There are some very good reasons to retain data. These include increasing regulatory demands, a need to be able to access information on decision-making processes used in past projects, and the ability to protect against events that can lead to data loss.

Shell believes that the CO2 challenge cannot be met by one company alone. Instead, the Shell Group is striving for public-private partnerships and a strong policy framework. Working in countries where the practices and behaviours are different to your own creates opportunities for misunderstandings, and with them inconvenience, damage to relationships, obstacles to project progress and sometimes, lost business

Our industry is changing rapidly, as we face up to the challenges of securing the energy the world will need. These changes naturally include the relationships between national oil companies, and international oil and service companies.

The engineering sector is facing serious recruitment problems in the UK, with a lack of fresh talent entering the industry. Engineering consultancy, Haden Freeman Ltd (HFL), has recently been forced to look outside of the UK for qualified engineers. Today the mind-set of assumed surplus appears to be changing rapidly. People (and governments in particular) are increasingly concerned with where the next barrel is coming from. The prevailing mind set is becoming one of anxiety and insecurity. And not just about the quantity of supply – but who controls it. Frost & Sullivan selected Nevada-based SulphCo, Inc as the recipient of the 2006 Excellence in Crude Oil Refining Technology of the Year Award Gazprom and the Belarussian government signed an accord on gas prices for 2007 to avert a supply disruption that likely would have spilled over into Europe. Higher oil prices, new investments in expansion of oil and gas production at existing fields and continuous emphasis on discoveries are some key factors driving the prime movers markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well as the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Hydro has awarded Aker Kvaerner a total contract which could be worth up to NOK850million for the Subsea Compression Pilot for Ormen Lange. The United Kingdom’s rising dependence on imported natural gas was thrown into stark relief last winter when falling North Sea production, icy temperatures, and underused import and storage capacity sent spot prices soaring. Given the current and projected worldwide energy demand, our nation needs all sources of commercially viable energy, as well as a greater commitment to energy efficiency and energy conservation. The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP) has announced the start of a global industry programme to assess the effect of operational sounds on marine life, with an initial focus on marine mammals and fish. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world will need 50percent more energy by 2030 – energy to fuel vehicles, electrify homes, prepare food, power factories and perform countless other functions that lift living standards in developed and developing countries alike. Reserve estimates are a critical component of the market value of publicly quoted oil and gas companies. This is due primarily to their use in asset depletion and impairment calculations. next