I came to the UK when I was 18 years old - after finishing high school in Tallinn, Estonia - to study for a degree in Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Bradford.
I stayed in the UK to continue my studies, moving up to Aberdeen to complete a Masters degree in Oil and Gas Management. A student placement role with CNR International led to a permanent job there as a project engineer, where I was involved in the Murchison decommissioning project right from the planning stage.
I grabbed the opportunity with both hands, learning so much from my colleagues and travelling around the world. I also spent some time offshore and was a lead for facilities scopes of work.
After five years with CNR I moved to Centrica (Spirit Energy) where I worked as project manager for various decom projects. This operator experience was crucial in instilling a keen understanding of the dynamics of our clients’ environment. At the comparatively young age of 30 I was looking after diving, drilling and removal, as well as liaising with the regulator and the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands. That was when I decided to focus on working within the decom sector.
Turning vision into value
I launched NMC Energy when I realised that my level of specialism and my ambitions outstripped the environment I was working in at the time. I knew how to deliver projects. I understood the pitfalls and how to avoid them. I had been in the shoes of the operator. All of these elements prompted me to join the supply chain, where I saw a gap in the market to create value in a way that no other business was doing at that time.
Decom is challenging, and each decom project presents its own unique set of challenges! But this is something both I and the wider NMC team, thrive on. I love seeing projects through from initial concept to close-out, which reflects our mission statement - our team members take personal responsibility and drive projects from start to finish.
The shifting landscape of decommissioning
One of the biggest challenges in today’s decommissioning sector is the changing dynamic of the workforce and the resulting knowledge drain. A significant amount of specialist expertise is being lost as experienced professionals retire, move abroad, or shift careers. At the same time, there’s a noticeable reluctance among the younger generation to pursue offshore roles, which makes it even more difficult to fill these gaps.
From the perspective of a service provider, workload planning has also become increasingly complex. With a substantial number of fields expected to cease production over the next five years, I anticipate that the supply chain may struggle to keep up with demand.
Despite these hurdles, there are promising developments. I’m encouraged by the innovative engineering solutions currently being developed, and it’s positive to see the UK oil and gas market becoming more open to outsourcing decommissioning work to specialists. This shift is creating opportunities for companies like ours to bring real value and expertise to the table.
Bridging the gap - expertise, agility, results
At NMC Energy, we specialise solely in decom. This means our clients benefit from our cutting-edge knowledge, understanding and expertise in delivering projects on time and on budget.
We bridge the gap between contractors, operators, regulators and stakeholders to safely and efficiently decommission offshore energy assets in the UKCS.
As a small company we are able to adopt a flexible, lean and nimble approach to best suit our client’s priorities and needs. We deliver a single-point, integrated project management solution that harnesses the optimum technical capability within a robust commercial framework.
Building bridges across borders
Splitting my time between Aberdeen and the Netherlands has become one of our greatest strengths at NMC Energy. It allows us to blend the best of both cultures, the technical excellence and innovation coming out of Scotland with the practical, no-nonsense approach that defines Dutch engineering.
This cross-border perspective helps us think differently and work more effectively. Our background as former operators means we can speak the same language as our clients and truly understand the pressures they face. That insight helps us guide contractors through complex challenges and deliver real value.
We’re deeply invested in the future of decommissioning in Aberdeen and the wider UKCS, but we also see a growing opportunity to expand our impact in the Netherlands. With an increasing number of marine projects on the horizon, we’re excited about the road ahead and the chance to bring our specialist skillset to new frontiers.
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