3? PRESSRELEASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE 'UEBN INAUGURATES FORTIES FIELD

The Queen inaugurated production from Britain's first major oil field, BP's North Sea Forties field, at 12.40 hours today.

The ceremony took place at the operations centre of BP's exploration and production headquarters at Dyce. Aberdeenshire, before an audience of 1,000 people from BP, the contractors employed on the project, local authorities and the government. Virtually all the guests are connected in some way with the Forties field.

Her Majesty, accompanied by Prince Philip and Prince Andrew, pressed a control button to start Forties crude flowing into the commercial system at BP's Grangemouth refinery, 110 miles south os the Firth of Forth.

The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Harold /ilson, the Foreign Secretary, the Rt. Hon. James Callaghan, the Secretary of otate for Energy, the Rt. Hon. Tony Benn, and the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt. Hon. yilliam Ross.

The Queen also met about 100 men and women who have been intimately connected with the discovery and the development of the Forties field. They included a diver, roustabouts, drillers, engineers -in fact, representatives of just about every skill, trade and profession employed in bringing the project to fruition.

Welcoming the Queen, Sir Eric Drake, BP's chairman, said: "Your Ilajesty, your continuing interest in the Forties field since it was discovered in 1970 and your constant encouragement has been the inspiration to us all to complete this enterprise".

The inauguration of Forties field took place just over five years after its discovery by BP's drilling rig Sea 'uest in October, 1970. Today's output of 40-50,000 barrels a day will rise to 250,000 barrels a day next year and 400,000 barrels a day - about 25 per cent of Britain's oil needs - in 1977.

Production from the field began in mid-September and after a 240-mile pipeline journey reached Grangemouth refinery last Thursday, 30th October.

3rd November, 1975 5/59/ABDE

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