EVOL: More North Sea merger mania

This week’s episode was rocked by the announcement Repsol was merging its North Sea assets with private-equity backed Neo Energy. Energy Voice reporter Mathew Perry explains this is part of a trend for operators to distance themselves from the basin including Shell and Equinor, while Michael Behr confirms this the supply chain is also making marriages of convenience. One of the big North Sea buyers has been Ithaca Energy, which last year combined with Eni which in turn had absorbed Neptune Energy. Now they are looking at reviving the fortunes of West of Shetland’s Cambo, the basin’s second largest undeveloped oil and gas find and green campaigner bogeyman. Lastly, news editor Erikka Askeland tackles Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring statement that wasn’t, at least for the energy industry, and asks if it’s possible for the UK to claim to be a superpower of both clean energy as well as the defence industry.