This week the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers hosted its annual event in Aberdeen! This brought 6,000 people to the Granite City to discuss various aspects of the energy sector, both nationally and internationally.

Aberdeen features lead, Ryan Duff and news editor Erikka Askeland caught up with some of the delegates on the show floor, but first Erikka spoke with Katharine Descamps, offshore wind development leader for Jera Nex BP and Powerful Women ambassador; Scottish Energy Forum vice president and director of Veri Energy Donna Sutherland, and Georgina Worrall, head of Powerful Women about the group's latest.

Next, Ryan spoke with Andy Brooks, new ventures director for the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) about the future of licensing in the North Sea and how plans for the deployment of Transitional Energy Certificates (TECs) are shaping up. But that is not all the regulator is working on at the moment, the second carbon storage licensing round is set to be delivered and Andy gave insight into when we can expect to hear who the winners are.

Finally, Erikka caught up with BP subsurface boss Ariel Flores about the importance of bringing the EAGE conference to Aberdeen ahead of his firm announcing its latest rig contract for drilling in the North Sea.

BP wants to sell its North Sea assets, but does it really? The company is struggling to progress operations itself but the high price tag - a rumoured cool £2 billion - has posed challenges. There are ways round it, but it's going to depend on how motivated the supermajor is to find a buyer.

Meanwhile, renewables reporter Michael Behr was at OEUK’s CCS and hydrogen summit, where he spoke with the group’s energy policy director Enrique Cornejo. He shares a status update on the state of Scottish CCS and hydrogen, and how Europe will prove vital the country’s ambitions for both these technologies.

And finally, would whisky taste better if it was powered by hydrogen? That's certainly the direction plans are going in Cromarty, in light of a deal between ITM and Protium. Securing demand may well prove to be a more effective way to deliver supply, given the continued uncertainty over the much-delayed Hydrogen Strategy. Raise your glasses, please!