Successfully Transitioning the O&G Workforce to a Cleaner, Greener Future
Authors: Jayaram E. , Reed A. , Kane L. , Krawchuk P. , Kannike A. , Stander B. 
Published: October 2023

Objectives/Scope

Clean energy is expected to generate an estimated 14 million new jobs globally by 2030, offset by a loss of 5 million positions in fossil fuels (1.8 million in O&G). In some regions such as Canada, 50-75% of the O&G workforce are estimated to be at risk of displacement in the transition through 2050. This presentation aims to explore the existing challenges, future skill requirements and best practices (industry and governmental) to transition the workforce.

Methods, Procedures, Process

Key Steps are: Survey current landscape of the O&G workforce, including number of jobs and employees, and the key skills currently possessed.Identify requisite skillset for workforce in clean energy for hiring and retraining.Review of policy and industry best practices in the clean energy transition for workers.Comparison of similarities and differences to existing working practices when transitioning from O&G to clean energy projects (including successful case studies).

Results, Observations, Conclusions

O&G majors are shifting focus and are now prioritizing attracting talent to their expanding green energy businesses, which leaves a question over existing workers. Reports have estimated that 90% of O&G workers have medium-high skills transferability, putting them in a strong position to work in related clean energy sectors. The key to ensuring these workers can successfully transition involves a mixture of industry commitments, up-skilling and government initiatives. These include the Just Transition Act in Canada, and the North Sea Transition Deal (NSTD) in the UK - aimed at accelerating energy transition, whilst protecting jobs through investment into retraining O&G workers. Additionally, the evolution of industry practices to be applicable to related industries (e.g. blue/green hydrogen production, CCUS, etc.) is critical to a successful transition. Overall, a successfully transitioning involves a multi-pronged approach; industry commitments, commitment from workers to upskill, educational institutions support and government initiatives to accelerate this process. Alongside upskilling initiatives, there must be an emphasis on blending O&G work with energy transition, seamlessly transitioning the O&G workforce to work on clean energy projects and applying knowledge to key sectors such as Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen amongst others.

Novel/Additive Information

Successfully transitioning the O&G workforce into a clean energy landscape requires a multi-pronged approach; industry commitments, commitment from workers to upskill, educational institutions support and government initiatives to accelerate this process. Through companies identifying target clean energy sectors, performing skill mapping and gap analysis, alongside working with industry bodies to incorporate policies to allow worker upskilling. By also providing early exposure to clean energy projects for workers, there will be a sufficient knowledge base to enable to smooth transition for all workers into a clean energy future.