By Michelle Handforth, chief executive of Aberdeen Harbour Board
Covid-19 has had an unarguably dramatic and far-reaching impact on everyone, and on organisations of all types – we have all felt the effects of lockdown and the economic slowdown. However, even as we saw a fall in revenue at the port due to reduced oil and gas activity and fewer ferry sailings, the pandemic brought out the very best in our employees, stakeholders and customers.
Data is key to good decision making in all sectors of industry and society and the Technology Leadership Board Digital Technology Theme highlights the truly disruptive potential of digital technologies. As we move towards a net zero economy, only through exploiting cross sectoral data can we achieve the potential of digital technologies, thereby aiding a smooth and sustainable energy transition. Combining data from the oil and gas and the renewables sectors with the nascent hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) industries will provide a platform for the best decision making. At the National Decommissioning Centre (NDC) we are initiating several projects which will help deliver this.
As Bernard Looney took to the stage in London in February to announce his plan to transform BP Plc for a low-carbon future, the U.K. capital confirmed its first case of Covid-19.
Noble Corp., the offshore drilling contractor, filed for bankruptcy with a plan to cut more than $3.4 billion of debt after a crash in crude prices made undersea oil wells too expensive.
By Dr Fiona Rayment OBE, Chief Science and Technology Officer at the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL)
As the UK begins to emerge from lockdown, there have been calls from business leaders and senior figures in government for ‘Building Back Better’ – an initiative aimed at ensuring the Coronavirus recovery plan prioritises climate change.
Independent Oil and Gas (IOG) has picked Dutch contractor HSM Offshore to provide the production platforms for phase one of its core project in the southern North Sea.
The energy sector today is a constantly changing, evolving and complex landscape. It is continuously seeking to find an equilibrium in the turbulence of supply and demand, fossil fuels and renewables, and survival and growth. All of which is underpinned by fierce competition for investment.
Two senior tax professionals have joined the Scottish tax team at EY in the latest announcement of growth and investment by the professional services firm.
A host of north and north-east companies and projects have been given cash injections through the Scottish Government’s decommissioning challenge fund (DCF).
Families of those killed in a helicopter crash off Shetland will be handed transcripts at the end of each day of evidence heard “virtually” at a fatal accident inquiry in a bid to allay fears of any potential technological problems.
Global marine and engineering consultancy LOC Group is looking to boost its north-east headcount in an effort to meet demand and secure new opportunities.
Fast-tracked North Sea decommissioning projects should be used as a “skills bridge” to get hundreds of oil workers over the current job-cuts crisis and into green energy roles, a new report said.
As someone who has previously run for parliament, allow me to attempt a typical politician’s response. Converting a redundant oil platform into a major Aberdeen tourist attraction is a great idea which I support. Or, then again, perhaps not. It’s definitely one of the two. There: that’s my bases covered.
French energy giant Total this morning announced first-half net losses of £6.5 billion, but provided some cheer by maintaining its dividend and celebrating a major discovery off Suriname.
Bosses at Prosafe are hoping an office move will “refresh and reinvigorate” the firm’s Aberdeen operations at a time when the oil and gas industry is at an “all-time low”.