NORTH Sea oil services heavyweight Aker Solutions expects to create 200 jobs in its UK operations as it looks to use its expertise to help it win work in sectors such as offshore wind.

The group said the recruitment will support the delivery of a new strategy which targets significant growth in renewables and low carbon oil and gas solutions.

It will result in a 25 per cent increase in the number of group employees in the UK, to 1,000.

The group, which has headquarters in Norway, did not say where the jobs will be created. It seems likely that employee numbers in Scotland will increase.

A spokesperson for Aker Solutions said: “The location of these jobs will be driven by the location of the required skills and influenced by the rise of remote working.

“In Scotland, Aker Solutions currently employs approx 500 people and the country will remain an important part of the company’s UK operations.”

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The group has offices in Aberdeen and Reading.

Aker Solutions chief executive Kjetel Digre said: “In 2025, one-third of our total revenues will come from solutions enabling oil and gas production with low-carbon emissions, and from deliveries to renewable energy projects. And by 2030, this will grow to two-thirds.”

Jason Brown has been appointed Aker Solutions’ Head of Renewables in the UK, after heading its engineering business in Malaysia. He will divide his time between Aberdeen and Reading.

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A range of oil services groups are positioning themselves to try to capitalise on opportunities that will be created amid the global drive to reduce emissions. This will involve them providing services for firms working in renewable energy and related sectors and in trying to help oil and gas firms reduce the emissions associated with their activity.