Jobs for the boys (and girls)
I've long been a sceptic as far as the oil and gas recruiting problem goes because I think it's almost unbelievable the industry can't find enough qualified and experienced people to satisfy its demand.
Opinion
Preparing for climate change
While on holiday in Skye recently I had the pleasure of meeting a forester who was involved with the planting of Sitka spruce as part of a carbon offset scheme.
Malaria – an increasing health risk for North Sea rig workers?
While malaria is not a medical problem one would typically associate with workers on North Sea oil rigs, it is nevertheless a condition that warrants a degree of awareness. Indeed, just last month, we assisted an offshore worker who had a case of imported malaria.
Finding a smart exports solution for Scotland
Scotland's record as an exporter is not as good as it should be or needs to be if we are to create economic growth and sustain employment. In recognition of this, the Scottish Government set its own target a couple of years back of doubling the number of companies engaged in exporting by 2020.
Don’t count on UK shale oil prize yet
Every day there are headlines about the shale gas revolution that is engulfing the US and which the current UK Government hopes will sweep the UK.
Trap aims to profit from £60million-plus swoop on North Sea
Trap Oil Group (Trapoil) aims to cash in on a £60million-plus private-equity swoop on the North Sea.
Opinion: Avoiding the traps of confidentiality agreements
Hastily agreed Confidentiality Agreements or Non-Disclosure Agreements (“NDA’s”) are dangerous in the wrong hands. Careers are on the line. Game changing technology can become the equivalent of freeware overnight if not protected. However practice varies enormously when it comes to the terms agreed. Very small businesses might be forgiven for lack of knowledge or management time. Their quoted cousins have less excuse.
Opinion: Climate change – the greatest economic opportunity of our generation
I see the challenges of our generation not as inhibitors of creating a better world, but as exciting challenge.
Opinion: Patent pooling can drive down renewable costs
The renewable energy industry continues to grow in Scotland, but not all companies are fully exploiting the opportunities for protecting and commercialising their innovation.
Re-thinking the often troublesome audit process
Whether it is imposed upon a company externally or driven from within an organisation, audit - that ubiquitous marker of corporate performance - is often a troublesome process.
Where are the Big Boys? Will we ever get the message and build the stuff?
I'm quite sure that like me most Energy readers will have been following or are at least aware of the takeover battle between the UK/Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and its US rival Pfizer with the latter being the "aggressor".
The long road from Dundee to the Western Isles
Dundee is the latest location to notice the chasm that exists between the Scottish government's rhetoric on renewable energy and the reality of what is being delivered.
Fuels game-changer . . . from seawater
Here we go again . . . All-Energy is back in Aberdeen and, hopefully, it won't suffer the meteorological battering handed out by Mother Nature last year.
Opinion: Shale gas? What shale gas?!
As tensions keep growing in Eastern Ukraine and along the Russian border, so do possible threats on energy supplies and a stable diplomacy between Russia and the West. The G7’s leaders have now invited Putin to stay on this club’s doorstep. It has been a while since the Kremlin had been so staunchly ostracized in diplomatic circles. Evidently, GazPutin could not care less and he has got strong reasons to think so.
Information – the undervalued safety asset
Through my studies of disaster inquiries such as Piper Alpha, Texas City, and Macondo, it’s become clear that an organisation's information is equally as valuable as its tangible assets. Whereas poor IM can ripple throughout an organisation, causing it to haemorrhage intelligence through conflicting and contradictory data, effective IM can tie together an organisation’s knowledge in one authoritative set, helping to mitigate risks and enabling greater organisational safety.
Jeremy Cresswell’s take on the departure of Geoff Holmes
It seems that the sudden departure of Geoff Holmes from the top slot at Talisman Sinopec here in Aberdeen has set tongues wagging. This is partly because of what is not said in the tersely worded statement by the company shoved out to the media yesterday
Opinion: ‘Equity’ must stop being an industry taboo
The word you are looking for is “equity”. Is it still a taboo subject in your organisation? It shouldn’t be.
Opinion: ‘Innovation is no longer enough’
In this industry there is a constant conversational flutter around the word ‘innovative’. It’s how we describe our products, our people and our places. And rightly so. It’s what the industry pioneers used to create the offshore landscape and the North Sea’s global reputation. It’s what cemented Aberdeen’s position as the oil capital of Europe. But now as we transition to a new era and begin discussing ‘extending the North Sea’s life’, I wonder if innovation alone is still enough? I don’t think it is.
Opinion: Industry can take its cue from the premier league
I have a confession to make. I’m not a huge football fan. But my 12-year-old daughter is a natural Mia Hamm on the field. At weekends you can usually find me on the pitch side lines with the rest of the parents, so I can’t help but be drawn in to the wider football chat.
Opinion: ‘If we can’t convince the man on site we won’t convince a judge’
“In many ways, telling people what my job is about is straightforward”, the young safety engineer told me. “Process safety, when it comes down to it, is all about keeping the harmful stuff away from where it would do harm. However, explaining what that means I do on a day-to-day basis, that’s another matter entirely…..”
Perspective from OTC: What do Aberdeen, Mexico and Perth have in common?
Long-standing relationships have been cemented at this year’s OTC Houston. The theme of collaboration was apparent when we met with new and existing partners from around the world.
OTC 2014: Aberdeen’s future as a global oil and gas player
In Houston, the Press and Journal's editor-in-chief, Damian Bates, and I chaired what we hope will be the first in a regular series of breakfast debates.
Industry can’t afford to ignore the silent workforce
We all know that the oil and gas industry never stands still. It is always moving, always evolving, and when faced with constant change, the opportunity for uncertainty is rife. But transparent and constant communication can placate the fear and confusion that uncertainty can bring.
Perspective from OTC: ‘Scotland cements role as major oil and gas player’
They’ve been drilling oil out of the ground in Texas for over 100 years – so it’s no surprise that Houston has played host to the world’s foremost oil and gas event, the Offshore Technology Conference, for the past 45 years.
Opinion: Company value can be lost or added at OTC
OTC’s stats are impressive by any standards for a ‘trade show’. The largest annual energy industry showcase in the world pulls in audiences of more than 80,000, from more than 120 countries and representatives from more than 2700 companies.