North Sea Transition Deal chance to transform UK fossil fuel industry
News ahead of tomorrow’s Budget that Scottish businesses are set to receive a boost to energy transition efforts have been widely welcomed by our industry.
Insights
Jason Leitch confirms north-east Brazilian Covid variant cases worked in oil and gas
Scotland’s National Clinical Director has confirmed the trio who tested positive in Aberdeen for the Brazilian Covid variant worked in oil and gas.
Developing an all-energy workforce for a net zero future
The transition to a lower carbon economy, including commitments by the UK and Scottish Governments to achieve net zero by 2050 and 2045 respectively, coupled with increased urgency around climate action plans leading to COP26 in November, have sent a clear message.
Coping with Covid and training for the future
Three of the north-east’s top oil and gas industry training providers share their insights on the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic and energy transition with emeritus editor Jeremy Cresswell.
UK Government moves ahead on carbon capture projects
On 10 February 2021 the UK Government published a consultation paper seeking views on an approach to sequencing the deployment of carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) clusters.
Is cash behind ScotWind delays?
Does anything ever go right for the ambition to turn Scotland’s renewable energy resources into actual jobs? Waiting for Godot was a brief intermission by comparison with delays in matching that rhetoric to reality.
Future generations will condemn our inaction on jobs
The future of the energy system belongs to our children, grandchildren and all subsequent generations. But what we do now regarding climate change will determine the quality of that future.
Government quarantine rules pushing oil workers and families to ‘breaking point’
An oil boss has warned that government hotel quarantine rules are pushing north-east workers and their families to “breaking point”.
What would Scottish thermodynamic giants have thought of our hydrogen future?
I watched a Scottish Energy Forum’s webinar - The Future of Hydrogen in Scotland - presented by Stuart Mckay, the Scottish Government's head of hydrogen policy.
Developing a high-tech catalyst production industry in Russia: challenges and opportunities
Environmental requirements around petroleum products are becoming increasingly stringent, and the share of heavy oil in the refining process is rising. In response to these challenges, Russia has undertaken large-scale modernisation of its oil refineries. Deep conversion of raw hydrocarbons is becoming essential. Catalyst processes are key to facilitating this, and, as such, now account for more than 80% of all secondary oil-refining processes.
Employers very wary of ‘no jab, no job’ policy, says top oil and gas lawyer
Most oil firms would be “very wary” of trying to enforce a “no jab, no job” vaccine policy for its workforce, according to a top employment lawyer.
Process Safety: Empowering frontline workers
For the oil and gas industry, saying that safety is a ‘top priority’ doesn’t come close to capturing the extent of our commitment – we work to make sure that safety is ingrained in every company’s culture, and we won’t rest until all of our colleagues feel that all the risks they could face at work are addressed.
IR35 reform: what oil and gas firms must do by 6th April
While COVID-19 and Brexit have dominated the agenda for oil and gas businesses in recent times - and rightly so I should add - there is a third issue that this industry is taking just as seriously. I am, of course, referring to IR35 reform in the private sector.
Ithaca reducing manning level on North Sea platform after Covid-19 outbreak
Ithaca Energy is reducing the number of crew on one of its North Sea installations after a Covid-19 outbreak.
Updated: Stena Drilling launches petition urging UK quarantine exemption for oil workers
An Aberdeen-based drilling contractor has launched a petition urging the UK Government to give oil workers returning from overseas a full quarantine exemption.
The impact of carbon pricing on the UK
Earlier this month saw the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) daily carbon price hit €40. The EU ETS has been in place since 2005 and covers power and heat generation; energy-intensive industry sectors (including oil refineries, steel works and production of iron, cement, etc); and commercial aviation. For many years the carbon price traded below €10 but since 2018 the price had increased more than three-fold.
People make this industry special
In years to come, when we reflect on 2020, it is evident that COVID-19 will be the topic that immediately leaps to mind in what was a challenging year for us all.
John Swinney accused of ‘dithering’ over offshore worker quarantine exemption
John Swinney has been accused of “dithering” over a coronavirus quarantine exemption for oil and gas staff amid growing anger over a lack of clear answers for workers and their families.
Holyrood to ‘consider’ quarantine exemption for Scots returning from overseas oil jobs
Nicola Sturgeon said today that the Scottish Government would “consider” excusing Scots from having to quarantine in hotels on their return from overseas oil jobs.
Aberdeen chauffeur shares tales of transporting oil and gas workers during pandemic
An Aberdeen chauffeur firm carried out two roundtrips of more than 1000 miles in as many days as part of efforts to help oil and gas workers during the pandemic.
Democratise, decentralise, decarbonise: the UK’s energy policies need to gather momentum ahead of COP 26
With the net zero transition looming ever closer and the eyes of the world turning to the UK ahead of COP 26, the time is now to put in place an integrated, detailed energy strategy. The long-awaited Energy White Paper published by the Government late last year gave impetus to many priority actions, but momentum has to continue to build to answer the urgent questions and detailed aspects to delivering these bold visions in the run-up to the COP.
Strict Scottish quarantine rules slammed by union chief
A trade union boss says making Scots go into quarantine hotels when they return from overseas oil jobs is “utter madness”.
Concern over quarantine impact on Scots returning from oil jobs overseas
Scottish residents who travel abroad to work in the oil and gas sector will be required to quarantine upon their return.
Morgan Stanley: Gasoline industry is about to become totally worthless
The average energy investor is by now well aware of the sector's monumental shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Coal-powered power plants have been shuttering at an alarming clip as the price of electricity from natural gas and renewables undercuts them while wind and solar generation continue to gain the ascendancy.
Carbon Prices – a key lever to accelerate the energy transition
Economists have long been familiar with the concept of “negative externalities”, which may be defined as a cost that is suffered by a third party as a consequence of an economic transaction.