Workforce Report 2018

WORKFORCE REPORT 2018

4.3. Workforce versus Industry Activity Drilling Activity

Drilling activity decreased for the fifth year in a row in 2017, with a record low of only 94 wells (71 development, 14 exploration and 9 appraisal) spudded on the UKCS. This has had a direct impact on the number of personnel travelling offshore as rigs are stacked and drill crews made redundant. Overall, the number of drillers has declined by 35 per cent since 2014, to 3,032. The central North Sea has seen the biggest reduction in drilling personnel, by over 40 per cent since 2014. Conversely, the west of Shetland has seen drill crews increase by 54 per cent since 2016, due to high levels of recent development activity.

Figure 9: Number of Core Personnel versus Drilling Activity

35,000

300

Development

Exploration

Appraisal

Core Personnel

30,000

250

25,000

200

dellirD slleW fo rebmuN

20,000

150

15,000

100

Number of Personnel

10,000

50

5,000

0

0

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Source: Vantage POB, Oil & Gas UK

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