Scottish Energy Forum

The Annual James Watt Lecture, held in Edinburgh, has long provided a forum for serious reflection on energy, engineering, and society. This year’s lecture was delivered by Professor Ian Arbon, a veteran engineer, industrialist, and academic with more than five decades of experience across manufacturing, sustainability, and energy systems.

Serica Energy is a UK-based independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the UK Continental Shelf, responsible for around 5% of the UK’s natural gas output. With interests across 11 North Sea fields and major 2025 acquisitions set to significantly increase production, Serica combines strong financial discipline with growth through strategic investment and operational excellence.

Industry perspectives on energy supply, demand, geopolitics and investment risk, exploring what will shape global energy markets in the years ahead.

A conversation with Pauline Innes of the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) last week put something into sharp focus: decommissioning isn’t the epilogue to the North Sea story, it is the next chapter, and a significant one.

At a recent Scottish Energy Forum panel event, senior industry leaders came together to explore the evolving dynamics shaping global energy markets. The discussion brought a valuable international perspective, with contributors sharing insight on macroeconomic trends, market outlooks and the forces influencing investment and decision-making across the sector. The conversation reinforced the Forum’s role as a trusted space for informed, open dialogue among peers.

Despite some early optimism ahead of Labour’s Autumn Budget 2025, there is shared disappointment across the sector that the fiscal position for oil and gas remains challenging. At our event last week, kindly hosted by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, we welcomed the clear and timely breakdown from Aurell Taussig (Tax Partner at HSFK) who walked us through the key changes announced and what they mean in practice for operators and investors.

The Scottish Energy Forum is delighted to announce the appointment of Angela Mathis as its incoming President, with Donna Sutherland (Veri Energy) and Rhona McFarlane (Welligence) joining Nicole Doig (Howden) as Vice Presidents

Last month, over 70 professionals from across the north-east energy sector gathered at Norwood Hall in Aberdeen for a breakfast watch party marking the launch of POWERful Women’s 2025 statistics.

In a wide-ranging session, chaired by Scottish Energy Forum Honorary Vice President Jon Fitzpatrick, top industry figures Martin Copeland, Serica Energy plc, Robert Gair, New European Offshore, Mark Wilson, Jefferies, and Callum Stewart, Stifel Financial Corp. took a deep dive into the challenges of securing equity in the oil and gas sector.