In the survey taken at this weekÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™s Offshore Europe event, the issues of ageing assets and access to talent were jointly ranked first, with 29% of respondents identifying each as their primary concern. Legislation also featured, with 15% of respondents ranking it first, due to the increasing complexity of the global regulatory environment.
The survey
Peter Richards, Vice President Marketing and Communications LloydÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™s Register Energy, said: Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»œAcross the world, assets are reaching maturity, access to reservoirs remains challenging and many experienced specialists are nearing retirement. On top of that, the Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»˜digital oilfieldÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™ brings an increased need for strong capabilities in mathematics, statistics and data alongside the traditional science and engineering skill sets. This survey reflects those industry dynamics.Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»
Offshore Europe
The theme of this yearÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™s Offshore Europe, Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»˜Inspiring the next generationÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™, also reflects this, and recognises the need to understand what the industryÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™s future looks like and to build a talent pipeline to support it. But in the low oil price environment, many organisations need to make difficult decisions in order to achieve cost reductions Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»“ and that may prove to be counter-productive in the longer term.
Following the technical session on talent development which was chaired by LR Energy during the conference, John Nicolson HR Director, LloydÂé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»™s Register Energy, commented: Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»œEven as the energy industry braces itself, companies must keep one eye on the future Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»“ if the talent pool is diminished (in quality or quantity) the business will be less able to leverage the upturn when it arrives.Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»
The contemplated outcome
As the debate at Offshore Europe 2015 illustrates, how the industry addresses these challenges is critical in ensuring the continued long-term growth of the industry.
There are no easy answers but one thing is clear from Offshore Europe 2015: the industry is aware of the challenges and is actively looking for solutions to drive long-term growth.
Edited from various sources by