Colin Phipps
Encyclopedia
Dr Colin Barry Phipps was a British
petroleum
geologist
and formerly a Labour Party
politician.
.
He attended Townfield Elementary School in Hayes, Middlesex
, then Acton County Grammar School
, and the Bishop Gore School
, Swansea. From University College London
he gained a BSc
in Geology in 1955, then gained a PhD
in Geology from the University of Birmingham
in 1957.
Phipps served as Member of Parliament
for Dudley West
from February 1974 to 1979, when he stood down. Being involved in the oil industry made him one of the more wealthy Labour MPs. He joined the Social Democratic Party
in the 1980s, and unsuccessfully stood for election in
Worcester
at the 1983 general election, and Stafford
in 1987.
in Venezuela
, the Netherlands
and the USA. In 1964, well before North Sea Oil was established or even known about, he left Shell and became an independent geology consultant until 1979 (and during his time as an MP) when he founded Clyde Petroleum in 1973, being Chief Executive from 1979-83 and Chairman from 1983-95. Clyde had many involvements in North Sea oil
. From 1989-2002 he was Chairman of Greenwich Resources, a gold mining
company. He was Chairman of the English String Orchestra (and was also involved with the English Symphony Orchestra) and Falklands Conservation
from 1990-2.
In 1996 he founded Desire Petroleum
, staying Chairman until he died in 2009. Although he visited the Falkland Islands
in 1975, he was not hopeful about oil prospects in the area until 2004, when a seismic survey of the geology
showed considerable quantities of oil.
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and formerly a Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Early life
He was born in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
.
He attended Townfield Elementary School in Hayes, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, then Acton County Grammar School
Acton High School
Acton High School & Centre For Media Arts is a state school located in Acton, London specialising in Media Arts.-Admissions:...
, and the Bishop Gore School
Bishop Gore School
The Bishop Gore School is a secondary school in Swansea in south Wales, founded on 14 September 1682 by Hugh Gore , Bishop of Waterford and Lismore...
, Swansea. From University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
he gained a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Geology in 1955, then gained a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Geology from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
in 1957.
Parliament
He stood unsuccessfully in the Walthamstow East by-election in March 1969 and lost decisively.Phipps served as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Dudley West
Dudley West (UK Parliament constituency)
Dudley West was a parliamentary constituency, centred on the town of Dudley in the West Midlands. It existed from 1974 to 1997, returning one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system.-History:The constituency was created...
from February 1974 to 1979, when he stood down. Being involved in the oil industry made him one of the more wealthy Labour MPs. He joined the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
in the 1980s, and unsuccessfully stood for election in
Worcester
Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)
Worcester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885 it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; from 1295 to 1885 it elected two MPs....
at the 1983 general election, and Stafford
Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stafford is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The sitting MP is the Conservative Jeremy Lefroy....
in 1987.
Geology
From 1957-64 he worked with ShellRoyal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and the USA. In 1964, well before North Sea Oil was established or even known about, he left Shell and became an independent geology consultant until 1979 (and during his time as an MP) when he founded Clyde Petroleum in 1973, being Chief Executive from 1979-83 and Chairman from 1983-95. Clyde had many involvements in North Sea oil
North Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
. From 1989-2002 he was Chairman of Greenwich Resources, a gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
company. He was Chairman of the English String Orchestra (and was also involved with the English Symphony Orchestra) and Falklands Conservation
Falklands Conservation
Falklands Conservation is a charitable organisation formed to protect the wildlife and the natural environment of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean...
from 1990-2.
In 1996 he founded Desire Petroleum
Desire Petroleum
Desire Petroleum plc is an oil and gas exploration company headquartered in Malvern, United Kingdom. It owns offshore exploration and production licences in the North Falkland Basin in the waters north of the Falkland Islands...
, staying Chairman until he died in 2009. Although he visited the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
in 1975, he was not hopeful about oil prospects in the area until 2004, when a seismic survey of the geology
Geology of the Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are located on a projection of the Patagonian continental shelf. In ancient geological time this shelf was part of Gondwana, which around 400 million years ago broke from what is now Africa and drifted westwards relative to Africa. Studies of the seabed surrounding the...
showed considerable quantities of oil.
Personal life
Phipps died on January 10, 2009 in a Birmingham hospital. He married Marion Lawrey in 1965 and they had two sons and two daughters. He owned a 195 acre (0.7891377 km²) farm in WorcestershireWorcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.