Photo: This rig drilled UK’s first offshore well

The photo above shows a jack-up drilling rig that was the first ever to drill an offshore well in the UK North Sea.

The rig, named Mr. Cap, was operated by American Overseas Petroleum Ltd. The well was drilled 165 miles offshore the United Kingdom.

According to data on Chevron oil company’s website, it was the farthest offshore operation attempted at the time.

The rig, built in 1957, drilled UK’s first North Sea well half a century ago, on December 26, 1964. Although the well came up dry, as Chevron put it, the well broke new ground in offshore operations, proving the capability of drilling year-round in the North Sea’s harsh environment.

Mr. Cap retired in 1987.

Offshore Energy Today Staff