UK oil and gas industry regulator Oil and gas Authority (OGA) has informed that Andy Samuel will remain its CEO for an additional period of two years.
Samuel's term extension at the helm of OGA has been confirmed by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
The OGS Chief Executive's Andy’s contract was due to expire at the end of 2020, and will now be extended until the end of 2022. OGA said the extension would bring "essential stability at this challenging time."
Commenting on the extension, the Chairman of the OGA, Tim Eggar, said: “I am delighted to have secured a further two years of service from Andy at what is a critical time for the industry.
"This news comes at a time when maintaining his consistent leadership is more important than ever, whether in our work to help support the response to oil price and COVID challenges or in our work championing the net-zero future for this industry.”
As the oil and gas industry is grappling with the challenges caused by coronavirus and low oil prices, Samuel last week said the regulator would be flexible and would work to safeguard both the energy supply and the thousands of jobs in the UK oilfield sector which help deliver it.
He said OGA would, among other things, take a flexible approach to consider amendments to offshore license timelines, and he encouraged operators to engage with OGA early, with evidence, on any specific requests.
While some countries are thinking of, or have already delayed new licensing rounds, the OGA expects to offer its 32nd Offshore Licensing Round awards in summer 2020.
