This week, BP set a trend among supermajors as it hit the breaks on buybacks as International Energy Week kicked off in London and the UK government announced the winners of the non-offshore wind winners of Allocation Round 7. 

To run us through the headlines, Energy Voice's Ryan Duff, Mat Perry, and Erikka Askeland are joined by E-FWD editor Ed Reed. 

First off, Erikka discusses BP's world leading reserves and its move to step away from share buyback schemes while its fellow UK supermajor doubled down. As BP announced its full year results, University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Energy Policy released a report on EnQuest's Sullom Voe Terminal and the impact an extension to BP's Clair field would have on jobs and the wider Shetland economy.

Next up, Ed regales us with tales from International Energy Week, first touching on Shell CEO Wael Sawan's comments on the state of European energy policy as the continent finds itself the piggy in the middle between America's liquids production and China's electricity generation. Suffice to say, there is plenty to talk about from the event in London this week. 

Finally, Mat recounts the winners of the non-offshore wind winners from Allocation Round 7, also known as AR7a. His points to success, particularly in solar, as our journalists mull over the opportunities of tidal energy. 

This week on Energy Voice Out Loud, Michal and Mat discuss the latest Q4 results from Shell, Ithaca Energy and Equinor. Although it's the era of 'drill, baby, drill', it doesn't appear to be entirely plain sailing for the oil and gas majors, and some shareholders are showing their discontent. 

Then we head up to Aberdeen, where Erikka and Ryan have been attending Subsea Expo 2026. First off, they caught up with Global Underwater Hub boss Niel Gordon and the NSTA's Bill Cattanach to find out what was happening on the show floor. 

Finally, Ryan and Erikka sat down on the final day of the conference to discuss their key takeaways and the top headlines from Subsea Expo 2026. 

This week’s episode features Energy Voice’s Ryan Duff and Ed Reed in our opening discussion, then reporters Mathew Perry and Michael Behr with their thoughts from Offshore Wind Conference 2026 in Glasgow.

Up first, Ed, Ryan and Floyd team up to tackle the trials and tribulations in the offshore and floating wind sector, as the £1.5 billion Ming Yang project gets paused and XCLL pivots from manufacturing to cable laying. 

Next, Michael Behr sat down with former Corio Generation CEO Jonathan Cole as he returns to the offshore wind sector in his new role as ambassador for the Global Wind Energy Council. We discuss the evolving offshore wind landscape, from the UK’s political consensus, transmission charging and, his thoughts on Chinese involvement in the UK.

And to round things off, Mat and Mike chat through the best points from Offshore Wind Conference 2026 – transmission charging and AR8 are the big takeaways, especially as any potential reforms look unlikely to come into play for this year’s auction.

This week, there was yet more news of troubled Scottish wind projects as West of Orkney "paused" as it lambasted transmission charges, as we play our full conversation with Kemi Badenoch and True North talk us through its latest polling. 

This week’s episode features Energy Voice’s Ryan Duff and Michael Behr, and Mat Perry in our opening discussion and news editor Erikka Askeland join in at the end to talk with Energy Voice Out Loud familiar voice Allister Thomas. 

Up first, Michael talks us through why the front-runner ScotWind project, West of Orkney, hit the bricks this week as it bemoaned transmission charges after missing out on a contract for difference in Allocation Round 7. What does this mean for the future of offshore wind in Scotland? Our trio of journalists discuss. 

Next, Ryan caught up with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow minister for energy security and net zero, Andrew Bowie, about energy bills and what the opposition would have done differently with AR7. 

Finally, Erikka spoke with True North's Allister Thomas about a recent poll of unprecedented scale asking people across the North of Scotland what they really think of the march of energy infrastructure and the answers might surprise you.

We discuss the winners of Allocation Round 7, as well as Viaro's southern North Sea snub and Petrofac's UK business buy out. 

This week’s episode features Energy Voice’s Ryan Duff, Floyd March, Mat Perry and Erikka Askeland as they give their two cents on the week’s headlines.

First up, Mat gets us up to speed on the winners of AR7 as he argues that the government deserves a pat on the back. Although, Erikka fights for ScotWind project support as not one of the 12 successful bids came from a project that received a a licence under Holyrood's 2022 leasing round.

Next, Floyd talks us through the situation at Viaro as Francesco Mazzagatti's firm was told Shell and Exxon had backed out of a deal announced 18 months ago to sell southern North Sea gas assets. The North Sea Transition Authority has been keeping a close eye on Viaro in recent months having demanded additional information from the operator for this deal and its attempted takeover of rival Deltic. 

Finally, Ryan gets us caught up on Petrofac's North Sea business after it announced it would be selling its Asset Solutions division to a US firm on Christmas Eve. The services firm that slipped into administration last year is now set to hold a meeting with its creditors to approve the takeover, which is set to save 3,000 jobs.

The first weekly episode of Energy Voice Out Loud in 2026 starts with the big news of the week. E-FWD editor Ed Reed and Energy Voice news editor Erikka Askeland dissect the outlook for industry as President Trump seizes control of Venezuela’s oil industry

Renewables reporter Micheal Behr takes a view on where the wind blows as the UK delays a decision on RWE and Masdar’s plan for a 3GW wind farm on Dogger Bank. What does it mean for sector finances ahead of the government’s imminent allocation round 7?

Finally, North correspondent Floyd March discusses the announcement that Phillips 66 has taken control of the Lindsay refinery on the Humber. The deal looks good for the US refinery giant but not so great for 250 workers at the site, formerly owned by disgraced firm Prax, who only have jobs until the end of March.

Yippee Ki Yay, energy professionals! It’s that time of year again when we slow down and take in the finer things of life - but first the Energy Voice Out Loud quiz!

We have questions on companies and policy, nukes and nimbys, BP execs and BP ex-execs, all wrapped up in a festive onslaught of bells and surprises.

How will the crack team respond to a barrage of energy news questions? Who will break first? Who will come first - and who will come last? How off the rails will the quizmaster go?

There’s only one way to find out, listen now to the last EVOL of the year. Have an excellent time off, we’ll be back in 2026.

In this episode of Energy Voice Out Loud, Aberdeen features lead Ryan Duff gets the rare chance to say "I told you so" as he discusses with news editor Erikka Askeland the details of TotalEnergies' merger with Neo Next - in what has been a rash of UK oil and gas firms walking away from their decades-long status as a North Sea operator in 2025.

Micheal Behr was reports from the subserface and wells conference in Aberdeen - the first Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) event since the autumn budget of doom in November.

Finally northern correspondent Floyd March highlights some of the good news happening for fans of carbon capture and storage in the North West of England.

This week’s Energy Voice Out Loud (EVOL) sees news editor Erikka Askeland, renewables reporter Michael Behr, and North West correspondent Floyd March explore what’s been going on in the North Sea.

Adura day, the official launch of Equinor and Shell’s North Sea tieup, quickly turned in Harbour Job Cuts day as the oil and gas producer announced it would shed 100 roles. Harbour put the blame squarely on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ shoulders for deciding to keep the windfall tax in place up to 2030.

Speaking of the energy profits levy, longtime friend of the show, Panmure Liberum analyst Ashley Kelty shares his thoughts on the winners and losers of the budget. Of course, being a winner means not getting kicked.

And then Floyd catches us up on the Lindsey oil refinery saga and the new player that’s come in making a bid for the shuttered site.