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Employees wanted
for Oil and Wind
Welcome to ON/OFF Yearbook
The Danish offshore industry is doing
remarkably well. Once again, I observe a
year with increasing activities. The high oil
prices are in many ways a catalyst for attractive
development. When the price is high, it
becomes more attractive to produce oil, and
activities increase, both those directly related
to the production but also the indirectly
related onshore activities. At the same time,
the high oil prices are benefi cial for our wind
industry. The skyrocketing of the oil prices
increases the demand for alternative energy.
This year we can once again observe that
virtually all companies in the offshore sector
are in acute need of employees. The situation
is alarming, and there is no doubt that we
have to think fast and creative in order to
deal with the problem.
In order to solve the problem it is necessary
to require competent employees from
outside the borders of Denmark. Offshore
Center Danmark regularly receives requests
from highly educated foreigners from e.g.
Africa and Northern Europe, who offer their
labour and know-how to the Danish industry
– foreign nations are aware of Denmark
and the expertise we have here. Now it is
up to us to include the foreign specialists
into our frame of mind, in order to combat
the lack of employees. Another challenge is
to export the Danish know-how out of the
country. Many countries have just recently
begun positioning themselves within the oil
and gas production and are in acute need
of knowledge and expertise. During 2007,
Offshore Center Danmark has conducted
two studies of the market in Africa, where
Danish companies and their employees are
estimated to have large possibilities. Another
project in Offshore Center Danmark is working
with the establishment of an international
network with offshore wind energy, in order
to increase the possibilities for the Danish
companies to enter the markets abroad and to
attract foreign expertise to Denmark.
I will now make a quick jump home to
Esbjerg - the offshore city of Denmark. Here,
the high activity level within offshore oil, gas
and wind is clear. Once again we are pleased
to notice that out harbour is being used for repairs
of oil rigs. In order to make that service
even better, the harbour is now making large
investments for optimization of the facilities.
Denmark is in the top 3 among oil and gas
producing countries in Europe. It is good to
witness the success and the drive, which acts
as a dynamo and creates further innovative
developments within the Danish offshore industry.
We are among the majors in the world
thanks to our know-how and skilled employees.
A small country with a large experience
is hard to miss.
Please enjoy the Yearbook, which is created
to raise awareness of the Danish offshore
expertises. Hopefully, the book will act as a
source of knowledge, be of inspiration to the
readers and will be a basis for debate in the
offshore industry. ■
Johnny Søtrup
Mayor of Esbjerg
Offshore Center Danmark
Yearbook 2008
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