Energy Voice – Out Loud

The Energy Independence Bill finally landed in parliament this week - with all eyes on what transitional energy certificates (TECs) could look like.  Allowing for exploration on existing fields linked to tiebacks, Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh says they will unlock 60 million barrels of oil. Naysayers have labelled the decision economic sacrilege. Calum Main and Ed Reed jetted off to Abu Dhabi, where they pondered how the big geopolitical energy security questions are playing out.  Meanwhile, Erikka Askeland was also on her travels at the 7th annual EAGE conference. She bumped into the familiar face of John Underhill, who seemed chipper as the architect behind TECs.

The eagerly awaited Budget 2026 this week dominated discussions around the Energy Voice Out Loud offices this week. But what does it mean for the Acorn CCS project? Is the government actually backing away from the slow-moving Scottish project or was it all a misunderstanding? Officials insisted Acorn was still getting its previously committed money, but hackles north of the border were raised – and just as approvals for the Peterhead gas-to-power plant looked like moving ahead.Beyond Healey’s budget, Ryan spent a busy day talking all things safety and the new weight restrictions for offshore workers. For more energy news, analysis and insight, visit Energy Voice: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.energyvoice.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Energy Voice Out Loud:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5oOm2X6UsU1eybnTCoBFJx ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-voice-out-loud/id1508117133 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podbean: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://energyvoiceoutloud.podbean.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Energy Voice:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uk.linkedin.com/company/energy-voice ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/EnergyVoiceNews ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/energyvoicenews/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@EnergyVoiceNews ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Energy Voice Out Loud brings you news, analysis and expert insight from across the energy sector, covering oil and gas, renewables, policy, investment, the energy transition and the people shaping the industry. 

Tune into this special recording of a live panel event hosted in Aberdeen, featuring a panel of energy experts exploring the major questions and dilemmas facing the UK and its energy future.Hosted by Energy Voice news editor Erikka Askeland, panellist are Angelos Pastras, parter with DNV;  Maggie McGinlay, CEO of ETZ Ltd; Nick Butler, economist and visiting professor, King's College London; and Professor John Underhill from the University of Aberdeen. Together they examine the future of North Sea oil and gas, the challenges facing offshore wind, the role of energy storage and electrification, and whether current policy is moving quickly enough to support industry and consumers.Discussion was inspired by the UK’s long-awaited decision on the Jackdaw gas field which took place the day before recording. What did this mean for UK energy security, and what does it mean for Rosebank, the other field under consideration?Key moments include a lively debate on whether the UK can meet its climate ambitions, how to balance cheaper energy with economic growth and what Aberdeen's role should be in the next chapter of global energy. There was also discussion of a gruesome discovery of a moose’s head on the table.

Jackdaw has been approved, Rosebank still awaits government sign-off, an energy wealth fund has been established, and the regulator has new powers.  Those were the topics of conversation as Energy Voice news editor Erikka Askeland and Aberdeen features lead Ryan Duff discussed Wednesday's announcements. 

ADNOC Upstream EVP and ADIPEC Technical Conference Chair Haitham Al Jenaibi joins DMG Events president Chris Hudson to cut through the hype and map where AI is already delivering value - and where it must go next.We explore AI’s role in operational resilience, from subsurface optimisation and predictive maintenance to safer, faster project delivery, and ask how these gains translate into system-level energy security.Haitham explains how the technical conference is curating credible, field-tested papers - and his top tips for impact. Chris frames the 2026 agenda - industrialisation, reliability and partnerships - as the backbone of progress.Ahead of Abu Dhabi in early November, the message is clear: move from pilots to scalable deployments, align incentives, and bring solutions that reduce cost, risk and carbon - at pace. 

Rosebank and Jackdaw approval speculation was back in the news this week as Andy Burnham got ready to travel to Scotland. The latest suggestion was Adura's two pending projects would get the green light on Thursday, but that was quickly quashed by those familiar with the matter. This came soon after Green Volt partner Flotation Energy confirmed job cuts amid speculation that investor Vårgrønn planned to step away from the project, which was awarded a lease in the 'targeted oil and gas' bucket of the INTOG leasing round. Finally, the UK regulator patted operators on the back for slashing their emissions as it admitted electrification was maybe not the way to go for producing assets, particularly in the Central North Sea.For more energy news, analysis and insight, visit Energy Voice: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.energyvoice.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to Energy Voice Out Loud:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5oOm2X6UsU1eybnTCoBFJx ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-voice-out-loud/id1508117133 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Podbean: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://energyvoiceoutloud.podbean.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Energy Voice:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uk.linkedin.com/company/energy-voice ⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/EnergyVoiceNews ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/energyvoicenews/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@EnergyVoiceNews ⁠⁠⁠⁠Energy Voice Out Loud brings you news, analysis and expert insight from across the energy sector, covering oil and gas, renewables, policy, investment, the energy transition and the people shaping the industry. 

The week the floating offshore wind conference returned to Aberdeen, but is Scotland's sector 'up a creek without a paddle'? Our reporters Michael Behr and Ryan Duff discuss just that as they interviewed Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm CEO Richard Copeland and Qair project director Ewan Walker.The SSEP remained a point of contention, as well as TNUoS, but the question of whether Scottish floating projects, particularly big ones, will get CfDs in AR8 was something to speculate on. Get caught up with all things Scottish floating wind in this bonus Episode of Out Loud by Energy VoiceDon't just stop at one storyJoin 17k+ energy professionals and sign up to the free Energy Voice daily newsletter for the latest stories shaping the energy industry, every weekday: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0xKb4r0For more energy news, analysis and insight, visit Energy Voice: ⁠⁠https://www.energyvoice.com/ ⁠⁠Listen to Energy Voice Out Loud:Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5oOm2X6UsU1eybnTCoBFJx ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-voice-out-loud/id1508117133 ⁠⁠

This week, the Conservative Party Conference swung back around and while spare seats were easy to find, the energy debate was as lively as ever. While consensus on nuclear grows everywhere but at SNP HQ, could nuclear be forced upon Scotland if the Tories reclaim power?  As the nuclear debate deepens in Scotland, Ryan Duff and Michael Behr also break down the woes of the floating offshore wind sector and why the sector isn’t developing as quickly as hoped. On the international stage, E-FWD editor Ed Reed walks us through the latest on the Middle East crisis driving up energy prices. Is it also opening new opportunities?For more energy news, analysis and insight, visit Energy Voice: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.energyvoice.com/ ⁠⁠⁠Listen to Energy Voice Out Loud:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5oOm2X6UsU1eybnTCoBFJx ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-voice-out-loud/id1508117133 ⁠⁠⁠Podbean: ⁠⁠⁠https://energyvoiceoutloud.podbean.com/ ⁠⁠⁠Follow Energy Voice:LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://uk.linkedin.com/company/energy-voice ⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/EnergyVoiceNews ⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/energyvoicenews/ ⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@EnergyVoiceNews ⁠⁠⁠Energy Voice Out Loud brings you news, analysis and expert insight from across the energy sector, covering oil and gas, renewables, policy, investment, the energy transition and the people shaping the industry. 

This week prime minister Andy Burnham announced a new £4 billion arm of Great British Energy, GB Grid. But can the state-owned firm afford to see that big a chunk taken out of its budget? This came soon after Simon Roddy, chief executive of GB Energy-Nuclear, another wing of GBE that was tacked on after the firm opened its doors, spoke to Out Lout about how Scotland can get in on the UK's reactor roll-out, even if no new stations are set to open north of the border. Reabold Resources continued its pursuit of Union Jack Oil, despite its books indicating finances weren't the best as our reporters discussed floating wind and how it's set to fair ahead of a conference in Aberdeen and Peterson boss Sarah Moore claimed fought the corner of the North Sea Futures board as she argued it's "not an echo chamber". Don't just stop at one storyJoin 17k+ energy professionals and sign up to the free Energy Voice daily newsletter for the latest stories shaping the energy industry, every weekday: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0xKb4r0For more energy news, analysis and insight, visit Energy Voice: ⁠⁠https://www.energyvoice.com/

The Middle East war has forced the energy industry to rethink how it sees resilience and infrastructure, the first episode of Road to ADIPEC sets out.In the past, “efficiency was king”. Now, it’s complicated.Alex Tancock, CEO of Intercontinental Energy, and Sherif Foda, chairman and CEO of NESR, discuss the energy industry’s shift into resilience and supply diversity.The Middle East has been at the heart of much of this year’s disruption. But the region will continue to be at the heart of the world’s changing energy industry for years to come.