The opening section shows Ruston TB gas turbines in use on the Trans Andean oil pipeline in Peru. Oil is pumped 550 miles through the rain forest, over the Andes and to a tanker loading station at Bayovar on the Pacific coast. We then see views of an oil platform in the Mediterranean off Tunis that also uses a Ruston TB and is operated by Elf Aquitaine. Next we see a North Sea oil rig being floated out to the BP Forties field and views of a working platform followed by an oil pumping station at Flotta in the Orkneys in Scotland that pumps oil to tankers positioned in Scapa Flow. The history of the Ruston gas turbine is then covered with a still of the original 3CT gas turbine followed by views of the Ruston TA (introduced in 1952). We then see extensive views of the Ruston TB (introduced in 1970) being assembled and tested in the Lincoln works of Ruston Gas Turbines Ltd. Graphics are used to describe the workings and we also see electrical circuit boards being assembled and tested. We then return to applications with shots of a TB in use pumping crude oil in Texas and views of the ski resort of Bariloche in Argentina where two TB generator sets provide power for the whole town. We then see views of a cement works at Umm Bab in Qatar where the TB works in a harsh desert environment and finally an oil pipeline to Umm Sa'id where reliability is highlighted with the use of an unmanned pumping station.
Photography: Peter Brown
Editor: Vic Neve
Executive Producer: Bryan Copplestone
Production Consultant: Bob Daughton