2-847-844 - Historic England Archive/Heritage Images

An aerial view of the launch site of the North Coates pipeline, showing the pipeline, a cofferdam, floating sheerleg with accompanying tug and a header barge. The civil engineering work on the North Coates oil pipeline was carried out by Laing Pipelines along with French companies Entrepose and GTM, and the main contractor for the dredging work was Dredging and Construction Company along with Adriaan Volker of Rotterdam. The launch of the pipeline took place at 12.30 on 16th June 1970 and took 3hrs to complete. At this time, it was the largest sea pipeline to be placed off the British coast. This photograph was published in July 1970 in the Laing monthly newsletter 'Team Spirit'.