This has been a big news month for the oil and gas industry. First the Scottish Government revealed a permanent ban on fracking, extending a moratorium that’s been in place since 2015.
Then it unveiled plans to set up a publicly-owned, not-for-profit energy company, which will sell power to customers as close to cost price as possible.
Meanwhile, we also had an announcement from the corporate sector that energy services giant Wood Group’s £2.2 billion takeover of Amec Foster Wheeler is officially complete.
The merger, described as ‘transformational’, was concluded after Amec agreed to sell the majority of its North Sea operations to address Competition Markets Authority concerns.
And last but certainly not least there was a major step forward in opening up oil fields in the Atlantic, west of Shetland, when Hurricane Energy received the official go-ahead to start pumping oil from its Lancaster field.
You have to admit it: this really is a constantly changing and eternally surprising industry – and where there is change there is always opportunity.
While it’s true some firms have cut down on investment and recruitment, a range of new roles are coming down the pipe for talented engineers in upstream and downstream operations – particularly in mechanical and marine engineering.
Another area where the industry is strengthening is in meeting the needs of operators now looking at more standarised equipment from suppliers and ways of improving efficiency in an industry that has historically been slow to adapt.
For engineers this offers the chance to put in place innovative solutions and develop new systems.
And remember that not everything in this rapidly changing sector is about fossil fuels. In fact, nearly every oil and gas company is currently looking at harnessing the power of renewables in new and exciting ways.
While the short-term trends will undoubtedly still involve increasing production of the black stuff, there is a step change in renewables technology aimed at reducing its costs and increasing efficiency.
And this, too, opens up new jobs to oil and gas workers who can bring much sought after and transferrable skills.
Once upon a time going with the flow meant sticking to the traditional rules of fossil fuel production. Now it means taking every new change and turning it into a fresh career opportunity.
So why not get ready to go with the latest vacancies in Oil & Gas on s1jobs?