Shell has released a new documentary marking the life and final days of production on the Brent Charlie platform.
Using historical archive footage, and new interviews with crew members and industry players such as Sir Ian Wood, the film tells the story of the iconic field.
It also documents the final moments of production for the Brent Charlie on March 31, 2021, the last of four platforms in the field to shut down.
Interviewees detail how the Brent field started up in the wake of Britain experiencing an energy crisis in the early 1970s.
The documentary goes on to highlight the challenges of construction and installation of the engineering marvels, which “was comparable to putting a man on the moon”, as described by Oil and Gas UK CEO Deirdre Michie.
Filmmakers outline the highs and lows of Brent Charlie over its 40-year life, from its economic contribution to the UK economy, to serious safety incidents offshore.
Even the consequences of changing ice cream brands in the canteen are touched on (“There was such an uproar from all of the workforce, and some considerable diplomacy was required to ensure people didn’t down tools”, said Brent decom manager William Lindsay).
Then the official moment of shutdown is captured when Shell’s longest-serving staff member on board, Derek Child, brought production to a close.
Brent Charlie follows the Delta, Alpha and Bravo shutdowns at the field and will be the last set of topsides to be removed.
Dismantling of the platform is expected to take another two years, the operator stated.