RGU team of academics set to get the measure of North Sea workers
A research project using the latest technology has been initiated in Aberdeen to measure both the size and shape of offshore workers.
Insights
Hydraulic fracturing – promise or peril
Controversy over hydraulic fracturing (HF) or "fracking" for shale gas has split the bed-rock of public opinion. Proponents point to the promise that HF will shift the balance in global value chain energy supply.
Time for a little grovelling from the UK Government
Oh no, not another UK energy minister shoved out through the revolving door and another sucked in.
North Sea oil and an Independent Scotland
In Autumn 2014, the people of Scotland will have a chance to vote on Scottish independence. For those of us in Aberdeen, among the many issues to be considered in casting our vote will be the implications for the oil and gas industry.
New approach to supplier risk required
Industries impacted by recent supply chain disruptions are moving quickly to improve their ability to manage procurement risks. Oil and gas companies can learn from their experiences.
Militant threat in North Africa . . . nothing new
I have met the events of recent weeks in North Africa with great interest and a large degree of disheartenment. As former senior intelligence analyst for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region, assessing these kinds of attacks was part of my daily work.
Is the UK suffering from ‘Dutch Disease’
No . . . it's got nothing to do with trees but an intriguing economic phenomenon that I have to admit I'd never come across until I heard it being discussed on a recent radio programme.
Precious sleep – chief nourisher in life’s feast
Getting enough sleep is important for our physical and mental health. When we are asleep our senses and motor activities are suspended and we experience total or partial unconsciousness with our voluntary muscles becoming inactive.
EU sees light over North Sea safety
For those unfamiliar with EU-speak, the quite positive response from Oil and Gas UK to the news of political agreement on offshore safety legislation might have seemed a little surprising.
Are mergers and acquisitions really worthwhile? Or a waste of time?
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the oil and gas industry have attracted a lot of publicity in recent weeks. Various bodies have produced reports on the number and value, which appear to have reached record levels in some respects.
Fram; whatever is going on Shell?
Energy has reached a milestone . . . its 10th birthday. Launched in March 2003, it was the successor to the Press & Journal's Offshore Journal which was published semi-regularly throughout the North Sea big boom and monthly from 1992 until replaced by Energy.
Call to declutter landscape and work together on skills issues
Have you ever noticed how good ideas seem to come in waves? Blu-ray and High Definition DVD, Microsoft Windows and the Apple Mac, even the films in our cinemas seem to follow a trend with one box office hit sparking a flurry of similarly themed offerings which leave the audience unsure about if they picked the best one to spend their money on.
Behind the bars of Britain’s political zoo
There are times when I seriously wonder whether the zoo that calls itself the UK Government has a clue about anything. As the carousel of time spins ever faster . . . or it seems that way . . . I become increasingly disillusioned about the manner in which we are governed.
Forecasters must be independent . . . free of any political bias
If there is one thing that particularly annoys me it's journalists and economists who have little real knowledge of the energy sector, not just passing themselves off as oil industry experts, but being accepted as such by some politicians because the story they're being told by them just happens to fit their particular political aims.
UK fabrication yards’ performance remains dismal
There has been a lot of good news from the North Sea oil and gas industry over the last few weeks, notably the announcement of over £5billion investments in the Mariner and Western Isles oilfields.
Setting stage for grand offshore power-grid scandal
Just about everyone, with the not-very-notable exception of Donald Trump, favours offshore wind farms - at least in principle.
Real-time environmental supply chain impact poses key challenge
The UK Government's long-awaited Energy Bill and concerns over its commitment to setting clear and challenging decarbonisation targets, has put energy policy firmly back on the agenda.
Tough new guidelines for UK offshore drilling now in force
New requirements to ensure operators have resources to pay for well control incidents are now in force.
Managing risk through global employment organisations
Ernst & Young's recent Global Mobility Effectiveness Survey found that 67% of oil and gas companies present in emerging markets expect to increase their presence by 2014.
Challenge of offshore health management
Expectations within the offshore oil and gas sector have changed over the years such that exposure of staff to risk has become increasingly unacceptable.
Don’t let complacency creep into your subsea campaigns
As operators face the dual challenge of sustaining their production levels in mature regions while effectively exploiting the uncapped reserves in growth areas, the potential for subsea capital expenditure for the remainder of the decade has increased dramatically.
Iesta brings together the very best of Scottish training providers
It wasn't that long ago that there was debated uncertainty surrounding the future of the North Sea and all the industries linked to its operation paid close attention.
Key themes to consider in 2013
On the macro front, crude prices were resilient in 2012 despite the extensive volatility that marked the broader markets as a variety of European and US debt crises played out and economists fretted over the sustainability of growth in China.
Recent news provides food for thought
A scan of news from a variety of media sources over recent days provides interesting food for thought.
Energy Alphabet: Win an iPad with your take on tidal energy
The topic for December is Tidal energy about which there has been loads and loads of stuff in the media of late. Tidal energy is seen as an important new resource that Scotland has loads of.