Petrofac and young professionals talk technology at Energy Institute event

Topics on the minds of developing professionals came to the fore at a recent Energy Institute Young Professionals Network (EIYPN) event in Aberdeen.

Around 70 young professionals joined leading industry figures from Petrofac, principal sponsor of EIYPN’s 2016 calendar; Shell, EC-OG; Oil & Gas Innovation Centre and Core29 to discuss revolutionising the energy sector through innovation and technology.

Budding inventors with ambitions of bringing their own innovative ideas to life explored the issue of funding with the panel, seeking advice on how to navigate the costly and difficult process of patenting and adoption of new ideas within the industry.

Another popular theme highlighted over the course of the evening was renewables. The attendees discussed and debated how best to increase efficiency of hydrogen storage and the areas requiring further investment to support renewables becoming a leading source of energy.

Other topics debated included:

• change management,
• further integration of technology
• the increasing threat of job automation

From the discussion, it was clear attendees are keen to find the best way forward to ensure the industry continues to address these concerns while embracing technology and encouraging ‘out of the box’ thinking.

Commenting on the event, Alex Macdonald, Managing Director for Well Engineering Petrofac Engineering & Production Services, said: “Within the current challenging operating environment, our ability as an industry to think differently and apply innovative techniques is essential to help support collaborative, smart and cost-effective operations. This event provided the perfect platform to capture ideas on how to drive further innovation across the sector to support its long-term sustainability.

“A key message for young professionals is to be clear on what you want to achieve and to believe in yourself. If you’ve got an idea, convey it, along with your passion, to your organisation.”

Victoria Aston, Chair of the EIYPN, added: “This event provided an opportunity for young professionals to hear directly from key industry members on how the sector is embracing technology to positively revolutionise the way it operates. By sharing tangible examples of innovation and what those on the panel would like to see the industry embrace next, young professionals learned there is a bright future for energy.”