Doric TV – Cruden Bay / Energy Transitions & Oil Industry History

Episode 1

13th July 2021

This first of 3 episodes telling the story of Cruden Bay’s connection to Energy Transitions and Oil industry History covers an introduction to past and present energy transitions together with the story of initial oil exploration activities, onshore, in the UK between the 1st and 2nd World Wars.  This included the discovery of the first oilfield in Scotland, in Midlothian, south of Edinburgh.  An important role in this was played by Viscount Cowdray who made his home at Dunecht in Aberdeenshire.  He left his name on several buildings in Aberdeen – example of oil wealth flowing into Aberdeen 50 years before North Sea Oil started flowing.

Episode 2

19th July 2021

This second of 3 episodes telling the story of Cruden Bay’s connection to Energy Transitions and Oil industry History covers the period of the first North Sea Oil and Natural Gas discoveries, with companies like Burmah, Philips, BP, Shell and Hamilton Brothers vying to be the first to strike oil and bring it to shore. They spent a fortune betting on success and pushing the frontiers of technology in a notoriously harsh environment. Their success also rescued the UK economy from some serious distress. This episode also covers the arrival of the Forties Pipeline in Cruden Bay and some personal anecdotes giving the industry a human face.

Episode 3

This third of 3 episodes telling the story of Cruden Bay’s connection to Energy Transitions and Oil industry History provides an update on the significance of the lines arriving in Cruden Bay. They have remained virtually invisible for almost 50 years now under the glorious beach, golf course and sea cliff environment of Cruden Bay. Closing comments reflect on the impact and importance of the oil industry on our living standards over the past 100years, even as we move on into another exciting energy transition, which is itself enabled by the same skills and technologies first developed in bringing the oil ashore to Cruden Bay. Reference is also made to “The Cheviot, The Stag, and the Black, Black Oil” and to DoricTV’s own Jill McWilliam, whose dad sold the land for the pumping station to BP.

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