THERE is almost nothing the UK offshore industry cannot do, Scotland Office Minister David Cairns told the Offshore Northern Seas show yesterday.
He was speaking at the Stavanger event about the opportunities in the Barents Sea to the north of Norway and Russia.
The minister also told his audience that Britain’s offshore industry operated in a supremely efficient and cost-effective manner.
He added that the UK industry’s greatest selling point was its versatility, and much of that versatile capability had been deployed in other deepwater harsh environments around the world.
Mr Cairns said: “UK industry has an excellent all-round engineering and project-management capability.
“We are especially strong in the fabrication of all kinds of offshore and subsea structures as well as process plant, pumps and valves, particularly in ‘exotic’ materials for use in unusual conditions.
“Power generation, control and distribution systems are also specialities.
“The UK produces various marine vessels and associated equipment for offshore and subsea use, including pipeline construction.
“We are well known for our geological, geophysical and reservoir-appraisal abilities and for the provision of specialist downhole tools and production equipment.
“The UK industry also has extensive capability in liquefied natural gas and operates to the highest standards of human and environmental safety.”
Mr Cairns said all of these capabilities were highly relevant to the kind of deepwater, difficult and environmentally sensitive conditions of the Barents Sea.
He told the Press and Journal after a tour of the stands that the mood among Scottish exhibitors was tremendously upbeat, adding: “Scottish engineering, Scottish manufacturing and Scottish inventiveness are thriving today as much as at any time in our history.”
Recommended for you
