OGA crackdown as number of suspended North Sea wells to double to 1,500
The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has forecast that the number of suspended wells in the UK North Sea will surge beyond 1,550 within five years.
Oil and Gas UK
North Sea’s ‘fragile confidence’ would be undermined by exploration ban, warns industry expert
A ban on future exploration licences would “undermine the fragile confidence” within the oil and gas sector, an industry expert has warned.
‘It feels like virtue signalling’: Industry reacts to North Sea exploration ban report
UK jobs and companies would “pay the price” if ministers agreed a ban on new North Sea exploration, according to a senior industry source.
OGUK: North Sea exploration ban would ‘risk’ net-zero future
The UK’s leading oil and gas industry trade body has said any potential ban on new exploration in the North Sea would put the country’s net zero future at risk.
Oil supply chain can ‘have cake and eat it’ despite fossil fuel export policy changes
An industry chief is optimistic that government policies axing support for fossil-fuel-related export activity still give scope for the oil sector to “have its cake and eat it”.
Business leaders including Sir Vince Cable react to Aberdeen Budget package
Business leaders, including former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, have welcomed a £30million-plus Budget package for the Aberdeen energy sector.
Showcasing game-changing energy technologies
The rapid transition under way in energy means that now more than ever the sector must grasp the opportunities presented by technology.
Bad behaviours of previous downturn back to the fore in 2020: report
Poor commercial behaviours that blighted the North Sea oil industry during the 2014-16 downturn were increasingly on display in 2020, a new report shows.
North Sea operators shelve half a billion pounds of decommissioning spend: OGUK
North Sea operators have shelved more than half a billion pounds of decommissioning spending, according to a new report from Oil and Gas UK (OGUK).
North Sea oil industry ‘teetering on the brink’
A North Sea trade union boss has warned the oil industry is “teetering on the brink” due to a lack of activity and investment in the basin.
OGUK survey aiming to give ‘much-needed’ insight into diversity and inclusion
It’s hoped a new first of its kind survey will give a "much-needed" insight into diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the oil and gas industry.
Report highlights ‘very worrying signs’ for North Sea employment
Industry body Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) said today it is seeing “very worrying signs” for employment in the North Sea sector.
North Sea big hitters rally behind new deal for offshore contractors
More than 20 North Sea oil industry big hitters are rallying behind a new collective deal for workers ahead of a critical deadline this week.
Covid and maintenance backlog balancing act putting workers at risk, union boss warns
A union boss said yesterday that the difficulty of balancing platform maintenance backlogs against the risk of Covid-19 outbreaks was putting North Sea workers in a “dangerous situation”.
North Sea industry ‘still in control’ despite recent Covid resurgence
North Sea safety bosses have insisted the oil and gas industry is “still in control”, despite a recent resurgence of Covid-19 offshore.
Oil industry making changes at scale and at pace to lower emissions
In February I wrote about the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition, prompted by a speech by Oil and Gas Authority chairman Tim Eggar.
Union boss suggests ‘job sharing’ for North Sea workers as Chancellor unveils new scheme
A trade union boss has suggested creating a “job share” scheme to help safeguard North Sea oil industry workers’ positions until offshore activity ramps up next year.
Proposed North Sea deal would ‘level playing field’ again, chiefs say
A proposed new North Sea collective bargaining agreement will level the playing field for service companies and give workers more protection during turbulent times, industry chiefs said.
CHC ‘up for the challenge’ of evolving amid price pressures, boss says
North Sea helicopter bosses created some turbulence of their own last month with eyebrow-raising statements about competition and pricing pressures.
Concerns UK oil regulator ‘losing balance’ in net-zero push, Neptune chief says
The North Sea oil industry’s old guard is concerned that the sector’s regulator is “losing balance” as a result of its efforts to help government meet net-zero targets, a top boss has claimed.
Roadmap 2035 on course despite industry challenges
Over eight actions identified by the UK’s offshore oil and gas industry as essential if it is to realise a successful future in a lower carbon future have already been delivered, with a further 20 underway, despite the pressures heaped on the sector by the coronavirus pandemic.
OGUK welcomes trio of new board members
Representative body Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) has welcomed bosses from BP, Neptune Energy and CHC Helicopter onto its board.
OGUK webinar to highlight progress on sector’s road to recovery
The drive to ensure the UK oil and gas sector is taking collective action to stimulate its own recovery will be thrown into focus in an industry webinar next week.
Asymptomatic testing could be key in meeting increased energy demand during autumn and winter
Making asymptomatic testing available for all offshore workers could be critical in ensuring the industry can meet increased energy demands during the winter months, according to safety bosses.
Rise in category B cases offshore attributed to Aberdeen Covid-19 outbreak
An offshore safety boss has blamed a local outbreak in Aberdeen for a rise in the number of North Sea workers that have come into contact with people showing symptoms of Covid-19.