Blog & News

Meet the 2017 Council Candidates – Brian Mitchener, President Elect

Fri 18 November 2016

Category: Council, Elections, Membership

Brian Mitchener, Sound Energy plc
President Elect

brianAfter completing my MSc in Petroleum Geology at Imperial College in 1980, I have been very lucky to follow a career in the oil industry doing something I love for the last 36 years.  I have worked in a number of hydrocarbon provinces and I have developed an expertise in sequence stratigraphy and basin analysis.  We all have those stand-out moments during our careers and in my time with BP I was very fortunate to be a member of the team which discovered the giant oil fields, Foinaven and Schiehallion, West of Shetlands.

Over the last 15 years I have continued to build my expertise in global exploration strategy, operations and portfolio management with Statoil (Vice President for Africa) and more recently as GM America’s and Australasia with BG.  I have served as the President of the Petroleum Group of the Geological Society of London and I am now a Chartered Geologist.

In October this year I joined an exciting AIM listed company, Sound Energy, as Executive Vice President.  This represents an exciting challenge to me building on Sounds recent gas discovery in Morocco and continuing to grow an exciting portfolio of opportunities.

In the last couple of years, the energy sector has been going through a period of transition, and we have watched many of our colleagues move out of the oil industry or into retirement.  I have been around long enough to know that this industry is very resilient, and always rises to challenging oil prices and reinvents itself.  The UKCS is one such place in need of reinvention.  The UKCS is a mature hydrocarbon province and was challenged prior to the oil price fall, but the application of new technology may still stimulate creativity and enable us to challenge the old myths and theories – of which I am sure I am responsible for a few.  For example, the application of wide azimuth seismic may open new pre-salt plays in the Central Graben around existing facilities or open new petroleum systems. We are all aware that there are more than hints of deeper source rocks that have been subsumed by the prolific Kimmeridge clay source rock, and their relative importance may have been overlooked.

I am keen that the PESGB plays its part, promoting education and innovation to rejuvenate the potential of the UKCS.  If I am elected, I want to bring my enthusiasm and experience to bear, and with you all, play our part and create a bright new and exciting future for the UK.  It would be an honour to serve as your President.

Visit pesgb.org.uk/election/ to cast your vote now!
Polls close on Tuesday 29 November
Make your voice count and help shape the future of your PESGB…