Tech companies join programme to drive culture change in traditional energy firms

By Erikka Askeland

July 16 2021, 6:00 am

EnergyTech includes business leaders behind technologies such as Peterson’s control tower, which improves operational planning and long-term visibility to drive efficiencies within the industry

Fifteen digital technology companies have begun a 12-month programme working with major players from across the energy industry to drive culture change in one of the UK’s largest industrial sectors.

It brings together company leaders from large, established businesses in the energy sector, including Petrofac, Proserv, Schlumberger, Sellafield, Serica and Worley, who meet up monthly with leaders of small, nimble start-up and scale-up business leaders.

The smaller tech companies benefit by building domain expertise while the larger companies are introduced to new technologies, skills and cultures that enable them to accelerate innovation while supporting UK industry ambition to become a global leader in sustainable energy.

The EnergyTech programme is being led by Barclays Eagle Labs in partnership with Opportunity North East (ONE) and CodeBase.

Daniel McAteer, vice-president of energy for Worley

Dan McAteer, VP energy at global project and asset services firm, Worley, said: “The UK energy sector has traditionally been highly regulated and risk averse. Established practices and operating models have been difficult to disrupt, meaning the pace of change has lagged other sectors.

The UK energy sector has traditionally been highly regulated and risk averse.”

Dan McAteer, VP energy, Worley

“But given the scale and pace of the energy transition, change is essential. Transformation outcomes will only be achieved with a pioneering mindset, and a willingness to combine new technology with new ways of thinking and working.

“EnergyTech is an excellent platform to showcase technologies and solutions that will continue to accelerate the energy industry’s transition.”

“Hyper accelerant”

Steve Shearman, founder eCERTO, a cohort company said: “The EnergyTech programme is a hyper accelerant and provides the framework to really engage with leaders around hard to solve problems and quickly leverage technology regardless of company size. After just three sessions, the relationship building and quality of conversation is hugely refreshing. In addition, engagement outside the scheduled meetings is building a genuinely strong and cohesive cohort and peer group.”

Opportunity North East chief executive Jennifer Craw.

Jennifer Craw, chief executive of ONE said: “The north east of Scotland is home to an exciting and growing cluster of early-stage digital businesses at the, forefront of disruptive technology; and a world leading, innovative energy sector.

Learning to ‘fail fast’

“EnergyTech builds the trust and relationships to harness the agility and ‘fail fast’ methods of early-stage companies to support the energy sector and help it to embrace digital technology as a key enabler to shape the future of energy.”

The energy sector is faced with momentous challenges: climate change, technology disruption, a need for innovations, to name just three!”

Martin Boyle, director of innovation & business transformation, CodeBase

Martin Boyle, director of innovation & business transformation at CodeBase, said: “The energy sector is faced with momentous challenges: climate change, technology disruption, a need for innovations, to name just three! And all of this while they are being asked by society to ‘keep the lights on.’

“With this programme we are bringing together people from startups and incumbents to sit around a virtual table to expose one to the other and to build a community of those who articulate challenges and those who are building solutions for those challenges.

“We are excited about enabling and informing this conversation with examples of best practice from other industry sectors that have faced off disruptive challenges through internal and external innovation efforts and partnerships.”