We must depolarise the energy debate and inspire a new generation
Public polling shows that most people understand the continuing need for oil and gas
When I joined the oil and gas industry over three decades ago, I never imagined that such polarised discussions about how and where the UK should produce its energy would become part and parcel of political debate.
As with many issues that find themselves drawn into a form of ‘culture war’, we find ourselves trapped in binary thinking - clean vs. dirty, renewables vs. fossil fuels, good jobs vs. bad ones. This kind of framing does nothing to address the real, urgent questions facing our energy future.
Public polling shows that most people understand the continuing need for oil and gas and that, while this need exists, it’s nothing more than common sense to use our domestic supplies. Tackling climate change is balanced against support for homegrown energy, jobs and UK plc.
Britain currently imports over 40 per cent of its energy and in a volatile world, this leaves us vulnerable. We must accelerate the deployment of renewables, but as part of a balanced energy strategy. We have the advantages of one of the best locations in the world for offshore wind, significant remaining oil and gas potential and fantastic North Sea geological resources for carbon capture and storage.
The UK also has industrial strengths and thousands of skilled people, but unlocking and maximising our energy potential will require many thousands more. What the energy transition needs is skilled, passionate, driven people who want to work at the cutting edge of technology, innovation and climate resilience.
But attracting young people, who can be more sceptical of the oil and gas foundation on which UK industries are built, requires us all to speak a new language.
The framing of the debate around jobs is one of frustration to me. The idea that certain jobs in the energy sector are inherently more virtuous than others is unhelpful and undermines
the reality of modern energy careers. If we hope to transition our energy industry, then we cannot exist in silos. Rather the onus must be on dismantling artificial barriers and treating this as a large, integrated energy ecosystem.
This is a sector where you can truly change the world. Young people who want to be the ones that actually deliver net zero and not just talk about it should pursue a career in the energy industry. A good place for them to start would be SPE Offshore Europe 2025. Between September 2-5, leaders from across the energy spectrum - oil, gas, wind, hydrogen, carbon capture - will gather in Aberdeen to reinforce the need for pragmatism, not polarity.
Under a banner of ‘Unlocking Europe’s Potential in Offshore Energy’, the event will shine a spotlight on the tremendous career opportunities in energy. It’s free to attend for everyone, but also priceless in what it offers, namely direct access to an industry that is transforming itself in real time.
If we want to inspire a new generation to build the future of energy, we need to show our industry for what it truly is – dynamic, not divided. Not stuck in the past, but leading the charge toward a cleaner, smarter, more secure integrated energy system. That’s the story we’ll tell in Aberdeen and it’s one we need the whole country to hear.
David Whitehouse is , SPE Offshore Europe 2025 Executive Committee Chair and Chief Executive, Offshore Energies UK
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