The Murchison was owned by Conoco when I was on it in the early 90s. On it I had a close shave - I was inspecting the flare boom using rope access. If you look at the boom, it's unusual in that it has two diagonal supporting struts coming from the corners of the MSF us to a 'shoulder' platform about halfway up the boom. These struts were at very odd angles, and took a long time working our way down. Once finished we were taking our kit off at the base of the flare when the deluge went off and everything from the process went out through the flare. Even in the middle of the deluge, the heat from the flare was almost unbearable. I hate to think what it would have been like an hour earlier when I was half way up the boom. I'm pretty sure I'd have been jumping.
Added by Garve Scott-Lodge on 24 December 2007.
I worked on the Murchison in 1990 as a Roustabout and I must admit it was one of the best platforms I'd ever worked on. The drill crew was huge with six Roustabouts and four maintenance Roustabouts on one shift. The "Crack" with all the guys was great!! No matter how many times you saw it, it always brought a smile to your face to see some new guy walking around with a polystyrene cup stuck on his hard-hat with a blob of dope.
Hi there, my dad worked on the Murchison in the 80's and I am looking for anyone who knows him. His name is Ronald Godfrey Lucas. I would be grateful if you could contact me as he is 70 in January 2009. Please contact me.
Worked on the Murchy from 2003 to August 2008 as a production tech before emigrating to Australia and it was the best rig I have worked on in my 15 years offshore. Some of the best guys working in the north sea are on the Murchy !!!
On the Murchison August 2008 and I agree with comments above, been on a few around North Sea and find a good bunch of guys from core crew to all us subbies working on here. Wish they were all like this.
I worked on Murchie for a few years from 1990 as fire and gas tech, great rig great grub (rare thing these days) at the time, just a long long bum numbing flight to get there.
Looking at the picture of the Murchi brought back some good memories, I was on during the hook-up stage in 78/79 with Rigblast some good times with a good set of guys, and Ronny Watson's right, don't forget about the cup on the hard hat.
Thanks for posting this picture. My little boy (ha ha!) arrived on the rig yesterday (10th June 2009), so it's good to see from the comments that he's with a good bunch. So if anyone sees an Andy Northway walking about on the rig over the next couple of weeks, stick a cup on his hat and tell him his Dad says Hi!
I was the Special Projects Engineer for the Conoco Designed Murchison Platform. The big boss was Tom Marr. . .absolutely the best guy I ever worked for. He got the work done on time and under projected cost, in spite of a number of obstacles, including somewhat jealous managers on his back.
We did 168 special engineering jobs, so no question that function is a necessity for big projects. Loved the job. Loved the Brits on our staff. Best Technical Engineers in the world! Loved Britain and the chance to see that part of the world.
A great platform to work on. Fun and Integrity. Love it! I had a brief engagement on the Murchie, as an Elec/Tech with PSN, and it was a great atmosphere. Thanks "Murchie". Johnny Adams, (Cockney Johnny).
My father, John W Norris, was a drilling supervisor for Conoco on the Murchison in the 80's. He also worked on the Hutton TLP when it was first commissioned. He passed Febuary of last year.
Good to read all the comments about the Murchison! The cup on the hard hat comment was hillarious!! It wasn't uncommon to see three or four guys walking about with cups on their hat's on a daily basis!! HA-HA! I can recall one night before we knocked off night shift that a serious water fight broke out amongst the drill crew, everything from surgical glove water bombs, hoses and buckets were utilised!! I had a whole dustbin full of water thrown over me from above the shaker room!! HAPPY DAY'S!! , and good memories!!
Hi ya, my dad Ron Lucas passed away in August last, 2009. He had some fab stories about the Murchison. We even have video footage. All in your orange boiler suits. Aah he had some good memories there.
Well I'm sitting in Houston and laughing my arse off. I was on Murchison for Conoco in the mid 80s for a brief period and walked around the platform with 2 cups on my hat for hours until eventually I saw my reflection. The amazing thing was how everyone else could keep a straight face. The tannoy call was "Squirrel Drilling Engineer to the floor" and off I went.
I worked for Conoco at HQ in London in personnel/training dept. in the late 70's/early 80's. Still have a Conoco commemorative perspex paperweight block containing Murchison Field First Oil, September 20th, 1980. It's been with me these past 30 years wherever I have worked.
I was a commissioning spark on the Murchison at the hook-up had a great 8 months, 3 week trips doing 15/16 hour days.tOt would kill me now. I have photos of when the Uncle John was lifting the flare boom on, I was commissioning the flog light on the corner closest to the camera on the pict above. Holee mackeral! one of the ropes snapped to a sound like a bullet, I must have been off my rocker.
I too worked on the Murchison during the late 70's early 80's and still have the commemorative paper weight - great platform to work during the hook up.
Added by John on 10 June 2010.
My Dad Jim Law worked on this rig as a QA/QC Engineer I think. He also worked on the Hutton TLP in the same role. He died in 1999 of smoke inhalation in a house fire.
Yes have to agree with Angel on that comment, we used to have 3 o clock flight and it was called the money flight as you were quite often kept on for an extra day because it had been cancelled!!!
I was lab tech on Murch at start up. Took the first oil samples that ended up in the commemorative acrylic blocks Lesley mentions above! Great platform great people. Went onto the Hutton TLP for a few years. Took that first oil sample too.
I don't think I've seen so many positive comments about one particular rig. Only goes to show what a great bunch worked on the Murchie over the years. There were some real characters on there, one chap in particular shall remain " nameless " but I'll always remember his moral boosting saying: " Gie Yer Muckers Dunger A Damm Good Thumbing!! " Had me in stiches everytime I heard it !!
Added by Anon on 16 October 2010.
Worked on the hook up in 1980ish for M&A, anyone around from that time? Damn cold up there!!! The coldest time I ever had in the North Sea!
Yeah winter time on there was murder, especially for the drill crew. I can remember painting handrails in a gale force wind. I think my overalls had more paint on them than the handrails did !! Anything to look busy !!
what was nice was the modules were all enclosed so it didn't get too parky. In the winter you hardly saw the sun and in the summer it only dipped below the horizon for an hour.
Added by John Monteith on 14 December 2010.
Hello all!! First set foot aboard on 31/12/79 at 19.00. I switched the absolute FIRST platform lighting circuit on and stayed until hookup completed 12 months later. Worked for James Scott as welding and TL spark. Went back as contractor for James Scott in 1990 and liked it so much I stayed until 1998. By then the job had changed so much for the worse that I was glad to leave and end my offshore career of 23 years. A BIG hello to Eddie/Billy Robertson and all the Conoco sparks/crew. Great lads! GRANDFATHER clocks!!! Retired and never worked since. (BIG smiley x 3).
I am so fortunate to have been part of the Murchison team from its very early days. As many of the others have written, Murchison had a team spirit and environment unlike many other installations. I smile each time I glance at the Murchison picture on my wall. Great place, great people.
I was on the Murch from it's commisioning to the point of sale. Wonder if anyone remembers me, or if not my memorable performance as Cinderella in the Panto?
I was on the Murchison hook-up, came alongside the platform on the Borgland Dolphin barge. Great days and times. When it finished I moved to the platform, along came a vessel called the Berg Worker which was a boat so every day shuttling to the platform back and forth. I had a mate called Jim Mooore from Glasgow, he dealt in gold offshore and he used to bring king prawns and other goodies to me every day on the platform.
As a Roustabout on nightshift with nothing much to do, one would start to get a bit peckish after midnight. A quick call to the galley asking for a steak and onion sandwich for the driller and it was job done!! The driller on our crew ate quite a lot of steak and onion sandwiches!! :)
I was on the hook up as well on the Dolphin electrican, was on a Norwegian pipe laying vessel for two trips. Great grub but we were so far down in the bowels of the ship the shower was painful on your skin.
Added by J Monteith on 03 March 2011.
Nice reading these comments I am about to join the Murchison on 5th April and I have heard good and bad things The comments have eased some of my fears.
My dad worked on the Platform during construction stage. I would have been under 10 years old at the time, Dad was 3 on 2 off? I remember the 'name' Borgland Dolphin believe that this was the accomodation rig that came alongside after the legs were towed out and sank? Was there a gangplank walkway between them? I half remember many stories of the time, but would love to get a better picture. Sadly Dad died in 1999 and though we were close, we never talked enough about his time on the Rigs. His name was Phil Brady, a welder from Glasgow. My main memories are of copious amounts of Conoco stickers and memorabilia, but they are all gone now! I think only the odd photo exists. If any of the guys from the time have any recollections, I'd love to hear from you.
I had 2 stints on Murchison - at the start in 1979 and again in 1993. Great times on both occassions. Good to see Simon, Bob H and Don Anderson offering comments. Sad to hear John Norris passed. I still work for the ConocoPhillips.
I worked on the Murchison/Borgland Dolphin on the hook-up stage on the catering crew. Chris Stratford. Now on the Buchan and the Piper. Best rig I ever worked on!
Ah! the sods opera! bob was a star along with Les. Siumon an ugly sister. Had my own small part. Great fun great days. Miss the old girl. Any one still have a copy of the Murchison movie? I have some copies of the Team Pix that were done at one time. Drop me a line if you want a copy.
I worked on the Murchison in the early 80's for Bawden Drilling. Good times and great crack, wonder what happened to Speedy, Ernie Dow, Mick Read, George Fleet etc..??
I worked on the Murchison from May to October 1980 as roustabout for Bawden.The best rig I ever worked on? the only rig I ever worked on!
Added by Brian Collinson on 29 June 2011.
I was a Driller on the Murch for 2 years, Aug 80 - Aug 82, that thing drilled like hell and I know we set all the high benchmarks for performance back then. Diesel based OBM helped, great stuff...anyone remember the near fatal we had on a foggy attempt to find the heli deck in an S61? Flew past the standby boat, then over the helideck, then between the west crane and derrick, then head on into the flare. Just missed it and needless to say we were more than upset about it. Closest I have ever came to losing it in 40 years on rigs. It was a great rig to work, lots of good hands and I know a lot of them went on to become successful OIM's, managers, supers, trainers, all around good people.
I think the Murchie was the only rig I worked on where I felt settled within an hour of starting the first shift on a trip. This was due to the familiar faces and the " Crack " in general. I was on there for nearly a year, and had the same cabin every trip. Laundry dropped off outside your door before breakfast, Smashing!!
I worked on the entire Murchison hook-up for Blandford Offshore. Great rig with good lads. I was lifted over the side on a billy pugh to cut the sea fastenings for the derrick sections. I still hate that crane driver who lifted us as high as he could then spun us round the rig once before dropping us onto the supply boat. Lots and lots of great stories from that job.....
Added by Neil Carson on 16 August 2011.
I just spent my last trip on the Murchison out of the 5 platforms I cover it was my favourite, and only one I am going to miss. everyone friendly alot of good times had on good ol Murchi and alot of laughs.
Added by Anna Bergstrom on 22 September 2011.
I worked as a Roustabout/Roughneck on the Murchie for KCA Drilling around 97/98. Best thing I can remember was the grub; especially over the festive period. Saddest thing I remember was hearing the news that princess Diana had died; affected the whole crew.
Does anyone know Stuart Law, Dave Reilly or Graham Walker who worked on the construction/ engineering (integrity) side of the Murchison? I would like to get back in touch.
Hi Stuart, How could I forget you!. Dave still working for Petrofac in Bridge View. I saw him there a couple of months ago. Graham as far as I am led to believe is still with Petrofac I last heard of him being in Australia with them. Hope this helps
Think Graham Walker is an OIM on Conoco Philips LOGGS Platform. Southern North Sea.
Added by Bob Hutchinson on 18 January 2012.
My name is Leslie William Ashdown and I was the Project Sevices Manager working under Tom Marr from 1974 until first Oil production. This was a fantastic project which finished on time and within budget due to the excellent achievement of the personnel working onshore and offshore. This is one of the great memories of my life
Added by Garve Scott-Lodge on 24 December 2007.