Scottish oil procurement gets boost from African expansion
Scottish oil procurement gets boost from African expansion
Increased oil and gas exploration across Africa is set to boost those working in the sector in Aberdeen and beyond as the North Sea production platforms take advantage of what has been termed “vast opportunities” on offer.
This is the term labelled by a trade commissioner for the UK Government, who believes that this could be a key market after the UK leaves the EU next March.
Emma Wade-Smith has been newly appointed as a trade commissioner for Africa, and used a talk in Aberdeen to hail the potential of exporting the skills already held in Scotland to deliver a stronger supply chain in Africa and boost British trade links.
With Prime Minister Theresa May having already laid foundations on a recent ministerial visit to some key African nations, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, Wade-Smith believes that the time is right for the North Sea oil sector to reach out and offer expertise.
Africa is currently undergoing a key period of economic growth, and there were many business and procurement opportunities on the table for Scottish businesses.
With the suggestion of helping countries such as Senegal and Mauritania start up their own production aims from scratch alongside working with established oil-producing nations such as Angola, Wade-Smith hailed “vast opportunities for Scottish companies across the entire industry and supply chain to grow their businesses”.
The trade commissioner also noted that the key goal was to make the most of “experience and technological innovation” on UK shores to help “avoid some of the potential pitfalls of creating that domestic capability”.
Wade-Smith said that “supply chain enterprises” would also benefit, as those who needed equipment would also find themselves coming to the UK market.
Meanwhile, Oil and Gas UK’s Upstream Policy Director Mike Tholen said that this move could “unlock an additional £150 million in the revenue of supply chain companies”.
