The Energy Jobs Taskforce that was set up to support jobs in the troubled North Sea oil and gas industry is hosting a gathering of some of its key players today.
Oil and Gas Athority chief executive Andy Samuel, BP North Sea boss Trevor Garlick, Oil and Gas UK chief executive Deirdre Michie and Scottish Enterprise energy and low-carbon technologies director Maggie McGinlay are among those taking part in the private meeting.
The taskforce was launched earlier this year by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to support people trying to find work.
Today’s meeting at the Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, near Aberdeen, has been called to discuss “shared values and principles”.
An SE spokesman said: “This is the first time that so many key players will be in the same room at the same time. It is designed to start moving the industry forward.”
Speaking last night, Ms Michie said: “Significant change is required if the sector is to positively come through this downturn.
“With participation from the workforce, the unions, industry leaders and other stakeholders, this event aims to draw out how the culture in the sector – and particularly leadership – might affect this transformation . I look forward to an engaging day, with tangible recommendations.”
Mr Samuel said: “Given the challenging backdrop for our industry, now – more than ever – is the time to create a future of collaboration.
“We have a real opportunity to identify and remove behavioural barriers, set clearer expectations between organisations involved in the North Sea, learn from positive examples and secure leadership commitment to sustainable cultural change.”
Mr Garlick said it was vital for the industry and its partners to find new ways to work together more effectively.
He added: “In order to achieve this, I believe we should identify the type of positive behaviours that everyone – operators, joint-venture partners, contractors, service providers, customers and regulators – can put into practice in our day to day interactions to remove some of the traditional blockers that add complexity to our industry.
“The Energy Jobs Taskforce has rightly identified this as a key area of focus.”
Mrs McGinlay added: “There’s strong appetite for change throughout the oil and gas sector.
“The Energy Jobs Taskforce has been driving forward an ambitious plan to bring together a wide range of key representatives from across the industry to identify the type of behaviours that are needed to achieve collaborative working.
“Identifying the positive behaviours that need to underpin the current focus on cost efficiencies, has the potential to transform this sector and help achieve what we all want to see – a sustainable and profitable North Sea oil and gas industry for decades to come, supported by a thriving supply chain.”
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