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.
Opinion
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.
For those who haven’t the foggiest!
Anybody who has been stuck on a platform at the start of their shore leave will know - only too well - that fog can disrupt their plans, and at this time of year when the fog does come it can be particularly bad.
The American stealth energy machine
When dramatic change occurs quietly, there is always a danger that its significance will be correspondingly under-estimated.
UK E&A crawls along into Q2
Nine wells are currently active on the UKCS, representing an increase of one since last month. The tally comprises three West of Shetland, five Central North Sea and one Southern North Sea probes under way.
Deepwater rig rates at watershed
There are signs of a sea change ahead for the deepwater rig market as rates soften and, so it appears, contract terms might be shortening.
The US market . . . fast moving and attuned to change
As we get to May each year a significant number of UK-based business leaders will make the annual pilgrimage to OTC in Houston. And it's with good cause.
Petrobras’ technological challenges and solutions for ultra-deepwater
In 2007, the Brazilian government revealed that largely state-owned Petrobras had discovered massive quantities of pre-salt light oil and gas. We are talking about an estimated 100billion barrels.
Cyber Risk – a new threat in the energy sector
Globally, it is estimated that cyber-attacks against oil and gas infrastructure will cost owners $1.87billion by 2018. In the US, 40% of all cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure in 2012 occurred against the energy sector.
Energy at the epicentre of Ukraine dispute
John Drake, Head of Intelligence and Max Hess, Intelligence Analyst at AKE Group, discuss the unraveling conditions in Ukraine and energy's role in it all.
Wood Review-interesting times ahead for industry lawyers
In many respects, however, the fiscal changes discussed are the most straightforward to implement. More challenging may prove to be the legal and regulatory innovations that the Review proposes.
Opinion: Ernst & Young’s Barry Fraser-Africa a continent on the move
Africa is on an upward growth curve, and it is both real and sustainable, underpinned by a longer term process of social, political and economic reform.
Climate Change – We need to deal with it
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has just released its third and final report on climate change.