The proportions of these structures are just immense … This is the story of Britain’s North Sea oil rigs … A monumental piece of heavy engineering. Rob Bell, Building the Impossible s3e1: Oil Rig
Back in 1965 Britain’s first offshore rig called the Sea Gem was making its way out into the North Sea on its maiden voyage.
The almighty bang was the sound of two of the Sea Gem’s legs snapping. The 5,500 ton rig began to lurch into the freezing cold sea … It took half an hour for the entire rig to disappear beneath the waves. ibid.
These days as many as 11,000 people can be working out in the North Sea. ibid.
6th July 1988 about 120 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, the world’s deadliest offshore oil field disaster: Piper Alpha was the first production platform for the Piper Field … The Piper Alpha disaster claimed the lives of 167 men. ibid.
People can no longer afford to run cars that do twelve miles to the gallon. Petrol stations can no longer afford to fill up cars which tend to take twenty gallons. The monsters are dying of thirst; the energy crisis is killing them. This Week, Thames TV 1973
The energy crisis could not have come at a worst time. The signs are that America is about to experience the cruellest winter for many years. ibid.