BP plan raises graduate prospects - graduate jobs

Plans to extract oil from a North Sea reservoir will see BP create a raft of graduate jobs as part of a £700 million investment.

The Kinnoull site, the largest of three reservoirs developed as part of a bigger project in the Andrew platform area, is expected to produce around 45,000 barrels per day, BP says.

Production from the site is expected to start in 2013 and the company believes around 1,000 jobs in total will be created in areas like Wick, Invergordon, Newcastle, Hartlepool, Leeds and Bristol due to the work improving the Andrew platform about 142 miles north-east of Aberdeen.

With the addition of a 750-ton process module to the platform, the expected time for completion is over two years. The platform is due to remain closed for 18 months.

Trevor Garlick, regional president for BP's North Sea business, said: "The Kinnoull project is a further demonstration of BP's vision to sustain a material and high-quality business in the North Sea region.

He added that it is also a showcase of the UK's phenomenal undersea expertise and ability to create employment opportunities nationwide.

Copyright Press Association 2011