Energy Voice – Out Loud

EVOL: Absent windfalls, suspect superyachts and, and electrification start-ups

What do you call a windfall tax when there are no windfalls? I’m not sure, but the results, as far as Ithaca Energy goes anyway, are modest profits, scaled back North Sea spending and slow FIDs. There is some good news though, with result from K2 (no not that one) imminent.
One person who certainly isn’t scaling back their, alleged, spending is Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former oil minister. There are claims of bribes in exchange for contracts – those in turn apparently paid for all manner of things, from gym gear to luxury boats.
And in the North Sea we have, at long last, a projected date for that start-up of an electrification scheme. All the big boys are involved, and that’s a good thing too, as power-from-shore cables don’t come cheap.

The Megawatt Hour - Episode 9: Energy storage, everywhere, all at once.

Over the course of eight episodes we have talked a lot about the current state of the energy storage market; this episode looks at where we are going, considering what the future of the sector might look like?
With a net zero 2050 as the guiding star for nearly all policy and energy decisions, how much storage will we need to get there? Where should it be deployed? What stands in the way? And what new technologies and developments might change the speed of that journey.
Joining content editor Andrew Dykes gazing into the crystal ball are BDO managing director John Strowger and Alexa Capital co-founder and fellow energy podcaster Gerard Reid.
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: Rig disaster, Jackdaw takes flight and talking tech

Nigeria has seen yet another accident occur in its oil sector, when a rig move for Seplat went awry, resulting in the death of at least one worker. There has been a flurry of talk from regulators, but uncertainty remains high and a way forwards – with fewer accidents – is not clear.
In the North Sea, meanwhile, Shell has begun work on its Jackdaw field. Hamish takes us through the various ins and outs. The field seems to have evaded much of the outcry that has surrounded some other new fields, although there is inevitably litigation seeking to halt the development.
Finally, Ryan talked to Iain Conn, formerly of Spirit Energy, this week, catching up on developments technological and political. While AI is making great strides in improving productivity, politicians seem to be letting the side down once more. 

EVOL: New wells, plugging old ones and connecting turbines

This week Hamish talks us through the decommissioning report that highlighted the wealth of opportunities for UK businesses as 70% of spending in UK waters goes to domestic firms. However, much like the wind and helicopter industries, decom is being hit with inflation. 
 
Ryan poses the question, should we set an end date? OEUK's Mark Wilson says that the country "would not forgive" the person who stopped handing out licenses. That being said, there is a lot to consider when talking about shutting down oil and gas.
 
Andrew covers the Winser report and the issues with grid connection for wind turbines. The UK seems to be trying to solve a 21st century issue with 20th century infrastructure, why haven't we addressed this issue sooner?
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: Heli headwinds, Acorns and onions

Energy Voice brings you the latest from Energy Week amid a rare northeast visit from the PM himself.
First up Ryan flies in to discuss job cuts on the horizon for a North Sea helicopter firm hit hard as rising costs and windfall tax grip industry.
Allister peels back the layers of the debate around Rishi Sunak’s promises of “hundreds” of new oil licences – but amid all the noise on supply is anyone talking about demand?
Finally some good news, as Andrew reports on confirmation that the Acorn CCS project has been approved for “Track 2” government support – and what this means for Scotland and the northeast energy sector.
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 X: Vertis Environmental Finance: Tightening the carbon market

Establishing its own carbon trading system in 2021 gave the UK a chance to set out what it aspires to from this market-based approach to tackling emissions.
As Finlay Walker, corporate trader at Vertis Environmental Finance, explains in this episode of EVOL X that around 750 installations must comply with this ever-tightening framework.
Speaking in May 2023, Walker explained how the smaller UK market provides fewer signals, with a divergence from the larger European market. 
 
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: Floating wind and a Q2 quandary

The majors are back in the headlines this week with their Q2 results, and we’re back to talk them over.
Ryan dives into Shell’s finances, and gets into updates on their North Sea projects like Penguins and Brent Charlie.
Ed then runs down the latest from TotalEnergies – spending bank on renewables and perhaps taking a longer-view approach than some rivals?
Allister then heads north of the wall to Ardersier to discuss one of Scotland’s biggest projects to get after the upcoming floating wind opportunity. 
 
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:African FPSOs, Chinese wind and UK CCS

It’s the end of the road for the ExxonMobil’s Zafiro Producer FPSO after the old girl arrived in Denmark for scrapping atop the Boka Vanguard, much to Ed’s excitement. For the US supermajor, it’s a continuation of its wind down in Equatorial Guinea.
There could soon be a new player on the UK’s turbine manufacturing block, as China’s Mingyang looks to capitalise on the North Sea’s offshore wind boom.
And as for the CCS updates in the UK, well, there aren’t any – and frustration is growing. Westminster has been told to get a move on and fund the Acorn project, before its too late.
 
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 8: Sustainability, supply chains and Scope 1-3

The rapid expansion of energy storage is of course great news for our ability to deploy and use renewable energy – but doing so is not without its own challenges.
Batteries require raw materials from all across the world and an ever more complex supply chain; pumped storage sites require major changes to land use and access; and what can we do with facilities or assets that reach the end of their life – is it better to re-use, recycle or decommission?
And how do developers and investors ensure their commitments meet ever stricter guidance when deciding which projects to pursue?
Sorting the E’s from the SG’s is Professor Simon Pringle, who heads up the newly created Sustainability and ESG Hub at BDO and Peter Kavanagh, the chief executive and founder of developer and asset operator Harmony Energy.
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: Forties fades, Pensacola panic and the Tantita tango

Oh no you don’t, partners in the Forties project have said to Apache, in response to its accelerated plans to decommission the field. Inflation is rising, as are tempers, and the whole complicated mess is likely to go back to court for more arguments.
The Southern North Sea has proved a rollercoaster ride this week. Hopes were raised after Deltic Energy reported a bullish reserves upgrade at the Pensacola discovery, only for Shell to ditch a neighbouring licence, crushing Reabold Resources hopes for a similar find. 
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, new President Bola Tinubu has stamped his authority on competing regulators, which should reduce the number of times ExxonMobil is accused of theft. However, with oil theft still a major problem, can the president find as simple a fix for the Niger Delta and its lost revenues? 
 
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.