Hibernia: Promise of Rock and Sea

Richard G. Kuhn is an associate professor of geography at the University
of Guelph.

Lavishly illustrated with photographs by Greg Locke, this large-format
book is a celebration of the completion of one of Canada’s largest and
most ambitious energy megaprojects. The book covers everything from the
people involved and the technology used to the building of the drilling
platform and the towing of the completed structure to the Grand Banks.
It also places the Hibernia project in the larger historical context of
Newfoundland and considers the impact it will have on the people and the
economy.

Unlike other books about megaproject development that tend to focus on
the technology, Hibernia gives us the stories of the men and women who
built the structure, or who provided support for those involved in its
design and construction (the rescue teams, cooks, welders and
carpenters, as well as the politicians, architects, and engineers). The
pride of achievement is captured admirably.

For readers unfamiliar with the development of the Hibernia oilfield,
this book is an excellent introduction. For those who helped to build
the structure or those who hope for the “promise of rock and sea,”
Hibernia is highly recommended.