Chaa…chaa…chaa….chaa…changes…

The oil and gas industry has changed beyond all recognition since the early days of North Sea oil in the 70s.

A former operations manager and customer of Insulcon Technical, Jim Chalmers, reflects on his 45+ years of working in oil and gas and why he has been specifying Insulcon Technical products for over a decade.

Jim said: “Going offshore in 1976 to work in oil and gas in the North Sea was an easy decision for me. It was a brand new, exciting industry and extremely well paid. Double what I was getting in the onshore building and construction pipefitting business.

“When offshore, the weather could get so bad it would lift you off your feet, but the meals were fantastic. You could have steak for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you wanted, and there were always lots of exotic foods you would never get the chance to eat at home.

“The attitude towards health and safety was very different back then. Lots of companies were investing heavily in the North Sea and wanted a return on their money, so it was all about getting the oil out of the ground as quickly as possible.

“Smoking was allowed in several places. I shared a room with three other guys who smoked, and from morning until night they were lighting up when in the room. For me, as a non-smoker, it was horrendous!

“From an insulation point of view, a number of areas were fireproofed with asbestos materials, while the pipework was normally insulated with glass fibre or rockwool insulation. These types of insulation tended to hold in the moisture and were a real job to remove.

“Corrosion would form under the insulation, but as the pipework was covered, no one saw it. Quite often, upon inspection, pipework would need to be replaced. It was a costly problem – still is. But now the industry only insulates the things that absolutely need it.

“Due to innovation and environmental considerations, Insulcon Technical has developed removable insulation jackets, which can be removed, pipework inspected, and then the jackets refitted. It’s a much more cost-effective and environmentally friendly system. This has revolutionised the way that inspections and regular maintenance take place.

“It also means fewer re-works as previously when the insulation and cladding were removed, some of it would be damaged. This meant it had to be replaced with new insulation or cladding, resulting in more time and cost being implemented for the task.”

Jim has met some high-profile people during his time in the industry. As well as having lunch with King Charles – when he was Prince Charles – he has played golf with Alex Salmond, met Nicola Sturgeon, and even met Donald Trump by chance when he was sitting on his own waiting to play a round of golf at his course near Aberdeen.

“The oil and gas industry has been fantastic for Jim, and thousands of others like him. It’s provided jobs and a great living for decades.

Jim explains: “In the early days the wages were in a brown paper packet, not BACS transfer like it is now and they were great! In 1977 I went to see my bank manager to borrow money for a new car. The bank manager said he needed to see some of my payslips and when I showed him, he asked ‘Is that monthly?’ ‘No, weekly,’ I replied. The look on his face was a picture. Needless to say, I got the loan.

“Those were the Halcyon days.

“Things are slightly different now. But with the cost of energy, it’s even more important that we manage the supply of our energy very carefully. For those suggesting we just turn off the taps for oil – well, that’s just impossible.

“If you look around any office, most things – from headphones to pens – are all made from a by-product of oil. The energy industry will transition to greener fuels eventually, but we’ve got to be realistic, and this will take many more years.

“It’s about making important changes that we can do now. We need to change things to make them less costly, longer-lasting, and look at products that can support the environmental changes the world needs.

“I’ve got great admiration for Insulcon Technical and its approach to energy efficiency. Making insulation jackets as thin and light as possible and cutting back on things like packaging and transport costs. It shows innovation and underlines why I’ve been working with the company closely as a partner for many years.”