The documentary serves as a powerful reminder that rethinking our energy systems requires a complete reevaluation of the workforce behind them.
Offshore will be screened alongside The Oil Machine on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at the Paintworks in Bristol. Get your Cinema Climatic tickets now.
Offshore unveils the profound impact of industrial decline on communities while emphasising the paramount importance of workers' rights in the transition towards renewable energy.
This is done through the lens of oil and gas workers toiling under challenging conditions to sustain the machinery of oil production.
The masterful use of vintage shots and a cropped lens creates a nostalgic ambiance, evoking a sense of tranquility before the impending storm - a romanticised vision of a world blissfully unaware of the devastating consequences of fossil fuel consumption on societies.
Interconnectedness
Against this backdrop, an oil worker with a brisk Glaswegian accent recites The Storm Cone by Rudyard Kipling. "This is the midnight - let no star delude us, Dawn is very far. This is the tempest long foretold- Slow to make head, but sure to hold. Stand by! The lull ‘twixt blast and blast. Signals the storm is near, not past."
The documentary serves as a powerful reminder that rethinking our energy systems requires a complete reevaluation of the workforce behind them.
The film expertly weaves together the narratives of industry workers across generations, seamlessly portraying the interconnectedness of their experiences.
One particularly compelling story features an oil worker who embarked on his seafaring career at the age of 19. He shares the tale of his grandfather, a fisherman in a once thriving industry that ultimately collapsed.
This narrative draws striking parallels to his own offshore experiences and highlights the heavy reliance of the Aberdeen community on the oil industry.
Non-compliance
The documentary effectively captures the imminent threat faced by current oil and gas workers in the face of the transition towards renewable energy.
It illustrates the urgent need to organise and plan for their future within the energy industry - emphasising that mobilsation often occurs only in the wake of a disaster.
One of the most poignant moments in the film is the tragic story of Piper Alpha, a forgotten chapter in the oil industry's history that claimed the lives of 165 workers and also spured the unionisation of the workforce.
As one oil worker aptly expresses, "Piper encapsulated everything that was wrong with the industry, you had an oppressed cowed workforce who were frightened to challenge."
Beyond the challenges posed by poor working conditions, the documentary exposes the deep divisions within the offshore workforce. Despite being one of the most vulnerable industries in the county, the workers are described as "voiceless". And non-compliance often results in exclusion from future work opportunities.
The documentary serves as a powerful reminder that rethinking our energy systems requires a complete reevaluation of the workforce behind them.
And yet the film also highlights a glimmer of hope when collective action was taken - for example to shut down the North Sea for two consecutive summers, empowering the workers and giving them a voice through their union.
Skills
The film delves into the perception that people resist transitioning to renewable energy because of the perceived costs involved. It showcases individuals exploring courses to transition into wind turbine-related careers, with one worker's son pursuing his training in the operation of wind turbines.
The documentary is a practical reminder that we have a skilled and willing work force at hand to help mobilise the renewable sector, but training is expensive and therefore not always an option.
"Infinite industry" becomes the underlying theme as the documentary portrays the journey from oil and gas to wind turbines, urging society to recognise that the jobs themselves are not changing—only the nature of the industry they are employed in.
The documentary emphasises the importance of continuity and responsibility in managing our natural resources as a nation, while highlighting the extraordinary resilience of a workforce pushed to their limits.
Consequences
"Offshore" is an unflinching reminder that the transition from oil and gas to renewables is not only necessary but inevitable.
The film leaves no doubt that our continued reliance on fossil fuels is detrimental to the planet and that the infrastructure surrounding energy production must shift towards renewable sources.
Most importantly, this thought-provoking film gives a voice to the workers and shows that they are willing and able to make the transition to renewables, if a proper infrastucture was in place for them to do so.
In such as short space of time, the documentary depicts some of the main challenges behind a just transition. Most importantly, it gives us an idea about what needs to happen in order for us to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels.
This Author
Yasmin Dahnoun is assistant editor at The Ecologist. Offshore will be screened alongside The Oil Machine on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at the Paintworks in Bristol. Get your Cinema Climatic tickets now.
