A recent study by Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategy and technology consulting firm, into the skills crisis in the oil and gas industry has uncovered both causes of the gap and opportunities for improving the challenges in the industry.
The study found four major causes of the gap including, the ageing workforce, the need for specialised skills, an increasing workload and escalating costs.
“Oil and gas organisations that proactively manage their capability will enjoy a significant advantage in the industry.
“There are clear signs that those with a strong response to the capability challenge will have a far higher probability of being able to deliver on the potential of their asset portfolio,” he added. Although the impact of the skills gap is felt globally, the study found that organisations within the GCC and MENA region in particular is where labour is limited. Finding that there are too few experienced people across the industry to support existing operations, or to support the future growth plans and the execution of major projects.
“Within the industry, it takes up to 3 years for staff to develop basic industry operating competence and up to 10 years plus for many professional disciplines. Therefore, the gap is easily noticeable,” said Kombargi.
Taking in to consideration that up to half of the current workforce is likely to retire within the next 10 years, according to Kombargi, with ‘more difficult oil’ needing to be extracted, by simplifying operations, and using more technologies, such a smart wells that require less man-power, will benefit the industry and ultimately reduce the oil and gas skills gap.
