In this issue

Welcome to the new edition of Offshore Technology Focus. 

In light of Brexit, the possibility of a new attempt at Scottish independence is looming large. If it should happen, one of the big questions that will need answering is: what happens to North Sea oil? We dive into the geopolitics of the region and ask what the future holds for Scotland’s relationship to the North Sea.

Elsewhere, OGUK’s 2020 Decommissioning Insight report has revealed that continuing market uncertainty due to Covid-19 has led to around £500m of decommissioning expenditure previously scheduled for 2020-22 being deferred into the future. While all parts of the industry have been hit hard its no surprise but what does it mean for decommissioning long-term?

And speaking of threats to the offshore industry, Mozambique is currently battling an Islamic State-linked insurgency that has sent more than half a million people fleeing. Among those affected were the workers of Total’s $20bn LNG project in the region, who were evacuated as attacks encroached on what is Africa’s biggest private investment. We examine the situation, the promises and pitfalls of oil in Mozambique and and ask more broadly how companies can mitigate such risks.

For all this and more, read on.

Callum Tyndall, editor