Closing address

This conference, as such conferences should, has ranged very widely. We have gone from one design philosophy to opposed views on design philosophy. Basically this is really what conferences should be about. It is the interplay of idea and counter-idea, and the consequent refining of thought, which is the essence of creative engineering.

There has been first-class construction news, with much discussion on foundation problems and the actual sea bed conditions. Protection and human hazards have been covered. In fact all the various interdisciplinary factors involved in these sea structures have been aired.

I am glad that so many countries have been represented here. The part that the UK has played in offshore exploration and exploitation until comparatively recently has presented a pretty dismal picture. We in the UK did not realize what was happening. We did not realize the potential, and therefore for all the early know-how on this we had to go abroad. It has taken a long time even to start convincing the oil companies that UK engineers now do know something about the business of working in the North Sea. At last, however, a UK group has been appointed as a certifying authority, which will mean more platforms and jackets will be required to be designed in accordance with UK regulations and codes.