Source: Getty. A jackup vessel is seen transiting to sea for wind turbine installation work. For several years, the offshore wind industry in the UK has represented a growing share of business for companies that once serviced only the oil and gas sector. The offshore renewable energy business shares a lot of similarities with offshore oil and gas development. The designs of the structures are similar, as are the work vessels needed to build and maintain them. Corroding steel is a shared obsession, as is the soil analysis needed to be sure a structure is on sound footing. All of which could create opportunities for idle experts in offshore oil and gas construction and services. “With the expertise of the oil and gas industry, we can tackle a lot of challenges,” said Alana Duerr, offshore wind lead for the US Department of Energy, during a speech at the 2017 Offshore Technology Conference where she asked for technical assistance to spark US offshore wind development. The speech promoted the US offshore wind sector, which shares an unfortunate similarity to offshore exploration and production: it is not cost-­competitive with onshore producers, whether it is wind, solar, or unconventional oil and gas. ... This article is reserved for SPE members and JPT subscribers. If you would like to continue reading, please , or
Companies whose experience is in the offshore oil and gas sector could find that their knowledge is invaluable to the offshore wind industry, according to Alana Getty, offshore wind lead for the US Department of Energy. Speaking at the recent Offshore Technology Conference, she called for oil and gas experts who were hit hard by the slump in the sector to lend their technical assistance to help kick-start US offshore wind development. Getty said there were opportunities to create "smaller, leaner, and cheaper" technologies, while discoveries made in one sector could benefit another.