Energy Voice – Out Loud

EVOL: A new job, an old sale, a fresh Victory

BP has a new CEO, Murray Auchincloss, but very much the continuity candidate, given his long service with the company. While Auchincloss is a safe pair of hands, he will face scrutiny over perceptions that BP is underperforming its peers. Can the new man bring some razzle-dazzle in early February when the company sets out its next set of results?
Shell went through its own leadership transition in 2023 but the sale of its onshore assets in Nigeria was very much an old development. Selling down these mature assets will be a welcome development for the company, but how long the sales process takes will be a key test for Nigeria’s challenging regulatory environment.
And finally, Shell also announced approval for a small development in the West of Shetlands this week. The move has gone mostly unremarked, failing to exercise environmental NGOs in the way that Rosebank and Cambo have. But, in a year where FIDs are under pressure, any Victory is a victory. 
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

EVOL: Licensing round spat, choppers and Namibian oil jackpot

2024! We’re into a new year which – we expect – will be characterised by a general election and plenty of political posturing. This week has seen plenty of that around the Conservatives’ plan for annual North Sea licensing rounds, which the team dig into.
There’s plenty to assess for the offshore sector as it reaches major milestones and marks more than a decade without a fatal incident in the UK. We assess the state of play and what’s to come in 2024.
And we’ve had more action in Namibia, with TotalEnergies and Galp making big announcements this week. What’s next for the world’s latest oil jackpot? 
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

🎄The EVOL Xmas Quiz 2023

In the final podcast of 2023 the Energy Voice crew fight it out to decide who’s truly leading the global energy conversation in our annual festive quiz.
Score along at home as the team run through the highs - and considerable lows - of the year, via some wonky headlines and a guest appearance from an obscure Australian vertebrate.
Thanks to all who have listened, read, commented and spoken with us this year.
Wishing you a great festive season and stay tuned for a return to our normal service in the new year.
 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

Bridges and Bottlenecks 03: Offshore Wind

In the third episode of Bridges and Bottlenecks, the podcast series by Energy Voice Out Loud in partnership with DNV we discuss the challenges facing offshore wind and the opportunities the sector brings businesses. 
Joining Energy Voice’s print features lead, Ryan Duff, is DNV’s Head of Renewables Department Barbara Savini and Danielle Lane Director of Offshore Development UK and Ireland for RWE.
One of the main concerns highlighted in by the group was the skills shortage the industry is facing and how wind developers can hope to bring on board the talented workforce needed to see success.
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

The Megawatt Hour – Episode 10: Back to the future

In our tenth and final episode we look to sum up our energy storage journey so far, recapping some of the most important learnings from the series and setting out where energy storage is headed in 2024.
On our way we’ll revisit the ins and outs of batteries and other storage technologies, the ups and downs of the power market and the meanders of the policy landscape.
Joining Energy Voice’s Andrew Dykes and BDO corporate finance partner David Bevan to help scan the past, present and future of the sector are John Twomey, director of customer connections at National Grid, and Joe Warren the founder and managing director of Powervault.
The Megawatt Hour is a special podcast series brought to you by Energy Voice Out Loud in paid partnership with BDO.
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

EVOL: Looney, Lifeboats and COP28

A big week before the Xmas break kicks in – and we begin with Bernard Looney’s remuneration package. He’s the third of four BP CEOs to resign in some form of scandal - can the supermajor break the curse?
HSE questions are being asked around the North Sea workforce after our exclusive revealed over a third of workers are now over the max weight for the majority of lifeboats in the UK sector. Is the industry at the sharp end of a wider societal problem?
And COP28 – a success or a COP-out? The team assess the final result of the summit in Dubai and look ahead to the next set of Conference(s) of Parties in years to come.
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

EVOL: Christmas comes early with offshore wind investment as Petrofac shares and North Sea licences go ’Bah humbug!’

Christmas is just around the corner, or maybe it's too early for that kind of chat. Regardless, Ryan has decided to dawn his most garish festive shirt, it's as ugly as it is cheap. However, this is not a Christmas-themed podcast so the Energy Voice trio reluctantly discuss share prices, offshore wind investment and North Sea licences.
 
Allister kicks off the on-topic discussion by diving into Petrofac's share price woes soon after the firm saw values drop by as much as 50%. With low staffing levels for such a big firm and disappointing reports as of late, maybe this isn't the work of those ever-pesky stock shorters.
 
Masdar has been splashing the cash at COP 28 with some serious investment in UK offshore wind, Ed explains. The firm looks to secure 100GW of power and turning its attention to the UK will push it towards these goals. However, there are still issues to contend with in the wind space to be considered. 
 
Finally, Ryan talks about mass relinquishments of licences in UK waters awarded in 2020's 32nd round, this could be down to the usual gripes oil and gas firms have in the country, namely fiscal uncertainty. Is this going to happen with those licences awarded earlier in the year? 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

Road to ADIPEC: Sustainability and technology to COP28

It seemed that every discussion at ADIPEC had an element of COP28 involved and now it has arrived, but what can we tell about how industry is ready for change?
The Road to ADIPEC series concludes with Charlotte Wolfe-Bye, chief sustainability officer at Petronas, and Ben Cahill, senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
We talk climate finance, equality, carbon capture, political drivers and how to secure these, while also keeping eyes on the 2050 prize. It’s clear big things are afoot but, ultimately, progress will depend on creativity and collaboration to be in with a chance of tackling climate change in the fairest way possible. 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

EVOL: Offshore skills passports, green fertiliser and CEO CVs

The team broadcast live from another winter wonderland this week – or possibly a car park.
Allister updates us from the long wait at Skills Passport control, with a solution now looking likely in 2024. The move to align training standards for oil and gas and offshore wind is a key component of the energy transition, but what’s taking so long?
With COP28 on the agenda, Ed spoke with some Moroccan fertiliser manufacturers about how green ammonia could the future of its business, in a rare sign of demand-led hydrogen production.
And Andrew brushes up his CV and takes a look at the competition as BP’s search for a CEO continues - with the supermajor at a crossroads between continuity candidates and fresh strategic direction.
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.

EVOL: Grangemouth, E-FWD and decom clash

The team assemble (in person!) for a rundown of the week’s going’s on – and there’s been a lot of them.
Andrew Dykes leads on job fears and future scenarios for Scotland’s last oil refinery, Grangemouth.
Ed’s got a new report on the state of CCUS, and teases EV’s new E-FWD venture. . .
And Allister brings us the latest from the Fairmont St Andrews, where OEUK had just had its big decom conf. 
About Energy Voice
Energy Voice investigates and reports on what matters in global energy, helping sector leaders understand the geopolitical and economic factors underpinning current events, and giving them a view on what’s coming over the horizon. Each year, 3.4m professionals use Energy Voice as a trusted source of breaking news and insight.
For more information on how you can speak to those professionals across multiple platforms to build your brand and generate actionable business leads, visit energyvoice.com/content-services.
For a 30 day free trial subscription to the Energy Voice website and app, visit energyvoice.com/subscribe.