Opinion: Winter is coming…
Well it is official, summer is over, autumn is here and winter is coming.
Daily
Offshore contracting’s perfect storm
Helen Dickson, a corporate transactional lawyer with Burness Paull, explains how the offshore contracting industry is being hit by a perfect storm of lower margins, higher risk and squeezed staff numbers.
US stocks make big gains at the end of a turbulent quarter
Wall Street stocks rose across the board following big gains in Asia and Europe, a buoyant end to the worst quarter for the market in four years.
Entries open for the 2016 Offshore Achievement Awards
The hunt is on for potential winners of the 2016 Offshore Achievement Awards (OAAs) in a timely reminder of “great success stories” still happening in the energy industry despite its woes.
Opinion: Women in STEM – we need to rebrand the image of our industry
The news that so many girls growing up in Scotland don’t think they are smart enough or too weak to pursue a STEM career is a wake-up call for everyone involved in helping these young women make choices about their future.
Opinion: Women in STEM – Real-life role models cannot be underestimated
At St Margaret’s School for Girls we read the article which showed a quarter of girls in Scotland aged between 11 and 16 do not think they are clever enough to become a scientist with great interest. In girls’ schools across the country it has long been acknowledged that building confidence and self-esteem in girls is key to their success in the classroom, particularly with regard to the uptake of science and maths. The number of our girls pursuing STEM subjects at university continues to be high and is in stark contrast with the figures released by EDF Energy today.
Video: Energy Institute’s Nigel Bradburn encourages workforce to remain positive
The chairman of the Energy Institute said those facing potential redundancy should remain positive about finding alternative work. Nigel Bradburn had just begun forging his own career in oil and gas after working in the military when he found himself looking for work in 1997. The former commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force sat down with Energy Voice after the Energy Institute was invited to take part in the recently held PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) event.
MP self-funds trip to the US as decision looms over shale bid in his own constituency
An MP whose constituency has a decision date on a fracking application looming self-funded a trip to the US in a bid to find out more about the production method. Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake flew out to the state of Pennsylvania for a week to meet with industry leaders, regulators and academics. The decision to go on the fact-finding mission was prompted by fracking applications in his own area.
Oil supply and demand more balanced, says Vitol chief
The Scot at the helm of oil trading giant Vitol said yesterday he saw signs emerging of a better balance between global oil supply and demand. Ian Taylor refused to speculate on where oil prices may be headed next, adding: “Traders always get these things wrong.” But addressing delegates of the Kazenergy Eurasian Forum in Kazakhstan, he said the market seemed to be settling after months of volatility.
Eland boss takes heart from new regime in Nigeria
Eland Oil and Gas said today it welcomed a transparent, level playing-field for foreign investment under a new political regime in Nigeria.
WWF claim world heritage sites under threat from oil and gas exploration
Almost a third of the world’s natural World Heritage Sites face the risk of oil and gas drilling or mining, a report has warned. In Africa, almost two-thirds (61%) of the continent’s world-renowned natural sites are under threat of exploration for fossil fuels or minerals, the study by conservation organisation WWF, Aviva Investors and Investec Asset Management found. The 31% of World Heritage Sites under threat worldwide range from Africa’s first national park, Virunga, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to critically endangered mountain gorillas, to China’s Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Liquidity squeeze is on for Norway bonds as oil drop drains cash
Norway’s bond market is feeling the squeeze and the country’s regional banks are the main victims.
BiFab to be ‘mothballed’ within weeks
Workers are being made redundant at the BiFab yard in Lewis which is preparing to be mothballed within weeks.