© Credit Jasperimage 
Environmental campaigners in the guise of Doctor Who’s nemesis, the Daleks, have staged a protest at the OEUK Conference in Aberdeen.
The Extinction Rebellion protesters argued against pro-oil and gas lobbying, which they claimed the trade body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) supports. OEUK argued that it is not a lobbying organisation.
Over the weekend, OEUK published a report which claimed the UK has the potential to produce a further 7.5 billion barrels from the North Sea, if the government sets the right policy to enable domestic oil and gas investment.
© Credit JasperimageIn response to the protests, an OEUK spokesperson said: “The Daleks have never been defeated by shouting but by strategy, science and sonic screwdrivers.
“Just like the doctor, the UK energy industry is constantly evolving and regenerating to survive, which is why we’re backing the responsible production of domestic oil and gas alongside the acceleration of UK renewables.”
OEUK hosted its annual conference in Aberdeen on Tuesday, which hosted the state-backed GB Energy’s chief executive, Dan McGrail.
In addition to McGrail, the OEUK conference had speakers from Westwood Global Energy, Wood, and North Sea operators BP and Serica Energy.
Speaking to Energy Voice, Extinction Rebellion Scotland spokesperson Levi Clark said: “We’re here to protest the extent and influence of fossil fuel lobbying on Scottish and UK politics.
“At conferences like these, fossil fuel lobbying is really influencing the future of the North Sea and the UK’s energy security.”
The UK’s need for a ‘full industrial strategy’
© Credit JasperimageClark pointed to a 2023 Robert Gordon University (RGU) report, which found that the UK offshore energy workforce can increase by up to 50% from over 150,000 in 2023 to 225,000 by the end of the decade if the right level of investment is made in the energy sector.
However, the 2023 Powering up the Workforce report explained that to achieve this headcount growth, the UK would need to invest in oil and gas as well as renewables.
The latest findings from RGU’s Energy Transition Institute also warned that 29,000 offshore jobs could be lost by 2030 if the energy transition is not managed appropriately.
Report author, Professor Paul de Leeuw, called for a “full industrial strategy” from government which would support oil and gas production to manage the transition and ensure that the ramping up of clean energy sources can meet the decline in oil and gas and as a result expand the number of jobs in the industry.
Clark claimed that the oil and gas lobbying is delaying the energy transition and, as a result, is reducing the number of jobs in sectors such as offshore wind.
