Energy Security: The Missing Piece of the Energy Transition - Erik de Haas

This week I'm joined by Erik de Haas.

Erik has worked across offshore oil and gas, renewables, subsea operations and major marine projects around the world.

We discuss why offshore remains a "prove it, not potential" industry, whether the sector really has a skills shortage, and why valuable experience is often being overlooked.

We also dive into the energy transition, the risks of an increasingly polarised debate, and why energy security may be the missing piece in conversations about affordability and sustainability.

A thoughtful conversation on leadership, commercial decision making, offshore culture and the future of energy.

Topics include:

• Offshore hiring and skills shortages

• Why experience still matters

• Oil and gas vs renewables

• The energy transition debate

• Energy security and geopolitics

• Offshore wind challenges

• Leadership and decision making offshore

• Learning from failure

• Building high performing teams

#energy #energysecurity #offshoreenergy #podcast

0:00 Introduction

0:20 Erik's background and journey into offshore energy

2:56 Moving from engineering into commercial leadership

5:18 Why offshore is a "prove it, not potential" industry

7:30 Is the industry protecting itself from new talent?

8:40 Offshore wind vs oil and gas on developing people

10:12 Why innovation struggles to gain traction offshore

12:34 Why offshore wind treats every project like a prototype

14:23 Where offshore projects lose the most value

16:22 Who really owns project interfaces?

17:31 What actually drives major offshore decisions?

18:51 Is there a disconnect between onshore and offshore?

25:15 Skills shortage or hiring problem?

27:50 Why experienced workers are being overlooked

30:18 Oil and gas, renewables and the energy transition

33:07 The missing pillar: energy security

35:35 Groningen, Aberdeen and domestic energy production

37:22 Energy transition vs energy addition

39:08 What happens when energy shortages become real?

40:59 Politics, taxes and difficult energy decisions

42:52 Why energy should not be a tribal debate

44:55 Learning from what doesn't work

47:24 Erik's proudest career moments

49:35 Advice for people struggling to find opportunities

50:05 The abundance mindset that shaped Erik's career

51:05 Closing thoughts