The UK’s offshore energy sector is set to see significant growth in the coming years, as nearly 200,000 workers will be required by 2030.

That’s according to a new report by the Robert Gordon University, which estimates £170 billion of investments will be made in the sector in the next ten years.

The research reveals roles in renewables are set to climb from a 20% share to 65% of all jobs in the offshore energy sector, which includes oil and gas, offshore wind, carbon capture utilisation and storage and hydrogen.

More than 90% of the UK’s oil and gas workforce have ‘medium to high skills transferability’ and are ‘well-positioned’ to work in other segments of the offshore energy sector, the analysis suggests.

The authors of the report estimate around 100,000 of the jobs created by 2030 are projected to be filled by people moving away from oil and gas.

Professor Paul de Leeuw, Director of the Energy Transition Institute at Robert Gordon University, commented: “With the overall number of jobs in the UK oil and gas industry projected to decline over time, the degree of transferability of jobs to adjacent energy sectors such as offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen or other industrial sectors will be key to ensuring the UK retains its world-class skills and capabilities.”

Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “We have a world-leading offshore energy sector in Scotland and across the UK with a proven mix of critical skills, which are essential to the success of the energy industry.

“Through our leading North Sea Transition Deal, we set out how we will make certain we have an energy skills base in the UK that is fit for the future, while our Green Jobs Taskforce will advise on how we can create the broader skilled workforce to deliver net zero by 2050.”