ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the United Kingdom (UK) Offshore Oil Industry, the achievements people have made in the relatively short time-span it has been in existence, and its outlook for the future. In the 1960s the main effort was directed at the Exploration and Development of the southern Gas Basin. Companies like Shell/Esso and Amoco had the benefit of the experience gained from their Dutch operations, and fields like Leman and Indefatigable were quickly discovered and developed. The period lasted until the peak of oil prices in 1980 when world-wide market forces began to come into play, and the price of oil was eroded in real terms for a period of some 5 years. In the past, either low technical costs, or firm oil prices enabled plans to be devised whereby the technical recovery of hydrocarbons was generally maximised.
