Will Aberdeen Be Born Again?

A year ago many engineers told me something surprising.

They felt they had to hide the words oil and gas on their CV.

Clients wanted “energy transition”. Recruiters wanted “renewables”. Profiles quietly changed.

Windmills replaced drilling rigs.

Now the mood is shifting again.

Tensions in the Middle East have pushed energy security back to the top of the agenda. Around 20 million barrels of oil a day move through the Strait of Hormuz. That is roughly one fifth of global supply.

When markets worry about supply, something predictable happens.

Investment starts moving. Projects restart. Hiring follows.

The hiring hotspots are already clear.

US Gulf Coast LNG projects Qatar North Field expansion UAE and Saudi offshore developments Guyana offshore fields Brazil deepwater projects West African gas developments

And the skills companies are suddenly searching for look very familiar.

Process engineers Pipeline engineers Integrity engineers Inspection and NDT specialists Project engineers Commissioning engineers Safety engineers

After fifty years recruiting in the energy sector I have seen this cycle more than once.

If energy security drives new investment again, cities like Aberdeen may feel the impact.

And something interesting could happen.

Oil and gas quietly return to people’s CVs.