Energy Voice – Out Loud

EVOL: Rosebank and the Middle East

The war in the Middle East is approaching the two week mark as oil prices have hovered around $100 per barrel. This came as Sidara finally competed its acquisition of Wood. 
 
In this week's episode of Energy Voice Out Loud, Ryan Duff is joined by reporters Michael Behr and Mat Perry while news editor Erikka Askeland catches up with what was happening at the Scottish National Investment Bank event in Aberdeen.
 
First, Mat discusses the Rosebank FPSO's journey to the UK as it narrowly avoided conflict in the Middle East. This prompted a wider discussion on the impacts the war is having on the global energy market. 
 
Next, Erikka speaks to Tim Cullen from Great British Energy and Ana Stewart, Scotland's chief entrepreneur, about how to secure the UK's energy supply chain in a busy lunch time break at the Scottish National Investment Bank conference in Aberdeen 
 
And last, but by no means least, Ryan and Michael discuss Wood becoming 'a Sidara company' and what may change with the Aberdeen services giant now that it is under new ownership. Is there a Penspen merger on the horizon? It is certainly possible. 

EVOL: Middle Eastern conflict, windfall tax, and Wood

It's been a busy ol' week in the world of energy this week, not least due to the news from last weekend that the US and Isreal had bombed Iran.  
 
In the Episode of Energy Voice Out Loud, Ryan Duff is joined in the studio by Micheal Behr and E-FWD editor Ed Reed. 
 
First up, Ed discusses the headlines that have been dominating front pages all of this week and the impact attacks across the Middle East are having on the UAE, energy workers in the region, and oil prices as the trio get into a discussion about how global turbulence will impact the UK North Sea.
 
Next, news editor Erikka Askeland headed down to London for the Future of the North Sea event the day after chancellor Rachel Reeves' spring statement. 
 
There she spoke with OEUK CEO Dave Whitehouse who was guarded ahead of an industry summit with the Chancellor. She also spoke to  Myles Allen, head of atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics at the University of Oxford who explained his "simple" solution to global climate change while delivering a UK carbon capture and storage industry beyond Acorn's wildest dreams.
 
Finally, Ryan discusses Aberdeen services giant Wood and its string of ups and downs this week after it announced a court date to sign off on its takeover at the hands of Sidara and the Financial Conduct Authority slapped it with a £13 million fine, although it has managed to make the fee smaller since. 
 
Could the end of the Wood acquisition saga be coming to an end? Some industry commentators certainly think so. 

EVOL X Taqa: Well Pulse check

From whale songs to tv remotes, Taqa's Keith Elphinstone and Energy Voice's Ryan Duff discuss all in this conversation that largely focusses on down well technology. 
As the world of tech speeds up, regulators must ensure that basins around the world are equipped with the best kit available and as Taqa aims to change how wireless technology in the oil and gas industry works, questions need to be asked. Thankfully, we answer them. 
 
Closer to home, the UK market now knows that tieback are the option for any operators looking to continue activity. With this in mind, Keith discusses pairing new "intelligent wells" with aging infrastructure above the waves. 

EVOL: The trouble with transmission, new hope for Lindsey and running out of space in the North Sea.

In this week’s edition of Energy Voice Out Loud, your genial host Ryan Duff, features lead for Energy Voice, introduces some of the main topics of interest in the UK energy industry.
First, news editor Erikka Askeland and renewables reporter Michal Behr tackle rising discontent over the state of the UK’s network charging system – should we cann it TNUoS or Tenuous? And why is it that energy producers in Scotland have had to pay £2.9bn more than their counterparts in England and Wales?
North correspondent Floyd March then gives the latest update in the Lindsey refinery in Immingham. Can a new, late stage court action prevent the whole facility from being mothballed by Phillips 66?
Finally, Ryan and Erikka talk about calls made at the OEUK HSE conference for a new regulator – another one? As oil and gas competes with offshore wind, CCS, not to mention fishers and other users of the UK’s rich waters, someone should take charge, but who?

Energy Voice Live: Powering Up the UK Energy Supply Chain in 2026

Join Energy Voice news editor Erikka Askeland and a stellar panel of speakers for this special edition of Energy Voice Out Loud, in partnership with Hydrasun, a D2Zero company.
Recorded in front of a live audience at Energy Voice HQ in Aberdeen, this podcast gets hot takes on the UK energy supply chain from some of its key leaders. 
Hear Neil Thompson, CEO, Hydrasun, David Marshall, regional director for Scotland and the North of England at National Gas, Jeff Corray, head of energy private equity at Piper Sandler and chief financial officer at D2Zero and Roddy James, chief commercial officer of the Port of Aberdeen share their insights and find out - will the supply chain survive and thrive or is it all doom and gloom?

EVOL: BP buybacks, International Energy Week, and AR7a results

This week, BP set a trend among supermajors as it hit the breaks on buybacks as International Energy Week kicked off in London and the UK government announced the winners of the non-offshore wind winners of Allocation Round 7. 
To run us through the headlines, Energy Voice's Ryan Duff, Mat Perry, and Erikka Askeland are joined by E-FWD editor Ed Reed. 
First off, Erikka discusses BP's world leading reserves and its move to step away from share buyback schemes while its fellow UK supermajor doubled down. As BP announced its full year results, University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Energy Policy released a report on EnQuest's Sullom Voe Terminal and the impact an extension to BP's Clair field would have on jobs and the wider Shetland economy.
Next up, Ed regales us with tales from International Energy Week, first touching on Shell CEO Wael Sawan's comments on the state of European energy policy as the continent finds itself the piggy in the middle between America's liquids production and China's electricity generation. Suffice to say, there is plenty to talk about from the event in London this week. 
Finally, Mat recounts the winners of the non-offshore wind winners from Allocation Round 7, also known as AR7a. His points to success, particularly in solar, as our journalists mull over the opportunities of tidal energy. 
 

EVOL: Shell and Ithaca Q4 results, and Subsea Expo 2026

This week on Energy Voice Out Loud, Michal and Mat discuss the latest Q4 results from Shell, Ithaca Energy and Equinor. Although it's the era of 'drill, baby, drill', it doesn't appear to be entirely plain sailing for the oil and gas majors, and some shareholders are showing their discontent. 
Then we head up to Aberdeen, where Erikka and Ryan have been attending Subsea Expo 2026. First off, they caught up with Global Underwater Hub boss Niel Gordon and the NSTA's Bill Cattanach to find out what was happening on the show floor. 
Finally, Ryan and Erikka sat down on the final day of the conference to discuss their key takeaways and the top headlines from Subsea Expo 2026. 
 

EVOL: Offshore wind in focus – Ming Yang, transmission charging and AR8

This week’s episode features Energy Voice’s Ryan Duff and Ed Reed in our opening discussion, then reporters Mathew Perry and Michael Behr with their thoughts from Offshore Wind Conference 2026 in Glasgow.
 
Up first, Ed, Ryan and Floyd team up to tackle the trials and tribulations in the offshore and floating wind sector, as the £1.5 billion Ming Yang project gets paused and XCLL pivots from manufacturing to cable laying. 
 
Next, Michael Behr sat down with former Corio Generation CEO Jonathan Cole as he returns to the offshore wind sector in his new role as ambassador for the Global Wind Energy Council. We discuss the evolving offshore wind landscape, from the UK’s political consensus, transmission charging and, his thoughts on Chinese involvement in the UK.
 
And to round things off, Mat and Mike chat through the best points from Offshore Wind Conference 2026 – transmission charging and AR8 are the big takeaways, especially as any potential reforms look unlikely to come into play for this year’s auction.

EVOL: ScotWind struggles, Kemi in Aberdeen, and Scotland surveyed

This week, there was yet more news of troubled Scottish wind projects as West of Orkney "paused" as it lambasted transmission charges, as we play our full conversation with Kemi Badenoch and True North talk us through its latest polling. 
 
This week’s episode features Energy Voice’s Ryan Duff and Michael Behr, and Mat Perry in our opening discussion and news editor Erikka Askeland join in at the end to talk with Energy Voice Out Loud familiar voice Allister Thomas. 
 
Up first, Michael talks us through why the front-runner ScotWind project, West of Orkney, hit the bricks this week as it bemoaned transmission charges after missing out on a contract for difference in Allocation Round 7. What does this mean for the future of offshore wind in Scotland? Our trio of journalists discuss. 
 
Next, Ryan caught up with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow minister for energy security and net zero, Andrew Bowie, about energy bills and what the opposition would have done differently with AR7. 
 
Finally, Erikka spoke with True North's Allister Thomas about a recent poll of unprecedented scale asking people across the North of Scotland what they really think of the march of energy infrastructure and the answers might surprise you.

EVOL: AR7 winners revealed

We discuss the winners of Allocation Round 7, as well as Viaro's southern North Sea snub and Petrofac's UK business buy out. 
 
This week’s episode features Energy Voice’s Ryan Duff, Floyd March, Mat Perry and Erikka Askeland as they give their two cents on the week’s headlines.
 
First up, Mat gets us up to speed on the winners of AR7 as he argues that the government deserves a pat on the back. Although, Erikka fights for ScotWind project support as not one of the 12 successful bids came from a project that received a a licence under Holyrood's 2022 leasing round.
 
Next, Floyd talks us through the situation at Viaro as Francesco Mazzagatti's firm was told Shell and Exxon had backed out of a deal announced 18 months ago to sell southern North Sea gas assets. The North Sea Transition Authority has been keeping a close eye on Viaro in recent months having demanded additional information from the operator for this deal and its attempted takeover of rival Deltic. 
 
Finally, Ryan gets us caught up on Petrofac's North Sea business after it announced it would be selling its Asset Solutions division to a US firm on Christmas Eve. The services firm that slipped into administration last year is now set to hold a meeting with its creditors to approve the takeover, which is set to save 3,000 jobs.