Global solid in 2009, but 2010 less certain
ROY MacGregor, of Global Energy Group, has just come through an excellent 2009, especially with regard to inspection, repair and maintenance of drilling rigs.
Stacked rigs contradict the oil price
Captain Ken Gray, of Cromarty Firth Port Authority, sees huge renewable energy opportunities for Scottish-based companies, but believes government needs to do more to ensure that they are not swamped by foreign competition.
Sevan Marine wins Goliat FPSO project
After protracted negotiations, Sevan Marine has finally sealed the Goliat production-vessel contract with Italian energy major Eni.
Round Three starting pistol, says BWEA
The announcement of the UK's Round Three offshore windfarm programme flags the single largest energy endeavour for Britain since the dawn of North Sea oil.
Major prizes in prospect for bold Falklands explorers
Within just days, the semi-submersible, Ocean Guardian, should arrive under tow off the Falkland Islands following an epic journey that started in the Cromarty Firth and which, except for a brief pause at Falmouth to shelter and allow the anchor-handler, Maersk Traveller, to repair a towing cable, was relatively routine.
Pivotal role for Amec and Senergy
Aberdeen is to play a key role in Gateway, the most ambitious gas storage project attempted in the UK, the Rough facility excepted.
KD Marine and MOS team-up for North Sea campaign
ABERDEEN company KD Marine has secured a contract with Far East company Mermaid Offshore Services (MOS) to provide fully integrated saturation, air diving, daughter craft and ROV services from the advanced dive support vessel, Mermaid Endurer, covering the European market.
Little hope of 20,000 renewable jobs
Scottish Government ministers, in late-January, predicted that renewable energy projects would create at least 20,000 jobs in Scotland over the next few years.
Warning – beware of zealots
You can see why, if one believed in divine intervention, it would be tempting to conclude that the great freeze of past weeks was a message rather than an unfortunate piece of timing.
Whatever happened to bio-fuel?
Been to your local petrol station recently? Of course you have and, like me, you will have been horrified to see that both petrol and diesel prices are now well over £1.10 per litre.
Davy Jones finds gold in locker
A couple of issues ago, Dick Winchester suggested in his Both Barrels column that shale gas could perhaps one day play a major role in satisfying the UK's hunger for energy. After all, he said, if shale gas can work in North America, it can just as easily succeed in Europe.
CT claims investment paves the way
MARINE Current Turbines (MCT) has raised £3.5million from an investor group led by Carbon Trust Investments Limited and including Bank Invest, EDF Energy, High Tide and a group of significant private investors. The funding is intended to help MCT in its plans to deploy what it hopes will be the UK's first commercial tidal energy farm in domestic waters within the next two years.
US-China deal a threat to Europe
A DEAL between a US company and the Chinese threatens European dominance of offshore-capable wind turbines.
North and Black Sea pay-offs in the bag
2009 was a very important year for Sterling Resources thanks to a deal that allowed the Scottish petroleum minnow to remain a stakeholder in Breagh, which ranks as the largest natural-gas discovery made in the UK Southern North Sea for at least 10 years.
Keeping fishermen safe
Ensuring that the UK oil&gas industry operates in the safest manner possible is a top priority, but so too is sustaining an environment in which others can do the same.
UGC another opportunity for North Sea
As this column was being written, world leaders were meeting in Copenhagen to try to agree targets for reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions.
Power play – the battle for the energy ‘stans’ of Central Asia
Refining margins and profitability of E&P activities are in decline across Europe and post-Soviet Russian energy infrastructure remains in need of significant investment to be able to service all contracted clients.
One world, one industry – and one standard
New year, new horizons, new challenges. It is sound business advice to say that if you stand still for too long you get left behind.
The shape of things to come – the practical impacts of new 50% tax
In announcing changes to the tax rates and personal allowances for high earners in the UK's 2009 Budget, the Chancellor said that the measures were "necessary to build our recovery and secure our country's economic future".
Scholars cream of energy crop
Something of a tradition has grown in Aberdeen over the past few years whereby a number of student prizes and scholarships are awarded in the run-up to Christmas.
Jewel apprentice top of the class
COLLEGE student Mark Wigginton is top of the class after being named oil&gas industry Apprentice of the Year by OPITO - The Oil & Gas Academy.
Scientists propose fuel cell-based power station alternative
A NEW type of gas-fired power station could provide electricity with zero carbon-dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and at costs comparable to, or less than, conventional gas and even coal-fuelled plant, it is claimed.
Bio-fuel not as green as thought
ETHANOL, which is often promoted as a clean-burning, alternative and renewable fuel capable of partially weaning Euro-motorists and their American counterparts off crude oil-based products such as diesel and petrol, may not be so green after all.
‘Boat tail’ helps cut HGV carbon
A boat tail, a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a lorry, can lead to fuel savings of up to 7.5%, according to road tests carried out by PART (Platform for Aerodynamic Road Transport), a Dutch public-private partnership.
Huge promise claimed for new-generation nuclear
ADVANCED technologies offer ways of reducing the quantity of nuclear waste, scientists in Finland claim.