Offshore Energy Logistics

Most of the energy production in Norway is from the sources (wind, oil, and gas) located offshore. The offshore energy industry is the base of the Norwegian economy. It is the sector that provides nowadays the most job opportunities and is expected to do so in the future.

In this course, we will study supply chains for the offshore energy industry, offshore logistics development on the Norwegian continental shelf. Examples of typical logistics planning, coordination and control operations are taken from activities of logistics departments of offshore energy companies on the Norwegian continental shelf and in the world.

Energy logistics offshore is complex and challenging, because energy production facilities are located far from shore and difficult to access, they have limited area for operations, and all logistics activities offshore are strongly influenced by unpredictable weather conditions. The focus of energy logistics offshore is thus on effective and reliable service of offshore facilities, safety, and environment.

The course has three parts. In the first part, the students learn the history of oil, gas and wind production offshore at the NSC. 

In the second part, the offshore energy industry value chain is presented, with a focus on wind, oil and gas. The students learn the infrastructure, the actors, and the main activities in the upstream and downstream parts of supply chain.

In the third part, the main offshore energy logistics operations such as cargo supply and offshore personnel transportation, onshore base operations, offshore support, and offshore emergency preparedness will be described, together with their challenges. The logistics operations will be presented in the form of job responsibilities of the logistics professionals working in the offshore energy companies. In addition, the modern trends in offshore energy logistics such as new technologies and focus on decarbonization will be provided.