The Sea Gem was the first British offshore oil rig and the first British offshore rig disaster when in 1965, the rig’s legs collapsed, killing 13 of the crew.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The Sea Gem was the first British offshore oil rig and the first British offshore rig disaster when in 1965, the rig’s legs collapsed, killing 13 of the crew.
Worked on Sea Gem at the dock,the base was originally part of a wartime built heavy lift crane,definitely showed its age,more rust than steel.
The Sea Gem wasn’t at Furness, it was Smiths Dock where it was outfitted after being towed from somewhere in France. The outfitting didn’t take too long – 3/6 weeks approx. Workers went onboard at the mouth of the Tees to get a quick start.