Kelly Brown and Robert Phillips, from the employment law team at Addleshaw Goddard, examine the implications for oil and gas employers & employees of new requirements for helicopter baggage searches.
Europe is too reliant on Russian gas. In fact, Europe is too reliant on gas full stop but it being mainly Russian gas makes it even more problematic.
Far from having an energy production, supply and distribution machine that is robust and flexible as claimed, the UK’s is in a mess.
Don’t fritter away Scotland’s ScotWind millions, argues former energy minister Brian Wilson, on the £700m coming to the country's coffers.
Moving home is up there with being one of the most stressful things alongside divorce and bereavement. We need to bear in mind that not everyone is excited about moving or is moving through choice. It could be down to a breakdown in relationship and family life, the death of a loved one or financial issues.
The decision by Oil & Gas UK to broaden its remit and change its name name to reflect the UK’s intended shift to low carbon energy pretty much across the board comes as no surprise.
With a major focus on net zero goals and navigating the global pandemic, the value of resiliency is abundantly clear.
Despite COP26 talks, last year saw renewable growth fall to its lowest level since 2010, with these figures falling every year since 2015. If the UK is to hit its 2050 net-zero targets, Government and businesses must ensure that they uphold the COP26 pledges throughout 2022. With the UK’s ambitious targets to cut emissions by 78% compared to 1990 levels, and ensure all electricity comes from clean sources by 2035, tougher policies are needed to make sure that the country does not falter in its commitments to meet the 1.5C global warming target.
In climate circles, ‘energy transition’ is the phrase on everyone’s lips. The global effort to shift energy generation away from polluting fossil fuels to clean, green renewables is as massive a challenge as anything the world has faced.
Renewable energy is at the forefront of efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the UK yet 2021 showcased both the highs and lows of relying on renewables.
I’m a little bemused. Inevitably the ScotWind lease awards were going to trigger all sorts of claims about how the Scottish offshore wind supply chain will gain from this huge project, but nobody seems prepared to explain exactly how this will happen given that we don’t actually have a supply chain of any note particularly when it comes to the high value hardware.
By 2030 half of all UK wind farms will be over 20 years old. Not only will the wind turbines have reached the end of their design life after 20 years, but the projects' leases, planning permission and other contracts will have been structured around this 20 year period.
Supply and demand fundamentals drive oil prices. Things like OPEC+ production plans and US driving patterns matter the most — until they don’t. That’s when the wizardry of Wall Street takes over, giving prices a push up or down beyond what the physical fundamentals warrant.
The ScotWind licencing announcements on January 17th were certainly a welcome and hugely material vote of confidence in the future of the offshore energy sector in the UK.
The oil and gas industry has an essential role in supporting the UK Government’s ambitious plans for the transition to net zero.
Maybe yesterday should be renamed Green Monday rather than Blue Monday. It was certainly a day to celebrate the ambition for renewable energy in Scotland as the ScotWind licencing round was announced with provision for significantly more GW than anticipated.
It has been more than 20 years in the making, but at last Aberdeen has got its big chance to prove that it really can become a major player in offshore renewables and especially wind.
On July 14, 2021 the EU unveiled its much anticipated ‘Fit for 55’ package of proposals to align the trading block with its 2030 emission reduction targets.
As the world moves towards a net-zero scenario for the building sector, it is anticipated that significant investments are required to achieve this scenario.
Since early 2020, the challenges presented by Covid-19, coupled with increasing pressure to decarbonise operations, resulted in the oil and gas sector facing one of the most challenging, and transformative, periods in its history.
The New Year is a time for staying close to home so, in that spirit, I will take a look at some energy-related issues that affect the Western Isles and will come to a head in 2022.
While energy sector attention is focused on the low-carbon narrative, the short-term outlook for upstream activity is positive as we head into 2022. Consensus amongst industry analysts point to significant percentage increases in activity for next year, with further increases in 2023 and beyond.
Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa, with the government highly dependent on oil revenues. As such, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is crucial to the country and the state.
With the results of the first ScotWind offshore licensing round now imminent, it is perhaps worth having a wee cogitate about what the sustainable benefits or otherwise could accrue to Scotland.
We’ve made it to 2022, it’s easy to think 'how are we still in this situation!?' You could be forgiven for feeling like 2021 almost didn’t happen. That old saying ‘two steps forward three steps back’ comes to mind. But it’s more important than ever to focus on your own mental wellbeing and for companies to focus on employee metal health and wellbeing now.