After a rash of forecasts for the oil and gas industry that were bleaker than an EastEnders plotline, changes in the way the sector is run have led to increased estimates for production.
The current thinking is that, between now and 2050, almost 12 billion barrels of oil and the gas equivalent could be recovered. This lights the way for a more stable future for the sector.
And this month more good news comes in the form of innovative projects and new technology.
Decommissioning Centre of Excellence
This multi-million pound project – the brainchild of the University of Aberdeen and the Oil and Gas Technology Centre – will focus on tech that can be used to remove disused wells as well as tackle environmental issues.
It will also explore opportunities to optimise future design for recycling and reuse, including the use of new materials. This could open up a wealth of new jobs in the sector.
Robots on the Rigs
French company Total recently held a competition to design a robot for one of its North Sea platforms, which has been won by an Austrian and German team.
By using robots to inspect platforms, they hope to improve safety for workers, as well as reduce costs.
The robots will carry out tasks such as looking at temperatures, taking pressure readings and detecting leaks, all of which can pose risks.
Although the robots could lead to slightly less people working on rigs, it will simultaneously increase IT and engineering jobs and ultimately prolong North Sea operations.
Increased happiness
With recent years being some of the toughest for the industry, this has had a knock-on effect on keeping job satisfaction and happiness at a high level. However the latest 2018 Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) survey reveals a third of oil and gas employees are much happier with their jobs than three years ago.
This could be the result of new projects and increased job safety in the sector, not to mention higher oil prices boosting the feeling of resurgence.
Specifically, the GETI report found current employees were most enthusiastic about digitalisation of the industry, especially as this leads to more flexible working.
Despite digitalisation running the risk of limiting some roles, almost half of female employees said they thought the introduction of flexible working would attract more people to the sector.
If you’re thinking about a future in Oil and Gas, get your foot on the career ladder with roles from s1jobs.