning from you.”

With competition so fierce in the

industry, BP’s commitment doesn’t endwhen these programmes are completed.Across the company, career road-maps arebeing designed to support employees asthey continue to develop. And in 2011, theupstream business announced the launchof its eXcellence programme, into whichChallengers move after they graduate. Thisnew initiative provides an accelerateddevelopment career programme through to an individual’s 10th anniversary ofjoining BP.

Clearly, BP is making a long-termcommitment. The hope is that this will bereturned by its employees. “This is abusiness in which technical knowledgeand the value that can be derived from it inthe right hands, is paramount,” saysVickers. “We need people who are at theforefront of their disciplines, and we mustretain their talent in order to discover newand better ways of operating. If we cancreate a stimulating environment wherepeople can learn and grow, then we’re a bigenough company for people to have hugelydiverse careers without moving elsewhere.”

So, what do Challengers think of theprogramme? Would they recommend it toothers? “Definitely,” says Leyla Safarova.“I’m working, learning, gainingprofessional skills and being paid well, too.BP’s planning for the future withChallengers. BP cares about us and we careabout BP, too.” ■

“I see outstanding people.They’re dynamic, mobile,energetic, refreshing andwant to learn. As a leader,you can learn a lot fromthem, as they’re learningfrom you.”Al Vickers

Report> Helen CampbellPhotography> Stuart Conway / Richard Davies


➔ u p s tre a m North Sea> Investment

ON THE UPFor BP’s North Sea business, life really did begin at Forties, withthe discovery of the giant field that proved to be the backbone ofregional oil production. More than four decades later, there’s nosign of the North Sea business having a mid-life crisis, as BP andits partners get set to invest $16 billion over the next five years.


Cable guy: offshore workersuspended underneath theByford Dolphin drilling rig.


A nyone with even halfan eye on the UK oiland gas sector wouldbe hard pressed tomiss the fact thatproduction in thisregion has been in

decline for some time. The past decade hasseen domestic oil output almost halve,from 2.7 million barrels in 2002 to 1.4 million barrels in 2010, while thechallenge to extract commercial amountsof oil and gas has grown.*

But, while the continued decline inNorth Sea production is inevitable, for BP’s business in the region, there is theopportunity to sustain production atcurrent levels for some time. In fact, withits high-quality asset base, technicalcapabilities and decades of operationalexperience in the region’s harsh conditions,BP is at the forefront of the management ofa ‘new North Sea’ that still has potentiallydecades to run.

This new North Sea is one wherereservoirs that were technologicallyout of reach 30 years ago are now

being developed; hardware replacementsallow substantial extensions to field-lives,in some cases up to 100%; and there iscontinued demand for some of the globalindustry’s most experienced personnel.

“BP has been a major investor in theNorth Sea since the mid-1960s,” says TrevorGarlick, regional president, BP North Sea. “Itis a key part of the group’s portfolio, and BPbelieves the North Sea holds good potentialfor sustained production for years to come.

“The conditions and the reservoircomplexity mean the area presents some ofthe greatest challenges in the global oilindustry, but BP’s experience in the regionplaces us in an excellent position tocontinue to invest with confidence in theUK and Norway.”

Today, BP produces more than 200,000barrels of oil and gas equivalent per dayfrom the UK and Norwegian sectors of theNorth Sea. It operates more than 40 oil andgas fields, four major terminals and a hugenetwork of pipelines, as well as employingalmost 4,000 people.

In 2011, BP and its partners announced atotal of $16 billion of new investment in a

North Sea> Investment

»

*BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2011


“BP’s experience in the region places us in anexcellent position to continue to invest withconfidence in the UK and Norway.”Trevor Garlick

Offshore life: clockwise below, personalprotective equipment hangs in place at themuster point onboard the Clair platform; thelaunch of the final section of the Kinnoullpipeline bundle, Wick, Scotland; foodpreparation (opposite) onboard BP’s Clair fieldplatform; the Byford Dolphin drilling rig (above).


New arrivals: shift changeat the helideck on theByford Dolphin drilling rig.

“Our strategic goal in the North Sea issimple. We want to sustain a material,high-quality business for the long term,and our focus is on maximising recoveryfrom our base and investing in high-value assets with growth potential.” Trevor Garlick




number of exciting North Sea projects. Asthe largest annual capital allocation evermade in the region by BP, the companycould not have made its commitment totoday’s North Sea clearer. This level of newinvestment means BP’s North Sea presence– and its current level of regionalproduction – is assured until 2030 and, inthe case of certain fields, beyond.

To achieve this, the business is taking athree-pronged approach: focusing theportfolio, working to get the most out ofexisting assets, and exploring anddeveloping to build new production.

Although a number of North Sea fieldsare undoubtedly mature, others are far fromspent. Years of familiarity with individualreservoirs, coupled with extensivedevelopments in what is possible from atechnical perspective, mean that BP is ableto increase recovery at a number of itsfields, and continue to produce oil and gasfrom reservoirs that, by original estimates,‘should’ have ceased production years ago.

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques,such as ‘water alternating with gas’flooding, are expected to have a significantimpact on output from a number of BP’solder reservoirs over the next several years.

In addition, the company has spent the pastthree years renewing its seismic data foralmost the entire North Sea, dramaticallyenhancing its imaging and understandingof existing reservoirs, as well as opening upthe possibilities to expand into new ones.

“A new approach to seismic planningand acquisition means our North Seaseismic activity levels are higher than theyhave been for the past five years,” saysHerlinde Mannaerts-Drew, North Seaseismic delivery manager. “By the end of2012, we will have new seismic data for allthe North Sea hubs, making a majorcontribution to resource progression.”

Just as upgrading all the radiators in ahouse without changing the boilermakes little sense, some of BP’s North Sea

hardware is being replaced in order todevelop the newly-attainable pockets inolder reservoirs. For example, BP is changingaround half of the equipment at its Magnusplatform, which will celebrate its 30thanniversary and its 1 billionth barrel of oilin 2013. Meanwhile, Norway’s Valhall fieldhas just become BP’s first, and the world’sfarthest, offshore installation to be poweredentirely from an onshore generation source.

Meanwhile, its Schiehallion field willreceive a brand new floating production,storage and offloading vessel in 2015 thatwill support production for the next 20years, and possibly more.

“In a lot of cases, the reservoirs are nolonger the limiting factors,” says DaveLynch, vice president for resource. “Some ofour assets have tremendous field-life left inthem, but facilities that were originallybuilt to last 25 years and have served verywell are not necessarily up to the job ofproducing for the next 20 years or more. Bychanging and upgrading facilities wherewe need to, we will be able to safely andefficiently prolong production.”

At the same time, BP North Sea has beenworking internally to streamline the way itplans and approaches turnarounds andmaintenance on platforms, to give morereliability and predictability of operationsand production.

Analysts say the North Sea could stillhold in the region of 30-40 billion barrels of oil, and it is through exploration andnew developments that BP is working tobuild a sustainable future – developmentssuch as the $7 billion Clair Ridge oilproject, the $5 billion redevelopment of the


Offshore life: drilling engineerClaire Horsman (far left) carriesout derrick inspection onboardthe Byford Dolphin drilling rig.Offshore staff run the diverter –used to direct fluid – on theByford Dolphin.


confidence in the potential of the greaterClair field. BP will acquire further seismicdata in 2012 to establish the extent of thereservoir ahead of possible development. Inaddition, BP is planning to explore theNorth Uist prospect, West of Shetland, inthe spring of 2012.

The strategy behind these investmentshas also meant some reshaping of BP’s UKportfolio in order that it can best focusinvestment on those areas where it believesthe greatest long-term returns lie. Thisincludes the sale of its onshore WytchFarm oilfield, in December 2011. Similarly,BP is marketing a selection of gas assets inthe southern North Sea that do not fit withits future strategy.

“Our strategic goal in the North Sea issimple,” says Garlick. “We want to sustain amaterial, high-quality business for the longterm, and our focus is on maximisingrecovery from our base and investing inhigh-value assets with growth potential.”

With more than 5 billion barrels ofreserves produced to date, and assets thatBP believes could yield more than 3 billionbarrels in the future, the North Sea looksset to remain a key part of BP’s portfolio forsome time. ■

“A new approach to seismicplanning and acquisitionmeans our North Seaseismic activity levels arehigher than they have beenfor the past five years.” Herlinde Mannaerts-Drew

Schiehallion and Loyal fields, the centralNorth Sea Kinnoull and Devenickdevelopments, $1.1 billion and $880 million respectively, and the $6.7billion Skarv development in Norwegianwaters. All represent significantinvestments that will bring BP importantnew production over the next four decades.

BP received UK government approval to proceed with ClairRidge, the second phase of

development of its giant Clair field, inOctober 2011. Two new, bridge-linkedplatforms are expected to be installed in2015, with production due to commence in 2016. The very fact that these newfacilities are being designed for 40 years of production is testament to the life that is still in the North Sea. The newdevelopment will have the capability toproduce an estimated 640 million barrelsof oil, and will provide a hub for futureexpansion, subject to further appraisal.Peak production is expected to be up to120,000 barrels of oil per day.

Also in October 2011, BP confirmed anextension to the southwest of the originalClair development, further increasing


Viewpoint> Data donation

Above: In the Atlantis field area, a map of the geological interpretation isdraped on the seafloor topography. A model of a deepwater drilling vesselfloats over a drill site at a water depth of approximately 2,100 metres(7,000 feet). Main image: The sea floor above the Mad Dog field. The datawas gathered by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that travels 40metres (130 feet) above the ocean floor, under a preprogrammed guidancesystem. Using sonar to map the area, the AUV brings data up to thesurface that can then be used to build a computer model, complete withcontours and, in this instance, colour coding to show different waterdepths. The colours can be adjusted in order to highlight differentgeological points of interest. BP uses the data to help it plan the layout andinstallation of field wells, subsea equipment and export pipelines. In thisimage, you can see a ‘cliff’ at the edge of the pink/red area. This is theSigsbee Escarpment. In the centre of the image lies the Mad Dog‘amphitheatre’. For the trained eye, there are lots of interesting features tonote, and avoid, such as seabed faults and slump blocks (a massmovement of rock along a concave slip surface).


Geoscience researchers and students at universities across the US have beengiven access to more than 300 gigabytes of high-resolution geophysical data,under a programme developed by BP’s upstream innovation board. The datawas originally gathered and developed for operational planning at fourdeepwater Gulf of Mexico fields: Atlantis, Holstein, Mad Dog and ThunderHorse. This data was initially donated to 14 US universities, although theteam has since had requests to use it from another six institutions and isconsidering further expansion. The idea came from BP senior geohazardsspecialist Jim Thomson, who approached the upstream innovation boardtwo years ago. According to Thomson, students and researchers don’t oftenget access to data of this resolution and quality. “We have got all the valueout of this data, so it seemed ideal to give it to students and researchers whowill be able to extend its use. We see it as a way of supporting academicresearch and developing the specialised skills to improve understanding ofgeotechnical, geological and engineering concepts in the deep water.” Thedata was donated by BP and its partners BHP Billiton, Chevron, ExxonMobiland Shell. ■

In-depth data

IMAGERY: FLEDERMAUS


➔ safety + operational risk Projects> Environmental and Social Practices

Pipeline management: projects such as theSouth Caucasus Pipeline (top) and the Khazzangas development in Oman (middle and bottom)have used BP’s screening requirements to assesspotential environmental and social impacts thatthe project activities might have.


Report> Nick ReedPhotography> Mehmet Binay / Aaron Tait

GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICEAs part of its Operating Management System,BP is using a set of environmental and socialpractices designed to identify the potentialimpacts of projects in early planning andprovide a framework through which theycan be managed.

Safety and operational risk> E&SP


With accommodation, facilities and evenan airstrip part of the constructionrequirements, it represents a majorinvestment for the company. So,understanding, avoiding or mitigating the risks involved is an important factor for success.

As well as risks linked to safety,efficiency and profitability, BP needs toidentify and manage any environmentaland social impacts the project might have.

With this kind of situation in mind, thecompany introduced the Environmentaland Social Practices (E&SP) in April 2010which make up part of BP’s OperatingManagement System. These practicesinclude new screening requirements thatwill be used on major and new accessprojects, some acquisition negotiations andprojects that may affect an internationalprotected area. The screening assessespotential impacts of project activities oneither the environment or society, and isconducted by a multidisciplinary projectteam with an independent facilitator.

The Khazzan project in Oman is just oneto feel the benefits. “Our screening revealedthat proper management of drilling wastes– oil-based and water-based mud – isimportant,” says lead environmentalengineer, Ed Salter. “There were alsopotential issues with produced water,greenhouse gases, groundwater resources,and road safety, even our impact on local

communities and some threatened speciesof animals and plants.

“Identifying all this so early in theprocess meant we could address each oneand mitigate potential issues by integratingenvironmental and social design into theproject, before submitting theenvironmental and social impactassessment [ESIA] to the Oman Ministry ofthe Environment and Climate Affairs. It isimportant that we were able to addressthese potential challenges during theassessment to mitigate the impact on costs,project timelines and BP’s reputation.”

One issue raised in Khazzan was thepotentially significant level of carbondioxide expected from power generationduring operations. So the project’sengineering team designed a waste heatrecovery system that has reduced theamount of gas that is lost as waste heatfrom the processing plant. Instead, thewaste heat is used to meet a largeproportion of the facility’s own powerdemands. As a consequence, annualforecasted carbon dioxide emissions at thefacility fell by approximately 25%.

Similarly, the screening showed therecould be a high salt content in the 140,000barrels of water estimated to be producedevery day from the reservoir. Forecastssuggested that the total amount of saltgenerated in the project’s lifetime wouldreach 35 million tonnes. All this saline »

By any measure, BP’s Khazzan project in Oman is a big deal. With firstgas expected in 2016, the 2,800-square kilometre (1,080-square mile)field is eventually expected to have as many as 300 wells yielding upto 30 trillion cubic feet of natural gas over the next 30 years.

‘MUST DO’ OR ‘SHOULD DO’?BP’s Environment and Social Practices have been divided into two sections: group-defined practices (GDP) and group guidance.

The GDP set out what each applicable project ‘must do’ in terms of impactidentification. It contains a set of requirements covering nine environmental and, for thefirst time, social indicators (see page 50).

Each project is formally screened against these indicators by a multidisciplinary teamled by an independent facilitator. Each is required to act fully on the screening report,which is circulated to senior managers outside the project team.

Group guidance, on the other hand, contains recommendations on relevant topics thatare based on the distilled knowledge and experience of dozens of previous BP projects, allof which are designed to help teams take appropriate and proven actions when potentialimpacts have been identified.

Early identification: screening inOman (above) identified a number ofpotential issues, including greenhousegases and groundwater resources.Opposite, screening at BP’s Zhuhaipetrochemicals facility in Chinaidentified potential long-term watersupply issues. The process allowsissues such as these to be addressedearly on in the project.



BP’s GDP set out ninerequirements to helpprojects manageenvironmental and social issues:

Drilling wastes and dischargesRequirements addressrestrictions on drilling wastestorage and disposal, ordischarges, as well asrestrictions in the use of diesel muds.

Greenhouse gas and energy managementRequirements are in line withBP’s commitments to theWorld Bank Global Gas FlaringReduction (GGFR) public/private partnership. These

include design requirementsand restrictions on certaintypes of projects that areforecasting specific thresholdsof carbon dioxide orequivalent, or are flaringspecific amounts ofhydrocarbons.

Impact assessmentRequirements address the needfor a project to assess andmanage potentialenvironmental and socialimpacts during its fulllifecycle.

Indigenous peopleRequirements are consistentwith the UN Declaration on theRights of Indigenous Peoplesand detail consultation plansand impact mitigation plans.

International protected areasRequirements specify the needto conduct a high-level riskassessment, as well seekinternal approval at a seniorlevel for all projects that areclassified as internationalprotected area projects.

Moving communitiesProjects cannot permanentlymove communities.

Ozone-depletingsubstancesRequirements restrict thedesign of systems or the use of certain ozone-depletingsubstances, such as hydrochlorofluorocarbon,chlorofluorocarbon andmethyl bromide, as well as

prohibiting the sale ofredundant halocarbon stock to third parties.

Security and human rightsRequirements support BP’scommitment to the VoluntaryPrinciples on Security andHuman Rights, and the need todevelop mitigation measureswhere a potential impact onhuman rights is identified inthe screening process.

Water managementRequirements specify a rangeof water management issues,including consideration forcommunity water users andrequirements to minimise therisk of water contaminationduring project design.

GROUP-DEFINED PRACTICES (GDP): REQUIREMENTS

Safe driving: road safety wasidentified as a potential issue inOman via the E&SP screening.Mitigation plans were put in placeas a consequence before anenvironmental and social impactassessment was submitted to theOman Ministry of the Environmentand Climate Affairs.

Safety and operational risk> E&SP


water would need to be treated anddisposed of appropriately.

In response, the project’s subsurfaceteam located a site deep undergroundwhere the water can be safely reinjected.This solution is just one example of howscreening for sensitivities can help projectteams make changes early on in thedevelopment.

Pipeline reroutingThe story is the same across many areas ofBP’s business. In Azerbaijan, for instance, ascreening of the South Caucasus Pipelineproject led to the rerouting of the pipelinealong an existing right of way, to avoidintrusion on a natural reserve and anarchaeologically sensitive area. Long-termwater supply, meanwhile, was a potentialissue for expansion at BP’s petrochemicalplant in Zhuhai, China. These issues were picked up early enough to beaddressed, avoiding further work, projectdelays, cost and even operationalconstraints at a later stage.

This screening process is overseen bytrained and certified facilitators who areindependent of the project teams (for more on the GDP and facilitators, seeopposite and right).

The screening process is carried outusing the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme’s World ConservationMonitoring Centre’s database, in order toidentify relevant international protectedareas (IPA). Where screening indicates thata proposed project might affect an IPA, BP then carries out a high-level riskassessment. This is supported by anindependent review conducted byenvironment and social experts from thecompany’s safety and operational riskteam. Permission to move ahead with aproject under these circumstances must besought from the group chief executive andpermission is only granted if the businessconsiders the risks and manages themthrough appropriate mitigation plans.

“The need for BP to identify and manageenvironmental and social risks is greaternow than ever before, and the E&SP

provide a rigorous set of tools to help us dothat,” says Liz Rogers, vice president forenvironment, social responsibility andHSSE compliance. “Identifying possibleimpacts at the very outset of businessacquisitions, exploration and new projectscan save money, time and effort, andimprove our licence to operate. So, clearly,it can add significant value.”

She adds: “E&SP help BP meet externalcommitments that the company has made,give transparency to our governance ofrelated issues, and provide a consistentmethodology to evaluate and manage thepotential consequences of our activities.”

To work effectively, of course, thesepractices need the commitment andengagement of the project teams. Therewas, perhaps unsurprisingly, some initialscepticism at what was seen as yet anotherpotential layer of bureaucracy. Butperceptions are changing rapidly as teamsare using the practices.

Chris Doran, head of discipline forsafety and operational integrity inAlternative Energy, agrees: “The practicesare thorough and systematic, and they allhave some degree of challenge related tothem during a screening,” he says. “But theyall add value.”

Frontline perspective A perspective from the frontline comes fromPaul Sutherland, environmental and socialmanager for BP’s South Caucasus Pipelineextension project. The group-definedpractices (see opposite) were used here to rerun a screening assessment first carriedout in 2007. “It was a clear, logical andsystematic process,” Sutherland says. “Theoutputs from the revised screening haveinformed the project on a far broader rangeof topics than the original, resulting in amore indepth and comprehensiveassessment.”

This understanding and acceptance bythe business lies at the heart of E&SP, ofcourse. “Every business needs rules, butthey are all completely redundant unlessthere is a culture where people are mindedto follow them,” says Rogers. ■

Screening is carried out by amultidisciplinary project team that isfacilitated by trained and certifiedfacilitators, who are themselvesindependent of the project.

Those facilitators must go through arigorous assessment of their own beforecertification, and it is by no meanscertain that all will succeed.

“We have to be sure we havecompetent people who know the E&SPinside out if the screenings are to beeffective and credible,” says ElizabethWild, director of social responsibility inBP’s environmental and socialresponsibility and HSSE complianceteam, part of the company’s safety andoperational risk function.

Jane Brown, environmental advisorfor refining and marketing HSSE, is oneof those certified facilitators and hasscreened several projects in the US, Indiaand China.

“Screenings involve a wide range ofparticipants, from joint venture partnersto business development, security,communications and external affairspersonnel, as well as managers, engineers,safety representatives, commercialexperts and subject specialists from theproject team,” she says.

“This team is essential in order toidentify the full range of potentialproject impacts, and some will also bringan important local perspective as well astheir specialist area of expertise. A realbenefit of the screening is that the widerteam gets to understand the localenvironmental and social issues and isengaged at an early stage with lookingfor ways to avoid or reduce theseimpacts, for instance, in terms ofchanges to design, layout or location.Flexibility is a key attribute, and youneed sensitivity to local issues.”

ASSESSING THE ASSESSORS

“Environmental and Social Practices help BP meetexternal commitments that the company has made, givetransparency to our governance of related issues, andprovide a consistent methodology to evaluate andmanage the potential consequences of our activities.”Liz Rogers


➔ technologyStrategy> Investing for the future

Advanced seismic: BP’s computingcentre in Houston now has a capacityof a little more than one petaflop,making it one of the world’s fastestcivil supercomputers. BP MAGAZINE Issue 1 2012 53

Report> Lisa DavisonPhotography> Marc Morrison / BP Imageshop

For more than a century, the oil and gas industryhas developed increasingly sophisticatedtechnologies in order to better understand rockformations, produce more advanced fuels andlubricants and keep facilities running safely andefficiently. BP’s head of technology, David Eyton,talks to BP Magazine about the company’sapproach and what the future holds.

ADADVANCEDCEDTHINTHINKIKING

In Harrison’s day, this onshore surfacegeological mapping was the only way to‘see’ the geology of any potentialhydrocarbon-bearing structures below theground. Fast-forward a century and all thathas changed.

Today, understanding the geology of therocks around us remains important, butnow BP is able to use advanced seismicimaging technologies that produceevermore precise maps of structures thatlie below the Earth’s surface, aided by someof the most powerful computers on Earth.In 2012, that technology took another leapforward as BP’s computing centre grew to acapacity of just over one ‘petaflop’ –making it one of the world’s fastest civilsupercomputers. A petaflop is a measure ofa computer’s processing speed amountingto one thousand trillion (15 zeros) floatingpoint operations per second.

Throughout its history, BP has been aleading explorer for oil and gas, enabled byits geophysical skills. What this

extraordinary example shows is the criticalrole that technology plays, both inacquiring the data and processing it. “Weinvest more in seismic technology than anyother upstream programme,” says BP’s headof technology, David Eyton, “underpinnedby this massive computing capability.”

It’s true that science and technologyunderpin everything that BP does. But theorganisation is also careful about how itchooses to develop its technology capability.The first call on BP’s technology investmentis helping the organisation manage its safetyand risk management priorities. A goodexample of this is the installation ofhundreds of corrosion sensors, codevelopedwith Imperial College London, at all of itsrefineries worldwide. These sensors aredesigned to help refinery teams understandthe real-time impact of acidic crude oils and,therefore, whether they should run aparticular type of crude through the facilityor not, and are paying the correct price for it.“Examples like this show how technologycan support BP as it manages its risks moreeffectively, while at the same time beinggood business,” says Eyton.

Another driver for BP’s investment intechnology is to create distinctivecompetitive advantage. In the upstreambusiness, seismic imaging and itsinterpretation is one of the company’s 16 major technology programmes, as isenhanced oil recovery (the ability to sweepmore oil out of pores in the reservoir),along with the application of digitaltechnologies that boost production. In refining and marketing, BP’spetrochemicals and lubricantstechnologies are benchmarked as being ator better than the best and, while it’s earlydays for biofuels, the breadth of BP’stechnology portfolio in this area is second »

In 1961, former BP geologist-turned-lecturer Dr JohnVernon Harrison received the prestigious LyellMedal from the Geological Society of London. In hisacceptance speech, Harrison – who had worked forBP between 1918 and 1938 – recalled ‘strolling’

about the Zagros Mountains in Iran with a colleague foralmost eight years while “we mapped upon the cleanpaper on our plane-tables [used by geologists to rest onas they drew contours on their maps] the topography andgeology of some 155,000 square kilometres [60 squaremiles] of southwest Iran as we saw it on the ground.”


Broad scope: BP’s head oftechnology, David Eyton (right).Opposite top, BP’s biofuelscapability has grown significantly inthe past five years and spans theentire ‘field-to-wheels’ spectrum.Opposite middle, computerprocessing cables at BP’s centre inHouston. Opposite bottom, ananalyst labels a lubricants sampleat BP’s technology centre inPangbourne, UK.


Technology> Investment

“It was clear to me that scientific skills underpintransformative technology development and that ifwe wanted to be a technology leader…then weneeded to build these capabilities.”David Eyton


Technology> Investment

to none. “We span the entire ‘field-to-wheels’ spectrum,” says Eyton, “from ourresearch into advanced energy crops, todemonstration plants in which to convertthese, and the creation of advanced fuelmolecules, all informed by our sugarcaneproduction operations in Brazil.”

Supporting Eyton at the helm, BP’stechnology group now has three chiefscientists – Ellen Williams, Vernon Gibsonand John Pierce – who, broadly speaking,cover the core science subjects that childrenstudy in school – physics, chemistry andbiology. BP has long had a chief scientistrole, but Eyton decided the role needed toexpand. “It was clear to me,” he says, “thatscientific skills underpin transformativetechnology development and that if wewanted to be a technology leader andmanage our links with the externalscientific world well, then we needed to

build these capabilities. So between them,Ellen, Vernon and John spend part of theirtime working with our external academicpartners and the rest supporting andstimulating the technology teams inside BP.”

This balance between internal andexternal capability is important. BP spendsroughly half of its technology budgetinside the company, with the other halfgoing to universities, small- and medium-sized enterprises and other joint venturepartners. The decision on how to spendthat money is taken on a case-by-case basisand, like everything else, is aligned withthe company’s strategy. “The danger ofdoing it all inside the company is you canbecome very insular and miss an importantdevelopment,” says Eyton. “But if you dotoo much outside, then you might not beable to generate as much value from theintellectual property generated. There is abalance to be struck.”

Eyton believes that BP is establishing anappropriate balance, having developedstrong collaborative relationships withuniversities around the world, mostly byadopting what is known as an ‘openinnovation’ model. “The word ‘open’ is

important. We have a number of suchinstitutes that we fund, such as the BPInstitute at Cambridge university, and theEnergy Biosciences Institute [EBI] atBerkeley and Illinois,” he says. “Academicsare free to work on whatever they want.We present them with interestingchallenges and they can choose to work onthose if they wish. I think we have learnedhow to make the most of the academicfreedom and support that exists inuniversities.”

One of the best examples of thisinternal/external approach can be found inBP’s biofuels business. In just five years, thecompany has moved from having ahandful of bioscientists working inside thecompany, to setting up major externalresearch programmes (including the EBI)and buying the cellulosic ethanol researchassets and expertise of Verenium, addingmore than 100 highly qualifiedbioscientists to BP’s staff. “Balance is veryimportant, but there is no single approach;it all depends upon the business and itscircumstances,” says Eyton.

Technology both informs and isinformed by BP’s strategy. This strategic

Practical application: a processtechnician at work in a simulatorsuite at BP’s chemical plant inHull, UK. A scientist at the EnergyBiosciences Institute, one ofseveral scientific institutions that BP funds.


BP’S TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COUNCILBP’s technology advisory council has 13 members whomeet twice a year to discuss the company’s technologyprogrammes. They are:George David (chair) – BP non-executive director.Professor Enrique Iglesia – Theodore Veremeulenchair, department of chemical engineering, University ofCalifornia, at Berkeley.Dr Peter Terwiesch – chief technology officer, ABBDr Scott Tinker – director of the Bureau of EconomicGeology, state geologist of Texas, University of Texas at Austin.Professor Sabyasachi (Shobo) Bhattacharya – TataInstitute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India.Professor Susan Stipp – department of Geochem andleader of the NanoGeoScience group at the University ofCopenhagen.Professor Gerald Joyce – MD and PhD; professor ofchemistry and molecular biology, The Scripps ResearchInstitute.Dr David Whelan – vice president strategic innovation,Phantom Works and chief scientist Boeing IntegratedDefense, systems, space and security.Professor Andy Hopper – professor of computertechnology and head of University of Cambridge computer laboratory.David Eyton – BP group head of technology.Dr Ellen Williams – BP chief scientist.Dr Vernon Gibson – BP chief chemist.Dr John Pierce – BP chief bioscientist.

alignment is crucial if the company is tocontinue to adapt to external trends, intechnology and policy development. Bykeeping one eye on these, the technologygroup can help the company make keystrategic decisions that will have an impactthat lasts for decades.

“We monitor policy trends for issuessuch as water or climate change, which areoften informed by science and technology,”says Eyton. “And we monitor science andtechnology trends themselves. We alsoscan for gaps in our capability anddisruptive technologies.”

One area that may have a significantimpact on BP is nanotechnology – which isnot so much a technology as progressiveminiaturisation and the ability to measureand manipulate materials at an atomic ormolecular scale, says Eyton. “For example,everybody would like to have batteries thatare more cost-effective and smaller, becausethen electric cars would be viable andrenewable power could be stored more costeffectively. Therefore, there’s a vast amountof effort going into nanotechnology forbatteries. It’s a long way off from beingsolved, but it is a potentially disruptive

technology for our industry, so we keep avery close eye on it.”

Helping BP is a group of eminentindependent scientists and technologistsfrom different countries, industries andacademia, who sit on BP’s technologyadvisory council (see panel below). Thisgroup meets four times a year to, as Eytonputs it, “kick the tyres” on BP’s 16 majortechnology programmes. Each member sitson the council for up to six years, providingexternal challenge, advice and experienceto BP’s internal team.

By applying this additional external lensto everything the technology group does,BP can continue to adapt and invest in theareas that it sees as sources of strength,using science and technology to discover,recover and conserve more energy foranother 100 years. ■

“We monitor policy trends for issues such aswater or climate change, which are ofteninformed by science and technology.”David Eyton


Viewpoint> BP’s projections for long-term energy growth

Energy Outlook

2030

ILLUSTRATION: MYLES TALBOT



➔ te ch n olo g y


Report> Martin Thomas Illustration> Brett Ryder

Distributed research laboratory> Surface science network

SCIENCEFRICTIONAcross BP, surface scientists are comingtogether as one team through a newly-established network to help each othersolve challenges that, at first glance, maynot seem to have much in common.


Technology> Surface science network

“You’ll get more out of ahundred brains than you’llever get out of one.”Harry Frampton, senior petroleum engineer andmember of BP’s surface science network

Surface science is all about interfaces– between materials, betweensolids, liquids and gases, betweentraditional scientific disciplines,

and between disparate parts of BP. It’s where physics meets chemistry on

an almost unimaginably tiny scale, as theindividual atoms and molecules of solids,liquids or gases come into contact witheach other. And it’s where scientists fromall over BP are finding a wealth of commonground that could be worth billions to thecompany.

Physics and chemistry have alwaysinvolved an element of surface science – atan atomic level, there’s a physical aspect ofevery chemical reaction. In recent years,this area of study has been termednanoscience and it has seen an explosion ofactivity, prompted by improvements inmicroscopy – specifically atomic forcemicroscopes becoming cheaper and moreaccessible and technical improvements inscanning electron microscopes.

In BP, surface science touches manyparts of the company, ranging fromexploration to lubricants and distribution(see panel opposite).

Given this cross-functional applicationof surface science, how does a company aslarge and diverse as BP ensure that theconsiderable surface science expertiseavailable across its many functions andgeographies doesn’t end up working in silos and missing potentially importantnew ideas?

That’s where the company’s distributedresearch laboratory (DRL) comes in. TheDRL was set up in 2010 to strengthen linksbetween areas of expertise within BP andacross universities and other externalpartners. It’s a group-wide network ofnetworks, with the aim of nurturingcollaboration, building benefits of scaleand joining areas of expertise.

The surface science network was the firstof these to be established. It’s led by IanCollins, research and developmentprogramme manager in the team that’sresponsible for driving forward the technicallimits of resource recovery from BP’s wells.The network comprises 80 scientists – fromexploration and production in Alaska, US,through refining and logistics technology inNaperville, US, to lubricants and fuels inPangbourne, UK, and Bochum, Germany –who use surface science to solve problems in

their working environments in BP, but theirwork has a direct bearing on the workinglives of many hundreds of other BP people,whether they realise it or not.

The collaboration made possible by thecommitment of the surface sciencenetwork has resulted in somebreakthroughs that might not otherwisehave happened, some of which have had anenormous impact on the business.

There are obvious benefits to setting upknowledge-sharing networks in a companyas large and complex as BP. But it’s one thingto set up such a network – it’s quite anotherto give it real value by providing theresources needed to encourage a healthyflow of knowledge and the leadershipsupport that will actually make thingshappen. The success of any networkdepends on an investment of time and effortfrom its members – and time is in shortsupply for everyone. BP’s scientists all havedemanding day jobs, with targets relating tospecific and immediate challenges.

Collins acknowledges the challenge, butsays BP is rising to it: “The businessleadership recognises the benefits of thesenetworks and there’s a lot of flexibilityaround the time we spend on them. But thereality is that it is hard to find the time toreally explore what resources we haveacross the company, where the expertiselies and what training exists. BP isexpanding its scientific base to helpaddress this problem. In my own team, werecruited two new chemists last year andthere will be three more this year – and thepicture is the same elsewhere. This helps tospread the load, freeing up people just alittle to be more collaborative.”

One of the team responsible for BP’s DRLprogramme manager Peter Duff, says: “The


Production – surface science has acritical bearing on BP’s efforts to extractmore oil from its reservoirs. Scientistsstudy the way rock retains the oil inside itand how the substances injected into rockto extract oil work. By understandingbetter how the oil is held within porousrock, BP scientists have been able todevelop technologies that can break thechemical bonds holding the oil at therock surfaces and so produce more oil.

Integrity – surface science is absolutelyat the heart of areas such as pipelinecorrosion and well integrity,and understanding how the corrosioninhibitors used to prevent degradationwork, so that scientists can design better chemicals.

Lubricants – surface science is a hugepart of BP’s lubricants business, which, of course, is focused on finding ways toform a consistent and stable filmbetween two moving surfaces to reducefriction and thus wear.

Refining – catalysts speed up the desiredchemical reactions within refiningprocesses, while limiting undesiredsecondary reactions. All of the importantactivity occurs at the surface of thecatalysts, so understanding the physics andchemistry taking place there is the key todeveloping new and better catalysts.

Pipelines – when oil passing throughpipes cools, it can crystallise and form awaxy substance that can stick to pipesurfaces and block them – a process calledprecipitation. Also, when gas passingthrough pipes cools, this often causes thewater vapour it contains to becomeliquid. This water, together with methanemolecules in the gas, can form ice-likecrystals called hydrates that can grow to ametre or more in diameter. Hydrates canblock pipes – or, if the pressure drops andthen increases again, they can fly alongthem as potentially damaging projectiles.Scaling is also an issue in pipelines, justlike it is in household water pipes, exceptthat the results can be much moreserious. For example, production wellscan become blocked, requiring the well to be re-drilled. There are also safetyimplications of scaling, since valves canbecome stuck. In all of these cases, surfacescience is central to understanding theproblems and seeking solutions.

A JOINED-UP APPROACH

DRL was a concept developed by the chiefscientists – initially based on [chief chemist]Vernon Gibson’s vision of a laboratoryconnecting our eminent scientists. This hasbeen developed under the leadership ofchief scientist Ellen Williams, chiefbioscientist John Pierce and Vernon, and isgrowing in scope and reach across ourscience and technology community.

“I believe four things must be in place tomake this concept work – all of whichwe’ve made good progress on. The first isleadership support. In real terms, thismeant our business and technology leaderstaking a step back from the usual focus onthe day-to-day and seeing the potentiallong-term benefits of this kind of network.We’ve been lucky in this respect, as seniormanagers really understand the value ofthis programme and have not merelysupported it, but actively helped to drive it forward.

“The second requirement is for linemanagement to support their staffparticipating in these networks. It’s all verywell having leaders on board, but thescientists’ own managers have to beprepared to give them the time and space

needed to build these networks. We’vebeen working on building awareness toensure that the business sees the value in it.

“We also had to put resources behind it.We’ve set up all sorts of networks in thepast, but they have tended to be the first tobe squeezed when budget cuts have beenmade. Now, we’re providing seed fundingfor research that isn’t connected to short-term deliverables and I expect thatinvestment to grow.

“The fourth requirement is a culturalchange that needs to take place among thescientists themselves. They need to believein this process and they need to feel thatthey’re involved in something genuinelyworthwhile. There’s plenty of evidence tosuggest that this is happening, too.”

There’s one more prerequisite for successfor any network: at some point, it mustachieve what it was set up to achieve or noamount of support or encouragement willensure its survival. Given the extraordinaryamount that’s been accomplished in its firstyear, members of the surface sciencenetwork and the distributed researchlaboratory, of which it is a part, can beconfident it has a bright future.


Go with the flowSimon Davies is a flow assurance engineerworking in exploration, whose focus is onfinding ways to keep fluids flowing inpipelines. Through the surface sciencenetwork, he started talking to BP’slubricants team about a particularmolecule they were considering adding to anew engine oil. Davies thought it might bepossible to use the molecule to preventhydrates sticking to the inside of oil and gaspipelines. This piece of lateral thinking –which emerged from the surface sciencenetwork’s first workshop – could have asignificant impact. If the technology can beused to prevent subsea valves beingblocked, it should reduce productioninterruptions and the need to deploy subseavehicles to free up blockages.

Smooth partnershipThere are a lot of molecules in a sump ofmotor oil – something like a million billionbillion of them. If each molecule were agrain of sand, that one sumpful wouldmake a knee-deep layer of sand over the

whole surface of the world. It’s the job ofBP’s Castrol team to make sure the bestpossible molecules are used to protectengines and improve performance. It takesspecial tools and knowledge to understandthings so small and numerous and, throughthe DRL, the team has access to some of theworld’s most advanced equipment and themost skilled people. Castrol’s Magnatec oilsare a great example of this. Using testengines, the team spotted that warm-up is atime when engines can need wearprotection, but can also fail to receive it. So,they looked for molecules with specialproperties that could plug that protectiongap. The team partnered with a leadinguniversity and some of the world’s bestacademic researchers to discover how theywork and picture how they attach tosurfaces. It took collaboration to identifythe problem, and then to define themolecular behaviour, and then to confirm the performance in engines. The DRL gives the team access to the bestresources and people in the world, helpingto build their understanding and better

equip them to develop technical solutionsto real problems.

Chemical reactionChemical treatments sometimes need to bepumped into producing wells, for exampleto strengthen weak rock formations toprevent sanding – where solids (especiallysand) can intrude into well bores andpotentially disrupt operations. Theenvironmental conditions are particularlyextreme, with enormously high pressuresand temperatures needing to be taken intoaccount. By working with BP’s lubricantsexperts and their analytical testing facilitiesat the Pangbourne technology centre, UK,the company’s drilling scientists aregaining a greater understanding of thesurface chemistry in these applications.One of the factors that’s exciting scientistsis that certain types of chemical can cause astrengthening effect and at the same timemay improve the flow of oil from the well.Investigations – with the help of theadvanced facilities at Pangbourne – couldpave the way for a breakthrough. ■

THE NETWORK OF NETWORKS

Technology> Surface science network

Antonio Feliciano Luis / Chief cookSome of the best Indian food you’re ever likely to try cannot be foundin any restaurant. Instead, you’d have to take a trip on one of BP’s oiltankers. There, you might be treated to Antonio Feliciano Luis’ssignature dish: fish recheado. Made with white pomfret, kingfish ormackerel, it’s an Indian dish of which Luis is rightly proud. “When Iprepare it, I like the captain to come and eat fast so that it’s hot!”Indian-born Luis is currently chief cook on the British Kestrel, andworks hard to ensure the crew enjoys a nutritious diet. As well asmanaging a strict budget and even tougher hygiene standards(something he says BP provides lots of training and guidance on), Luishas to ensure he has enough food onboard to keep the crew going inbetween port stops. “We have frozen and dry stores that can last us forabout two months,” he says, “and then we get new vegetables on theway, but it might be a month before we can stock up again.” Luis has28 crew to look after, providing three dishes in the morning, five inthe evening and another five later in order to cover shift changes. Luisloves his job, as he gets to meet a wide range of people. “Name thecountry and I have cooked for their people,” he says. Like him, hiscurrent crew onboard the British Kestrel are Indian. “I’m proud to betheir chef,” he says. ■

MASTER CHEF

Photography> Richard Davies BP Faces


Report> Amanda BreenPhotography> Getty Images / Action Images


London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

STEF REIDSport: athleticsEvent: 100 and 200metres (T44 category),long jump (F44 category)Age: 27 Main achievements:bronze medal in 200metres T44 at the Beijing2008 Paralympic Games;bronze in the 2010Paralympic World Cup;world record holder forlong jump (F44 category);two bronze medals at IPCWorld Championships inChristchurch, NewZealand in 2011

BP is supporting six British athletes, and many otherinternational sportsmen and women, as they prepare forthe London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.Sprinter and long jumper Stef Reid remembers her firstexperience of winning – at a school sports day, aged six.Born in New Zealand to British parents, she was broughtup in Canada, where, one summer, a horrific boatingaccident resulted in the loss of her lower right leg. Thisseemed to put an end to her dreams of a sports career.However, one day in college, she asked to train with thetrack and field team, on her prosthetic leg. Her sportscareer was reborn and by 2008, Stef was representingCanada in the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Now, shewears a GB vest and splits her time between London andTexas, US, where her husband works. Stef has a degree inbiochemistry and has just completed a Master’s innutrition studies.

THE RIGHTCHEMISTRY

➔ BP in partnership



My coach and I werecommitted to trying newthings last year, includingdifferent training regimes,nutrition and newtechnology with theprosthesis. I had a great startand was smashing personalbests in practice, but pickedup a stress fracture in myleft foot – well, obviously myleft one! It was hugelydisappointing and put meout of running for eightweeks. When I started to

train again, I then tore somecartilage in my knee. Inhindsight, I’d actually say itwas a productive year, as welearned about what worksand what doesn’t. I stillmanaged to finish the seasonranked number one in theworld in my category for long jump, even though Icompeted only twice – andthat was on my back-upartificial leg. Problemsemerged when we changedthings with my leg design;

one good leg and one bad legcauses asymmetries in thebody in terms of muscledevelopment, so when thingschange, the imbalances flareup. But I need to correctthose anyway, so I learnedsome important lessons.Injury prevention has to bemy priority – I’m aworkaholic and can trainrelentlessly, but if I can’tmake the start line, it doesn’tmatter how much trainingI’ve done.

On the frustrations of her 2011 season…


On her passion for playingrugby as a teenager…

I spent most of my schoolyears in Toronto, where oneof my teachers took theinitiative to set up a girls’rugby team. When I was ingrade nine, she recruitedme to the team and Iabsolutely fell in love withthe sport. My parentsalways encouraged us to belady-like, so it was amazingto be out on a field, tacklinggirls and being covered inmud. The game fitted myattributes as an athleteperfectly; I was always veryagile and had good speedendurance – I’d score morepoints in the second halfwhen everyone was tired.

I actually quit ballet forrugby, which broke mymother’s heart, but therewas nothing better for me. Iwanted to move back toNew Zealand for university,to improve my rugby so Icould eventually play forthe national team. Thatwas my goal and thingswere looking really good, asI’d climbed the ranks inCanadian rugby and someinterest had been generatedin my development.

Out the blocks: Stef (left) at theAviva Great Britain and NorthernIreland preparation camp in NewZealand, 14 January 2011. Below,competing against Maya Nakanishiat the BT Paralympic World Cup inManchester, 2010. Bottom, Stef (left)with Germany’s Katrin Green andFrance’s Marie Amelie Le Fur.


The aftermath of the accidentwas very difficult for me; Iremember lying in thehospital bed thinking, “I don’teven know who I am if I can’tcompete in sport anymore.” Itwas absolutely devastatingand in the first week, I didn’tcare about anything oranyone. A nurse changed myperspective seven days afterthe accident – I had refusedto eat anything and sheslammed a tray of food downand told me enough wasenough. She said a youngergirl downstairs had lost bothlegs and could still smile. AsI’m very competitive, Ithought to myself, “I cannot

believe a 10-year-old is copingbetter than me.” Although I’dlost a foot, it was at that pointI decided to be the bestwalker on an artificial legever. I had a new goal. Acouple of days later, I went to find the other girl, anddiscovered that she didn’texist. The nurse had lied, butit didn’t matter as she’dreminded me of the drive anddetermination I’d always had.Things were not perfect afterthat; it was a really longprocess, but I learned to giveit time, until one day I wokeup and the fact that I’m anamputee was no longer thefirst thought on my mind.

On adjusting to new circumstances after a freak accident…

Competitive spirit: Stef (centreright) running the 200 metres atthe BT Paralympic World Cup inManchester, 2010.


On being a BP London 2012athlete ambassador…

This role with BP was totallyunexpected and really just adream come true. I’m a bit ofa perfectionist and believe inexcellence, so it’s great towork with a company that hassimilar values to mine. Itssupport allows me to focus ontraining and has helped me todevelop a whole new set ofskills through the activitiesI’m involved in. I was asked toshare some nutritional advicewith staff, which appeared inrestaurants and also in a shortvideo. I enjoyed that so muchas it’s exactly what I want todo in life, when I’m away fromthe track.

On switching nations to compete for Great Britain…

It really wasn’t difficult to make the decision – I grew up inCanada, but as soon as London won the bid for the 2012Olympic and Paralympic Games, I knew what I wanted to do.My parents are British and feelings of loyalty and patriotismaside, the reality is that when a country hosts the Olympicand Paralympic Games, they make huge investments in theirprogrammes, facilities and coaching. I want to win and togive myself the best possible shot, that came with Team GB –it’s in the name, they are aiming for greatness.

It’s been so awesome to be back, my extended family is here,but I’ve also made sacrifices. My husband is in Texas andhaving to do all this without your biggest support is scary. I also had to sit out of international competition for a yearin 2009 to complete the switch. There were risksinvolved, but six months after joining Team GB, I broke the world record three times in the longjump, so I’m glad I trusted my instincts.

BP AND LONDON 2012

As the Official Oil and Gas Partner forthe London 2012 Olympic andParalympic Games, BP will providefuels and engine oils for more than5,000 official vehicles, as well asbottled gas for catering facilities atvenues. BP is also a SustainabilityPartner, with a key role in creating alasting legacy after the Games end.

Advanced fuel options will helppower the Games’ fleets and as theOfficial Carbon Offset Partner withTarget Neutral, BP’s goal is to makesure that the carbon emitted fromvehicles will be offset, helping tomake London the most sustainableGames yet. London 2012ticketholders can offset the carbonemitted as they travel to and from theGames by registering atwww.bptargetneutral.com

Arts, culture and education havealways played an important part inthe Olympic movement. As a PremierPartner of the London 2012 CulturalOlympiad and London 2012 Festival,BP continues the long-time supportof these areas.

● Further details of BP’s London 2012activities can be found atwww.bp.com/2012


Viewpoint> Graduate recruitment

BP has given 100 new recruits the chance to play an integralpart in this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. Thegraduates have all been awarded short-term internships withthe London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG). Thegraduates will begin the placements in June, before startingtheir new BP roles in September. BP is the only UK employer tooffer such an experience to graduates and will provide aninternship salary, accommodation and travel costs. Theannouncement was made on the same day that BP confirmed itis increasing its 2012 UK graduate recruitment intake by 50%,to almost 250 individuals. Here, a number of the BP graduatestaking up LOCOG internships pose for the cameras alongsideBP’s head of UK graduate recruitment Emma Judge (below),and Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes (main image),who said: “It’s great to see the UK’s next generation of businesstalent being focused and determined to achieve their goals. Ican’t think of a better way for a graduate to start their careerthan a London 2012 secondment.” ■

Class of 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY: STUART CONWAY


Photography BP Archive

NORTHERN HEIGHTS

ARCHIVE

In 1965, BP discovered the West Sole field – the UK’s first gas discovery.Since then, the oil and gas industry has collectively invested morethan $450 billion in exploration, drilling and field development in theNorth Sea and produced some 40 billion barrels of oil and gasequivalent from the UK Continental Shelf. With BP and its partnersannouncing $16 billion in new investments over the next five years,we open up the archives to see where it all began.



Opposite: onboard the Texin survey vessel,October 1964. Left: an artist’s impression of theSea Quest semi-submersible drilling rigsuperimposed over Piccadilly Circus, 1964. TheSea Quest would go on to drill the well thatdiscovered the giant Forties field. Below: the SeaQuest leaving Harland and Wolff’s yard, Belfast,Northern Ireland, January 1966.


ARCHIVE

Right: on board the Texin surveyvessel, October 1964. Below: lifeonboard the early North Seaplatforms. Bottom left: layingpipeline in the North Sea. Bottomright: gas pipeline for North Sea atBrown & Roots yard, GreatYarmouth, UK.


Left (top and bottom): laying first sectionof submarine pipeline from the Fortiesoilfield from laybarge Castroro II, May1973. Top: sous chef at the NorthernHotel, Aberdeen, UK, with icing sugarmodel of the Sea Quest drilling rig, 1976.Above: a Ben Maile oil painting of an oilrig. Maile was commissioned by BP tocreate a series of paintings, includingsome that depicted Alaska.


Ship ahoy

Photography> Stuart Conway

Parting shot

Photographer Stuart Conway shot many of the images in our North Seafeature on page 36, including this one taken from the drilling derrick on theByford Dolphin rig. In the foreground, BP drilling engineer Claire Horsmanstands looking out towards the standby vessel Vos Vigilant with theMurchison (left) and Thistle platforms in the background.

BP Magazine was printed using vegetable based printing inks and lowalcohol damping on press. The FSC® certified paper was

manufactured using 50% de-inked post consumer waste fibre and50% virgin fibre pulp sourced from well managed forests at a mill

accredited for EMAS, ISO14001. Laminated using Biodegradable film

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United Kingdomwww.bp.com/bpmagazine

The next edition of BP Magazine will be out in July 2012.

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