More companies are turning to Aker Solutions, through its recently rebranded consultancy arm, Entr, to navigate the risks and opportunities in an ever-changing energy market.
So far this year, Entr has secured more than 200 studies across several markets, covering low carbon solutions for oil and gas production, CCUS, hydrogen, offshore wind, electrical transmission and aquaculture.
Entr is adapting to a changing market
As the world deals with climate change and governments grapple with energy policy and regulation, Roddy Macpherson, senior vice president of Entr, says it’s important to adapt to a changing market where customers face a complex set of challenges.
He points out: “When it comes to lower carbon energy sources with new technology and business models, there are a host of technical and commercial challenges that need to be addressed. Then there is the cost of developing the energy source versus the market for that energy. Getting projects to final investment decision whilst tackling these hurdles can be very tricky.
“It is important for us to engage with our customers as early as possible in the project development cycle to try and help them make these projects viable and identify and de-risk the associated challenges.”
Entr addresses real market needs
This is why Entr expanded its services over the past year to include origination and decision support as well as owner’s engineering.
Roddy shares: “This is a really exciting development for us.
“We’ve hired new competencies and developed our team in new ways. The origination and decision support team works alongside our subject matter experts to bridge the gap between the commercial and the technical. This allows us to provide opportunity framing, cost analysis, benchmarking and guidance on ESG and regulatory aspects. All key requirements to get projects to market quickly and profitably.
“With owner’s engineering, we’re seeing a lot of customers taking a leaner approach. Some players don’t intend to build big engineering and project execution teams. They want to rely on companies like Aker Solutions with Entr to provide that service.
“This is a smart play because customers won’t have to carry the full-time cost of that team.”
Roddy highlights Entr’s new service lines have been developed in direct response to real market needs.
He explains: “We need these broader skills to complement and unlock our technical mastery, to give customers a big picture answer and a holistic solution.
“That’s what’s important in the early phases – addressing all aspects of a development so you get no shocks or surprises later on.”
Entr builds on Aker Solutions’ strengths
With Aker Solutions’ strong industrial and project delivery heritage, Entr offers customers the expertise and the experience needed to support energy projects.
© Supplied by Aker Solutions / EntRoddy says: “We hope customers see us as an organisation they can turn to for advice and insights in the earliest phases of a development, acting as a trusted partner from inception to operation. Entr is about wearing the customers’ shoes.
“We have the skills to make the business cases work and the execution experience from early mover projects in floating offshore wind, carbon capture and electrification particularly.
“We offer pragmatic and practical advice to our customers based on this real project experience.
“We feel the responsibility to help them navigate the challenges of low-carbon energy.”
Entr has ambitious growth plans after the consultancy was rebranded just three months ago. It aims to double its core headcount to 600 in six years and has the ability to scale its study teams from the 11,000-strong Aker Solutions workforce globally.
By the end of 2024, it plans to recruit around 40 new employees in the UK and Norway, and further expand its hubs in the US, Canada, India and Malaysia.
Read more: Growth in mind as Aker Solutions unveils consultancy rebrand
