Calling on oil and gas expertise to deliver green goals

Almost half (45%) of politicians surveyed claim the UK has the people and skills needed to deliver cleaner energy sources through the development of technologies including wind, solar, hydrogen and carbon capture.

“We have the necessary knowledge and expertise, which we have honed over decades of work in the North Sea, and these skills will be needed to overcome the inevitable challenges that will come as we expand into cleaner technologies,” said Alix Thom, workforce and skills manager, OEUK.

“In fact, many of our members are already developing cleaner energy projects, playing an important role in the expansion to wind, hydrogen and carbon capture. It is vital that we cultivate a strong national talent pipeline, which will enable the younger generation to contribute towards the production of wind, hydrogen, carbon capture, usage and storage, as well as oil and gas that will be required in the years to come.”

Transition

Recent research indicates that over 90% of the UK’s oil and gas professionals have medium to high skills transferability, meaning the UK has a strong and skilled workforce who are well positioned to work in adjacent energy sectors.

Highlighting this point in the survey, around three quarters (73%) of MPs said they believe the UK’s net zero goals can only be achieved through collaboration with the oil and gas sector, which currently provides 75% of the nation’s energy needs.

However, the majority (55%) of MPs claim that the declining number of applications for energy-related higher education courses is a concern, with 18-24 year olds making up just 12% of the total workforce.

Consequently, a third (34%) of officials believe that the way the media and politicians talk about the transition to wind, solar, hydrogen and carbon capture deters young people in the UK from working or training in the energy industry.

The survey also underlined that there is no simple choice between oil and gas on the one hand and renewables on the other.

OEUK said that the reality is that to keep the lights on and grow the UK economy, both are needed. By the mid-2030s, oil and gas will still provide for 50% of the UK’s energy needs.