Page 43 - Danish Offshore Industry 2015

ESBJERG TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF OFFSHORE JOBS Future slow-down in growth is not worrying the May- or of Esbjerg. Instead he is planning to increase num- ber of citizens and amount of offshore jobs. The prophecies for the next couple of years do not really indicate growth in industry, but the mayor of Esbjerg is confdent that the drop will soon turn into better times. So he is holding on to the ambition of his town – both regarding more jobs in the offshore industry and get- ting more citizens. The former to be doubled from the 12,000 persons today working in offshore, and the latter increasing from its present 116,000 inhabitants to more than 120,000. “Someone has pressed the button calling for a time-out in the dynamic growth we have witnessed for many years. Today we see, for instance, that Norwegian engineers – previously being high-jacked by hungry companies almost before they had fnished their studies – cannot expect to get a job right away. However, it is still our ambition to double before 2025 the number of jobs here in Esbjerg, and I believe we shall prepare for constantly being challenged by our Norwegian and Scot- tish colleagues’ hunt for qualifed heads,” states Johnny Søtrup, who is betting on a continuous development of Mayor Johnny Søtrup will double the number of offshore jobs in Esbjerg. production technology. “Every time we can produce just one more percent of oil in the North Sea we increase our income by 55 billion the oil-in-place, so there is much more to go for. The DKK. At the moment we only produce some 26-27% of most optimistic researchers claim that up to 50% of the resources can be produced by introducing new technolo- gy, and this message is being passed on in the best FACTS possible way by the branch organization, Oil and Gas, Denmark. Some politicians, too, have realized the poten- / THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY HAVING ESBJERG AS ITS tial,” notes the Mayor, who is convinced that the Danish CAPITAL PROVIDES FOR SOME 12.000 OFFSHORE JOBS oil capital in West Jutland has the best background for – EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO TWICE THAT NUMBER meeting the challenge. BEFORE 2025. “We have been judged out several times, but fortu- nately we have shown able to adjust. The “green trans- / THE NUMBER OF INHABITANTS OF THE MUNICIPAL- formation” needs fnancing, and that calls for exploiting ITY IS APP. 116,000. BEFORE 2020 THIS NUMBER IS TO our huge, untouched resources. In that respect it is great INCREASE TO 120,000. to see how willing and able the major companies of our region are when it comes to adjusting to changes. / BY 2020 THE PRESENT NUMBER OF 6,600 STUDENTS Esbjerg used to be a huge fshing harbor. Then – 40 years ARE TO BE INCREASED TO MORE THAN 10,000. ago – oil and gas popped up, and now wind power has made its entrance. But there are still lots of opportuni- ▲ 43 / ESBJERG TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF OFFSHORE JOBS