A photographic print of Industry, Fuel & Power, Oil - Including Gas - From Sea Bed, North Sea Explorations

FOR FIRST PUBLICATION IN DAILIES OF FRIDAY OCTOBER 9TH NORTH SEA GEOPHYSICAL OPERATIONS. OCTOBER 1964 BRITISH PETROLEUM HAS BEEN AWARDED PRODUCTION LICENCES BY THE MINISTRY OF POWER, COVERING SOME [illegible] MILES IN AREA, TO SEARCH FOR AND PRODUCE OIL AND NATURAL GAS UNDER THE NORTH SEA ADJACENT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE AREAS LIE OFF THE COAST OF DURHAM, YORKSHIRE AND LINCOLNSHIRE. THE COMPANY HAS DRAWN UP PLANS FOR ITS OWN SUBSTANTIAL DRILLING PROGRAMME. THE BP AREA HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO THREE PRODUCTION LICENCES, IN EACH OF WHICH ONE DEEP TEST WILL INITIALLY BE DRILLED. THE PROGRAMME FOR FURTHER TEST DRILLING WILL BE DRAWN UP AS DICTATED BY EXPERIENCE. IT IS EXPECTED THAT EACH WELL WILL BE ABOUT 12,000 FEET IN DEPTH AND WILL COST AT LEAST £500,000. DRILLING OPERATIONS WILL COMMENCE AS EARLY AS PRACTICABLE IN 1965. GEOPHYSICAL WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN IN ORDER TO AID SELECTION OF DRILLING LOCATIONS. PHOTO SHOWS: ON BOARD THE SURVEY VESSEL "TEXIN" - SIGNALS FROM THE SHOCK WAVE ARE FED INTO THE SHIP VIA THE STREAMER, WHICH IS RUN OUT ASTERN OF THE SHIP AND IS SOMETIMES WELL OVER A MILE LONG. IT IS THIS STREAMER WHICH RELAYS THE EFFECT OF THE SHOCK WAVES FROM THE DEPTH CHARGES [illegible] FROM THE ROCK FORMATION BELOW THE SEA BED. EACH WAVE, BESIDES BEING RECORDED ON TAPE, IS PHOTOGRAPHICALLY REPRODUCED AS AN IMMEDIATE VISUAL CHECK.