Has trust been restored? Let us hope so
As the dust settles on another budget, and the "Granny Tax" occupies fewer column inches, it is good to reflect on where we are in the evolution of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) fiscal regime.
Opinion
Nurturing our oil & gas supply chain
For too long, some have perceived the UK's oil and gas contractor sector as the silent partner in contracting relationships.
A meaty question!
Over the past few weeks there have been numerous articles in the media about the dangers of eating red meat. Some were quite scary with headlines such as "Eating red meat kills!" So where does the truth lie and should we cut back on our consumption of red meat?
Decom mirage giving way to hard reality
I have read many reports on the UKCS decommissioning market over the last decade, as many other people in the industry must also have done. All have proved to be wildly inaccurate in relation to both the size and timing of the market, which has been very much smaller than predicted.
Green Energy Bank . . . controlling expectations
One of the few certainties about the Green Investment Bank which is due to open its doors later this year is that it will not be short of prospective customers.
Budget benefits are a step in the right direction
The new measures for oil and gas not only represent a reversal of the acknowledged “faux pas” in last year’s budget but also recognise the contribution the industry can and is making to the UK’s economic growth.
Osbourne tosses a crust
“I’m right aren’t I that the £10billion tax grab (announced a year back) hasn’t been reversed?,”
“What a difference a year makes”
A year ago the industry was reeling in shock at a surprise £10billion tax grab on oil and gas producers.
The Brussels North Sea safety regulations hi-jack
It is not necessary to be a raging opponent of the European Union and its works to believe that sometimes it becomes involved in matters that are better left to the discretion of national governments.
Why Trump is very wrong
I really wanted to write about shale gas economics and practicalities this month because there's a lot that needs saying. However, I'm really going to have to sort this bloke Donald Trump out because he seems to be under the strange delusion that a golf course is more important than Scotland's industrial future.
Laudable but unrealistic renewable energy targets
The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee of the Scottish Parliament have asked me to submit evidence to their current inquiry into the Scottish Government's renewable energy targets.
Are LNG’s days numbered?
A decade or so ago, liquefied natural gas was fast becoming the big strategic play in the natural gas industry. It had the potential to make big money in a world of shrinking energy resources and mounting environmental pressure to cut dependency on coal for firing power stations, especially among OECD nations.
Striving for commercial excellence
When we trust someone to perform a task on our behalf it is natural to expect them to deliver. When we trust scores of suppliers to deliver hundreds of services, often across the globe, it gets a bit more complicated.
Iraq . . . a minefield of complexities
One of the fascinating aspects of working in the oil and gas industry is its political context. Take Iraq, a country in which we are doing an increasing amount of work. Iraq could fairly be described as one of the most vibrant and, at the same time, the most legally unstable, hydrocarbon jurisdictions in the world today. Just consider that:
Strong oil prices open doors for the cash rich
Our demand for energy is immense and growing. World energy consumption continues to grow and with China and India representing over a third of the world's population, their rapid development is set to increase energy consumption significantly in the coming years.
Shaken but not stirred
Protein shakes are a part of a daily workout regime for some of those who are trying to get fit or bulk up quickly.
Grappling with operational risk assessments offshore
The UK portion of the North West Europe Continental Shelf is a harsh and unforgiving environment in which to explore for and produce oil and gas. In that environment we learn to expect the unexpected and to respond effectively to "abnormal" situations.
The Falklands are a smokescreen
The publication of a report by Argentina's Energy Institute (IAE) this month on the state of the country's energy sector has confirmed to many observers the decline of the past decade.
Safety penny dropping in US Gulf of Mexico
The oil capital of the world, Houston is a key destination for a huge number of organisations within our industry.
Year’s activity outstripped expectations
The key driver of merger and acquisition activity in the oil and gas sector is the relative strength or weakness of commodity prices.
Oil sanctions: How effective are they?
I have been working in Syria on a gas project but had to leave because of the political situation there, plus the imposition of sanctions by the European Union (EU) on that country's oil and gas industry.
What is Longannet’s future? Now that’s the question
The biggest question at the heart of Scotland's future power supply is not about renewables, though that is where the main focus tends. Rather it is Longannet.
Why we need a UK National Oil Company
You'll remember that around the New Year when the 30-year-old UK Cabinet papers were released it was revealed why the then Prime Minister, one M Thatcher, opposed the idea of government investment to help build a gas gathering pipeline network which would have created thousands of new jobs in various plastics and chemical industries.
We told you so, Osborne
So the Treasury has screwed up big-time over its North Sea tax grab; or at least that's how it seems.
2012: shaping up to be a busy deals year
The past year has been a rollercoaster ride for oil and gas investors to say the least, with volatility being the theme which dominated the headlines. That said, we look forward with cautious optimism towards what 2012 may bring.