Wind, Waves & Wells with Joe

On the night of 6 July 1988, commercial diver Ed Punchard was working beneath Piper Alpha. Within minutes, he found himself caught in the world's worst offshore oil disaster. Unlike many accounts of Piper Alpha, this conversation comes from someone working below the platform, coordinating dive operations before escaping as the explosions tore through the installation. Ed doesn't just describe what...

On 6 July 1988, 167 men lost their lives in the Piper Alpha disaster. Joe Meanan was one of only 61 survivors. In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells, Joe shares his first hand account of life offshore in the 1980s, working on Piper Alpha, the night of the disaster, escaping from the platform and the lasting impact it has had on his life. This conversation is not just about what happened on on...

This week I'm joined by Rob Hinton. Rob is a former Royal Navy mine clearance diver, commercial diver, military diving instructor and founder of HoldFast Elite and the HoldFast Schools Mission. We discuss the realities of commercial diving, the risks that come with working underwater, near misses that still stay with him today, and why humour is often a vital coping mechanism in high risk industri...

This week I'm joined by Erik de Haas. Erik has worked across offshore oil and gas, renewables, subsea operations and major marine projects around the world. We discuss why offshore remains a "prove it, not potential" industry, whether the sector really has a skills shortage, and why valuable experience is often being overlooked. We also dive into the energy transition, the risks of an increasingly...

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells, I sit down with Ian Garden, Managing Director of RigDeluge and creator of the False Positives documentary. Ian discusses concerns he has raised over more than a decade regarding offshore firefighting systems, emergency response planning, rescue capability and what he describes as the growing gap between safety messaging and operational reality. We talk a...

What happens when an offshore driller hits rock bottom and decides to rebuild his life from the ground up? In this episode, I sit down with Keeley Bell, founder of Silverback GRIT, to discuss offshore life, addiction, mental health, leadership, fitness, and why the energy industry needs to start taking care of its people as seriously as it takes care of its equipment. Keeley shares his journey fro...

This episode is one of the most balanced and honest conversations we’ve had on the podcast. John Underhill, Professor at the University of Aberdeen and Director for Energy Transition, joins me to break down what’s actually happening in the energy world right now. This isn’t about picking sides. It’s about understanding reality. We get into the North Sea, the role of oil and gas in the transition,...

This one is a proper deep dive into the world behind the wells. Juan Cottier joins me to break down what geology actually is, how it fits into oil and gas, and why it’s one of the most misunderstood parts of the industry. We get into how oil is really found, the different stages from exploration through to production, and why geologists spend their careers making decisions with incomplete data. Bu...

Another one from the Jim & Joe Show and this one goes everywhere. We start with what’s kicking off globally UAE, OPEC, the Strait of Hormuz, and where oil prices could be heading Then it turns into exactly what you’d expect Stories from offshore that probably shouldn’t be told Close calls Absolute chaos And a few moments where things could have gone very wrong From diesel spills to dropped gea...

This one goes stateside. Stu Turley, CEO of Sandstone Group and host of Energy Newsbeat, joins me to break down what’s really going on in the energy world right now. We get into the current situation in the US, why California is facing serious energy issues, and how global events like the Strait of Hormuz could have a much bigger impact than people realise. But this is not just headlines. We talk...

This is one of the more honest conversations we’ve had on Wind, Waves & Wells. Omar joins me to talk through a journey that starts in Bradford and ends up offshore, travelling the world in oil and gas. But this one goes far deeper than job titles, projects, or locations. We get into what the industry is really like when you first step into it The egos, the pressure, and the identity that comes...

A new offshore policy is coming… and it’s already dividing the industry. From November, any worker over 124kg won’t be allowed to travel offshore. Simple rule. Massive consequences. In this episode, I sit down with Graham Skinner from Offshore Energies UK to break it all down. Where did the number actually come from? Why now? And what happens to the people who can’t meet it? We get into everything...

16 years on from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. On April 20th 2010, 11 men lost their lives in one of the most significant offshore disasters in modern history. This episode of Wind, Waves & Wells is a re-release of an incredibly important conversation. Leo Lindner was on board the rig that night. He shares what it was like to live and work on Deepwater Horizon in the years leading up to the...

16 years on from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. On April 20th 2010, 11 men lost their lives in one of the most significant offshore disasters in modern history. This episode of Wind, Waves & Wells is a re-release of a conversation that was never widely heard. John Guide was the BP Drilling Supervisor for Deepwater Horizon, working from the office at the time. In the aftermath of the incident,...

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells , Joe is joined once again by Drillers Shack for a wide ranging and unfiltered conversation covering offshore life, industry culture, and the global energy situation. The episode kicks off with some classic offshore discussion as Joe talks about his recent trip offshore and how a busy hitch always makes the time pass quicker. The conversation then moves i...

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells, I sit down with Frank and Finn, two pipeline NDT specialists who have spent years working across the offshore energy industry inspecting pipeline welds before they are sent to the seabed. The conversation dives into what life is really like on pipeline vessels around the world. From the intense pace of weld inspections every few minutes to long rotations...

In part two, the conversation shifts to Matthew Hatami’s wider career across the oil and gas industry. We talk about his time working in the Permian Basin and North Africa, the difference between US operations and overseas work, and what it actually takes to build an exploration company from scratch. Matthew explains how mineral rights and acreage deals work in the United States, the challenge of...

Welcome back to The Jim and Joe Show. In this episode we talk honestly about life in the oil and gas industry. From the difference between great leaders and terrible ones, to the kinds of stories that only seem to happen offshore. We also touch on the rise of “oilfluencers” and how social media can paint a very different picture of the industry compared to the reality many people experience out in...

In part one of my conversation with Matthew Hatami, we get into a detailed discussion on Deepwater Horizon, Macondo and well control. Matthew shares the research he has carried out over the years into the disaster, including his views on why the accident happened, why failed negative pressure tests can be so deceptive, and why he believes one of the biggest lessons is still being missed across the...

In this episode of Wind, Waves & Wells, I sit down with Mark Lappin, a veteran of the energy industry with more than 40 years of experience across the North Sea and around the world. Mark has worked across oil and gas, power generation, and renewables, including time at Centrica. He is now Chairman of North Sea exploration company Deltic Energy and remains actively involved in the UK energy de...

In this conversation, Mark Wilkinson shares his journey from being an international DJ to becoming a health and safety professional. He discusses the importance of understanding personality styles in managing risk and creating a positive safety culture. Mark emphasizes the role of emotional intelligence in leadership and the impact of ego on team dynamics. He advocates for proactive leadership and...

In this episode, Joe and James share their personal experiences of working offshore, particularly in the North Sea. They discuss their first trips, the culture of offshore life, the challenges faced, and the transition from oil and gas to wind energy. The conversation is filled with humour, anecdotes, and insights into the unique world of offshore work.  

In this episode, Martin Copeland, CFO of Serica Energy, shares insights into his transition from banking to the energy sector, the challenges faced in the North Sea, and the importance of long-term energy policies. He discusses the current state of the North Sea basin, energy security, and the ambitions of Serica Energy to grow and adapt in a changing market. Martin emphasizes the need for governm...

In this episode, we delve into the real-life challenges and triumphs of a couple navigating the complexities of offshore work and family life. Through conversations, we reveal how we manage the mental load of parenting alone, tackle forgotten passports, and handle the pressure of keeping everything running smoothly. Discover the crucial shifts in communication and understanding that transform rese...

In this episode, Eric Doyle shares his transformative journey from a Glasgow electrician to a digital influence strategist in the energy sector. Eric discusses the challenges and triumphs of moving from traditional trades to becoming a leader in digital marketing and safety management. He highlights the importance of embracing change and leveraging digital platforms like LinkedIn to build influenc...