Australia Subsea

By Philip de Waal, Vice President Asia Pacific, Maxwell Drummond International

Australia is one of the most important emerging markets in the global energy industry. With an increased focus on offshore exploration and production, its energy sector has grown aggressively and quickly from a relatively small market to a booming, competitive oil and gas arena. Though the surge in activity is welcome, it is problematic in terms of qualified talent available to man the projects coming on stream. The skills gap being faced by most major oil and gas provinces also plagues Australia’s market, with specific challenges in the subsea sector. As Australia’s oil and gas industry continues to prosper, the industry must be proactive in recruiting and attracting subsea specialists to the region.

The subsea skills shortage is nothing new for the oil and gas industry. These highly technical and niche positions are coveted globally and considered vital to the development and efficiency of the industry. As Australia’s offshore oil and gas industry matures and moves into deeper waters, its subsea market will continue to expand at an ever increasing rate, squeezing the already tight talent pool. In order to rectify the situation, old problems need new and creative solutions. The Federal Government predicts that the oil and gas sector will need approximately 90,000 workers over the next few years to meet demands being created by Australia’s uptick in activity, a large percentage of which will be senior subsea specialists. Global sourcing will be a critical component of the industry’s strategy to mind the skills gap and these practices must be adopted into long-term talent development and acquisition plans to drive future growth in the sector. Between Maxwell Drummond’s Asia/Pacific and Aberdeen offices, we have seen a surge in Australian companies looking to recruit senior individuals from Aberdeen and Norway where there is a high concentration of subsea and offshore expertise.

With the demand of senior leadership positions, project engineers, project managers and niche technical roles such as flow assurance specialists at all-time high, aging generations are remaining in high level jobs for longer. Attractive retention packages are encouraging seasoned industry leaders to stay within the oil and gas sector past the typical retirement age. This gives these skilled professionals the opportunity to share their expertise with the younger generation of leaders rising through the ranks. This transfer of knowledge must continue, as it is inevitable that critical skills will retire along with this generation of workers.

The benefits of life in Australia will be a component of attracting talent to the region. By offering an attractive lifestyle package and competitive salaries, Australia is an enticing prospect for internationally based personnel. That said, more could be done by energy companies in Australia to promote the region as an attractive place to live and work. Raising a company’s profile in these markets of the future will be intrinsic to business success, and ultimately bring experienced employees to the region.

As with all sectors of the oil and gas industry’s skill shortages, the subsea quandary lies in smart thinking. Global sourcing will be of the utmost importance for Australian companies to bring in the critical talent needed to drive the subsea sector’s future projects. Knowledge transfer and talent development will also play a key role in the successful training and on boarding of the next generation of the subsea workforce. Australia undoubtedly has the tools in the form of resources to emerge as a heavy hitting oil and gas country, but proper steps must be taken to fill its subsea sector with accomplished personnel to drive its growth.

About the author
Philip de Waal was appointed as Vice President Asia Pacific for Maxwell Drummond in September 2011. He joined the Houston office of Maxwell Drummond in 2007 as Business Development Manager. From September 2007 until August 2011 he established a presence for Maxwell Drummond in Africa by opening an office in Johannesburg.

Maxwell Drummond International is a world leading retained search consultancy offering professional search services to clients in all sectors of the energy and natural resources industries.