AOG survey reveals 'skills and knowledge shortage' as critical issue

Lloyd’s Register Energy spent last week at AOG 2015 challenging oil and gas companies to rethink their approach to safety, performance and technical innovation to secure the world’s energy supply in a sustainable way, from reservoir and refinery to beyond. Lloyd’s Register Energy is a division of Lloyd’s Register, a global engineering, technical and business services organisation wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to research and education in science and engineering.

“According to demographers, the world’s population will reach 8.5 billion people by 2035. These billions of people will need a stable economic environment and sustainable energy supply to meet the needs of a growing population,” said John Wishart, group energy director of Lloyd’s Register.

“So where does this leave the oil and gas industry, not only to meet the needs for 2035 of a heavily populated planet, but here and now?”

A Lloyd’s Register Energy survey of exhibitors at AOG 2015 revealed more than 36% of respondents consider shortage of skills and knowledge to be the primary issue. The regulatory environment (23%), ageing assets (17%), commercial barriers to collaboration on innovation (16%) and inability to adopt technology (8%) were also seen to be important issues.

Other challenges facing the industry include a continued focus on increasing safety in FLNG, developing cleaner and more efficient hydrocarbon technology, while work on new forms of energy provision must be stepped up.

These issues were borne out of an oil and gas executive dinner that the company held in Perth on the factors affecting Australia’s oil and gas future.

At the close of AOG 2015, Lloyd’s Register Energy identified three short-term priorities the industry must address if future oil and gas assets are to be safely and reliably exploited.

They are: striking the balance between safety critical issues and operational pressures; improving the prioritisation of maintenance so that safety critical areas are addressed and not deferred; and ensuring competence through technology and innovation to help deliver on upcoming energy sources - maximising economic value and energy security issues.

“The responsibility for ensuring the future of the oil and gas industry lies with each of us - business, academics, regulators and government alike. By working more collaboratively, more intelligently and with a greater vision, then we will all effectively advance the industry’s success,” highlighted Wishart.