Lack of Oil & Gas Proffesionals in Srilanka

 History

With more recent work on seismic surveys carried out in the Mannar basin by a Norwegian seismic company, petroleum exploration in Sri Lanka got underway some 40 years ago. Three exploration blocks (M1, M2, and M3) were the subject of the first international licensing round in 2007, and in 2008, Cairn Lanka Pvt Ltd, a division of Cairn India, was granted one exploration block. In 2011, Cairn drilled three wells in Block M2, and for the first time, two of those wells yielded natural gas discoveries. Mannar Bay's oil and gas deposits are currently valued at over $200 billion. Together with SLB (previously Schlumberger) and Bell Geospace, the Petroleum Development Authority (PDA) has persisted in purchasing, processing, and reprocessing the Sri Lankan dataset for hydrocarbon resources.
The primary port-to-refinery pipeline and Sri Lanka's sole refinery are in dire need of modernisation and expansion. The Sapugaskanda refinery is operated by the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). Plans to update the current refinery and construct a new one have been debated for many years, but the project has not yet been put into action. Over the years, numerous US businesses have put forward plans for this project, but it has never come to fruition. The CPC anticipates that the present 50,000 barrels per day of refining capacity will be increased to 100,000 barrels per day. There is also an urgent need to replace Sri Lanka's main 6KM oil pipeline. Three companies have been shortlisted from seven that submitted bids for a petroleum refinery that the government announced earlier this year.

Opportunity 
The Previous government of Sri Lanka has made renovating the Sapugaskanda oil refinery a top priority. The government imports 60% of the refined fuels used domestically, while 40% of Sri Lanka's refined fuel needs are satisfied by the output of the Sapugaskanda oil refinery. RFPs have been released.

There will be chances to provide the tools and services required for initiatives involving the discovery of oil and gas. The government allowed oil-producing nations to import and supply petroleum in June 2022. Three businesses—Sinopec, R.M. Parks, a U.S. corporation, and an Australian company—were chosen to supply fuel.

The shortage of oil and gas professionals in Sri Lanka can be attributed to several factors:

1. Training & Skills: Specialized education and training programs for professions in oil and gas may be in short supply in Sri Lanka. There is no single university in the country that grants graduate degrees or certifications in geophysics, petroleum engineering, or other disciplines related to oil and gas. As a result, fewer professionals may enter the field. some candidates complete their engineering degrees in local universities and migrate to the Middle East & Australia as Quantity surveyors. most recently, a private university planned to start a CISRS program to train local scaffolders and send them into the oil field.

2. Lack of Domestic Oil & Gas Resources/Awareness: Compared to other countries in the region, Sri Lanka does not have substantial domestic oil and gas reserves. Because of this, there hasn't been much emphasis on growing a sizable domestic oil and gas business, which has reduced the demand for professionals in the field and reduced job prospects. Even if there is some demand for oil and gas professionals, Sri Lanka faces strong competition from countries with more developed oil and gas industries. Professionals in Sri Lanka may seek opportunities abroad, especially in countries with larger, more dynamic energy sectors, where salaries and career growth opportunities are more lucrative.

3. Instability of Government: Among the political and economic challenges Sri Lanka has faced are civil war and, more recently, economic instability. In contrast to other industries like technology or tourism, the oil and gas business may not be seen as a stable or high-growth sector, which can make it more challenging to attract people and investment. At the same time, politicians and those in power are unable to comprehend the importance of the oil and gas industry and instead focus on accounting and other back-office jobs that pay far less than those in the oil and gas business. 

4. Limited Infrastructure: The country's oil and gas infrastructure is not as developed as in countries where the industry is a major part of the economy. Without the necessary infrastructure, such as refineries, offshore oil rigs, or pipelines, there isn't a robust industry to attract professionals in this field. The government usually does not allocate any financial budget for the development of oil & gas rather than allocating funds to religious activities like building temples, churches & mosques. Therefore, the public interest and awareness regarding oil & gas kept going backwards. Trincomalee is the idle spot to revamp the oil rigs, which can be parked and maintained at less cost. ample of manpower resources with reasonable wages can be utilized. 

5. Dependency on Imports: Sri Lanka largely depends on imported oil for its energy needs. This reliance on imports, rather than domestic production, reduces the emphasis on building a local oil and gas workforce.

6. Renewable Energy Focus: With a global shift toward renewable energy, Sri Lanka may be increasingly focusing on alternatives like wind, solar, and hydropower, reducing the emphasis on oil and gas, and hence the need for professionals in that sector.

These combined factors lead to fewer opportunities and incentives for professionals to enter the oil and gas industry in Globally. 

References
1. Petroleum Development Authority, Srilanka
2. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation
3. Ministry of Energy, Srilanka.