A Place in the Sun

From medieval times to only twenty years ago, the pace of change in the Shetland Islands was slow. Then in 1972 it was announced that North Sea Oil would be piped ashore to a terminal at Sullom Voe. The project cost was #20 million. By the time it was completed, the terminal cost #1.3 billion. The establishment of the super terminal pitted crofters, fisherman, merchants and politicians against multi-national giants, merchant bankers and the best corporate legal minds in Britain - and against each other. Johnathan Wills chronicles the development of the Sullom Voe terminal and its impact on Shetland culture, economy and environment, both during its construction and since. He compares Shetland's experience with Alaska's, and argues that while many concessions were gained from the multi-national conglomerate that finances the project, in the final analysis the game was theirs.