Opinion: Why Wall Street Is Throwing Billions At The Permian
The collapse of oil prices has ground shale drilling to a halt, but the one region where drilling is still active, and even increasing, is in West Texas.
Opinion
Opinion: A lot of water has passed under the bridge since ONS 2014
Norway’s biggest oil show, ONS, describes itself as an exhibition, conference and festival.
Opinion: If you’re betting on an OPEC freeze, don’t ignore Iraq
When the OPEC nations last met with Russia to agree an output freeze, back in April, it was Saudi Arabia that shot down the deal -- refusing to take part without Iran. This time both countries may be more accommodating; the stumbling block is more likely to be Iraq.
Opinion: Keeping strategy on the agenda
It is well recognised that at a national and international level, the oil and gas industry has been extremely hard hit by the downturn in commodity price. More than 350,000 jobs have been lost since oil prices started to tumble in 2014, and Oil & Gas UK has estimated 120,000 jobs linked to the North Sea will have gone by the end of this year.
Opinion: Improving power quality to meet future energy needs
Future airline and ships will be powered by data, but many more will be powered by electricity. The electric car has made its flashy debut and hit the road; the solar-powered electric plane recently completed its round-the-world trip.
Opinion: Could a lithium shortage de-rail the electric car boom?
We've gone electric, and there's no going back at this point. Lithium is our new fuel, but like fossil fuels, the reserves we're currently tapping into are finite—and that's what investors can take to the bank.
Opinion: GERS figures reflect Scottish management under remote control
In most countries you would be unlikely to see politicians rejoicing at a major fall in revenue from one of its prime industrial sectors, yet with the publication of Government Revenue and Expenditure Scotland, that is exactly what we have seen from Labour and Tory politicians alike, who seem oblivious to the impact the oil downturn has had on families and individuals.
Opinion: Deficit gap and spending policies brought into focus
The 2016 GERS figures should prove thought-provoking reading for taxpayers and users of our public services in Scotland.
Opinion: No more referendums – just get Scotland back to work
Earlier this week, oil and gas industry leaders gathered in Aberdeen for a breakfast briefing on the future funding of exploration and production in the North Sea. The message was clear: there are funders out there, and public agencies can help, but tough times call for new ways of attracting investment if the industry is to prosper.
Minimum facility platforms hold key to unlocking small North Sea pools
It is estimated that there are around 201 small pools containing more than 1 billion barrel of oil equivalent in the North Sea. These pools may be marginal, but they have the capacity to stimulate the much-needed economic recovery of the UKCS.
Getting into the Minds of the Malicious: why we need cyber intelligence
What’s your motivation? That’s the common question asked of many an actor but it’s also a highly relevant one in the cyber security industry - particularly when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure. Understand the reasons for an attack and you’re more likely to be able to narrow down the field and focus resource on attack mitigation. But gaining that information can be difficult.
Opinion: Retiring, redundancy…what this means for your cash
A significant number of people working in the energy sector are approaching retirement and a substantial number are also being offered redundancy packages.
Progressing in the oil and gas industry
At a time when opportunties at a significant low and new projects have dropped it is difficult to consider progressing very far in the oil and gas industry. Competition for employment opportuntiies are at an all time high and more professionals are applying for opportunties that just a few years ago they may not necessarily have considered. Yet, many oil and gas professionals and associated experts have highlighted that the industry can offer opportunities for progression and through diversification can lead to progressing further in the industry.
Opinion: What are your rights if your employer wants to make you redundant?
As a consequence of the oil and gas downturn, a number of employers are having to make difficult decisions around redundancies.
Opinion: North Sea Decommissioning: Failure to act now could mean the worst of all worlds
North Sea decommissioning could be Scotland’s £100 million golden ticket. It’s recently been reported that between now and the mid-2050s, around 470 platforms, 5,000 wells, 10,000km of pipelines and 40,000 concrete blocks will have to be removed from the North Sea. That’s a lot of work requiring a lot of people with the right skills, complemented by the right infrastructure - a fantastic economic and employment opportunity for Scotland.
Opinion: Restructuring on the horizon for oil and gas
The oil price drop has been severe, with a profound effect on the industry. Almost every business is reassessing how it operates and looking for ways to respond – cutting costs and discretionary capex, all the while enhancing production volumes to keep their head above water.
Opinion: Exporting our oil expertise
Scotland is at the forefront of the energy industry with a global reputation for excellence in the oil & gas sector.
Opinion: What does decommissioning mean for the future of the North Sea?
What is your view and recommendation for best practice decommissioning – specifically in the North Sea?
Opinion: Transocean Winner … who really owns this wreck?
Transocean is due to placate the Outer Hebrides communities impacted by the grounding of the dead rig Transocean Winner.
Bob Ruddiman: New energy secretary has “impossibly wide remit”
His new title – secretary of state for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – is “challenging” but Greg Clark, the new "energy secretary" to all intents and purposes, arrived in Aberdeen this week for his first "meet and greet" with industry and civic leaders.
Opinion: The latest evolution of the US gas market
Despite a particularly mild winter, the US power market used 2.2tcf of gas between December and February, an increase of over 10% on the previous year. So what’s driving the growth in gas demand?
Opinion: Decommissioning is a key focus of the SNP
Ensuring Scottish companies are given support from government to win contracts to decommission major oil and gas assets is an industry priority of the SNP, and a key focus of ours when we address what the sector needs now and in the near future.
Opinion: Not a headlong rush into decommissioning, but we should plan ahead
There is no doubt that decommissioning represents a major economic opportunity for the UK over the coming decades.
Opinion: Working capital management key to oil and gas efficiency
The current climate of uncertainty hanging over the UK’s oil and gas sector continues to challenge firms at every stage of the supply chain.
Opinion: Wave and tidal energy taking “enormous strides” towards commercialisation
Marine energy is a sector which has faced its fair share of ups and downs. That said, there remains much to be positive about in both wave and tidal energy in Scotland. Both industries have taken enormous strides forward in the last 12 months, and we are now closer to commercialisation than ever before.