THE BURNING:QUESTION

18 INSIDER March 2020 http://www.insider.co.uk

Q

The burning question

Q

Is the North Sea energy sector well placed to

transition into a clean and green energy centre?

YES

Norman Wisely

partner

CMS

North Sea oil and gas companies have the

skill to remain a world-leading energy centre.

They’ve consistently delivered innovative

solutions to meet our energy needs with

many diversifying into lower carbon projects

including windfarms, solar power and carbon

capture utilisation. While the industry needs

to commit to achieving net zero and needs

regulatory certainty to realise the North

Sea’s potential as a clean energy centre, it’s

encouraging organisations like One North

East, OGTC and Aberdeen’s universities are

taking a lead in making it happen.

YES

Bob Buskie

chief executive

Port of Cromarty Firth

The North Sea is a fantastic natural

resource for renewable energy and, from

the Port’s perspective, the existing

engineering, subsea and services supply

chain capabilities from the oil and gas

industry will assist in this transition.

For example, the Port has already won in

excess of £20m in renewables contracts

from a number of offshore wind projects.

More projects like this are in the pipeline

and will provide a profitable, sustainable

future for the area.

NO

Chris Smith

managing director

Texo Group

There is no doubt the energy services sector

has the ingenuity to drive the North Sea

transition but there are significant gaps

in the market that need to be addressed

urgently to ensure it is delivered and

achieved. In addition to the need for

supply chain taking pole position in the

commissioning of offshore wind and tidal

energy schemes, operators and government

will need to pull out significant strategic

plans to decarbonise North Sea operations

as well as move boldly to implement carbon

capture and storage projects.

YES

Mike Beveridge

managing director

Simmons Energy

For decades the oil and gas industry

has solved some of the most complex

engineering problems in one of the harshest

environments on the planet. Through

experience, expertise and technology it has

cleaned up its act over the years, diversified

into offshore wind and marine renewables

and is now developing carbon capture and

storage and hydrogen battery solutions. It is

this ingenuity that will find a way to become

net-zero in its current operations, while

developing the projects, at scale.

MAYBE

Alasdair Green

head of E&P Strategy

Anderson Anderson &

Brown

At the moment the sector it is not well

placed because a lot still needs to happen

and we cannot switch off the demand for

oil & gas. As the most significant energy

sector, oil and gas needs to play a major

role in energy transition skills, technology

and investment. Until it’s recognised that

we need to work with oil and gas and not

against it, we will not realise this economic

and environmental potential.

YES

Eloise Bevan

innovation funding

consultant

ABGI UK

North Sea energy companies have every

opportunity to transition to green energy

leveraging on their location, finance,

experience and market dominance. Moving

towards low-carbon operations on current

oil and gas platforms would carve the path

towards wind, other forms of renewable

energy production and carbon capture and

storage. This development is instrumental

in achieving climate change targets and

competing with other green energy centres

including UK North West Hydrogen.

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