BP says refiners facing continuing shortage of talented people

David Young
OGJ Online

MADRID, Nov. 14 --Attracting and retaining top talent is the biggest challenge facing the refining industry, the European Refining and Technology Conference in Madrid has been told.

Daniel Sajkowski, vice-president of BP PLC's refining technology division based in the US, said that the industry must embrace new technology in all its forms, so that clean fuels can be produced without the driving force of legislation.

"This requires people," he said. "Extremely smart people, who work within an organization that fosters their personal growth and respects diversity as a source of strength. Also one where commercial and technical skills are equally valued."

Sajkowski said that evidence is emerging that the industry can adapt to demands made on it by governments and environmental pressure groups.

He said that the industry in California had met the need for stringent fuel specifications before legislation was finalized. This had created a learning curve, now applicable worldwide.

It means, he said, that the refining sector is now meeting quality standards previously met by the petrochemical sector.

"This assertion can be viewed by some as flippant. There is, however, some objective evidence available from the market place," Sajkowski said.

He also suggested that the downstream sector should now learn lessons from their colleagues upstream. The upstream sector has a tradition of alliances and partnerships, and the management of intellectual property has evolved to make such arrangements the accepted way of doing business.

"Perhaps there is a need for us to be ever more comfortable with change and flexibility. We need to create and manage networks. It is less about owning technologies than about having core competencies. At the most basic level is the need to attracted talented and energized people," Sajkowski said.

Contact David Young at [email protected]