David Whitehouse – Chief Executive of Offshore Energies UK – delivered a keynote address to over 550 attendees at the Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) Share Fair event in Aberdeen on the 19th March 2025.
David highlighted the importance of the event in showcasing business opportunities across the offshore energy sector. David also stated that industry must work in partnership with governments to unlock our supply chain’s potential to be competitive and equipped to benefit from the opportunities of a homegrown energy future.
“Good morning everyone. Thank you for your attendance here today.
“Welcome to Share Fair 2025. OEUK has proudly hosted this event for over 20 years, bringing suppliers and project developers together to have strategic and focused conversations on the future of offshore energy projects in the North Sea.
“I would like to add my own special thanks to our Event Partner, the NSTA, and also to Aker Solutions, Nexos, Equinor, SeQual and Kaefer for enabling us to deliver this event welcoming over 550 delegates from across our industry at such important times for our sector.
“Important times for the country.
“For over 50 years, our sector and skilled companies have built a reputation globally renowned for its expertise, resilience and commitment to innovation.
“And there are significant opportunities in the North Sea, yes in continued oil and gas production, but also in offshore wind, carbon storage and hydrogen deployment.
“It is clear that our domestic supply chain is a national asset that we should all be proud of. The supply chain companies in this room have the potential to power the UK’s delivery of a successful homegrown energy future.
“And today, we stand at an important moment for the future of our industry.
“Two weeks ago, the UK government launched two important consultations on shaping the future of the North Sea.
“We were assured that these consultations will be meaningful. And we will hold them to that.
“We should be ambitious in what we look to achieve for this critical sector in the coming weeks.
“This is an opportunity to secure Government support and recognition of the value this sector brings, give investors certainty to invest in oil and gas that the country needs, and invest in the opportunities in offshore wind, carbon storage and hydrogen whilst championing our world class supply chain and skilled people.
“However, these do remain difficult times for the sector and particularly our supply chain companies.
“Our supply chain report that we have published today has found that 40% of companies in the past year have seen a decline in their business.
“Almost 90% believe that growing their business is only possible by finding new markets outside the UK. We have to change that.
“We must protect and ensure that our supply chain companies have visibility and continuity of work to support revenues, retain capabilities and ensure they see the UK as an attractive place to do business.
“To unlock our supply chain’s potential and power our future, we must work in partnership with governments to ensure continued investment in homegrown energy, it is essential to both the long-term economic health of our country and also securing our integrated energy future.
“Our ways of working must be built upon strong and enduring collaborative relationships. The energy transition will only be delivered through meaningful, strategic and earlier engagement with key stakeholders demonstrating good business behaviours.
“The more we are able to work together, the more successful we will be.
“And we must not be complacent. We must have balanced risk and reward in our contracts and ensure our tendering processes are efficient and open to innovation.
“These are all practices our Industry Supply Chain Principles aim to measure and improve.
“Events such as today are extremely powerful to ensure companies can generate greater long-term confidence on the future outlook of the UK sector and can invest in developing new and existing capabilities.
“This is an enormous opportunity – one that enables us to protect skills, secure investment and maximise the potential of the North Sea.
“Thank you again for your attendance here today. I hope you enjoy the event, and we look forward to receiving your feedback.”
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