This week the market reacted to news of a ceasefire in the Middle East as the price of oil dropped over night, highlighting the difference between physical barrels and paper ones.

Host and Aberdeen features lead, Ryan Duff, north west correspondent Floyd March, and E-FWD editor Ed Reed discuss and the growing role of solar in the UK's energy mix while news reporter Mat Perry catches up with Black & Veatch.

Up first, Ed discusses the ceasefire and questions if it is what it first appeared to be, with no ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. He highlights that even if shipping returns, the oil and gas market will have to come to terms with a new normality as it is highly unlikely that conditions will return to those experience before the war broke out earlier his year.

Next, Mat spoke with Rafael Frias, Black & Veatch managing director for EMEA, about the rapidly expanding UK battery storage sector, and what progress is being made on overcoming longstanding issues with the grid.

Finally, Floyd speaks about the government's approval of the massive Springwell solar farm. The 3,100 acre site is set to produce 800MW of electricity, but some locals have raised concern about the transformation of Lincolnshire's countryside. This news also came as over £80 million was invested in ITM Power's electrolyser facility in Yorkshire as the firm gears up to deliver on orders made by Hydrogen Allocation Round winners. This move stands to create 250 jobs in the region.

This week, hydrocarbons remained the top of the global news agenda as the UK waited for its last supply of jet fuel from the Middle East. At the same time, the North Sea saw yet another operator vacate the basin by divesting its assets into a joint venture.

Host and Aberdeen features lead, Ryan Duff, north west correspondent Floyd March, and E-FWD editor Ed Reed discuss.

Up first, Ed rounds out a week of appearing on national radio shows to get us caught up the war in the Middle East and how nations across the globe are reacting to fuel shortages in the wake of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Next, news editor Erikka Askeland visited the St Fergus gas terminal to chat to North Sea Midstream Partners chief executive Angela Fletcher about the importance of gas in the UK's energy during a time of geopolitical uncertainty. And, of course, the pair had to discuss the future of the Acorn carbon capture storage project, which partner Storegga still hasn't found a buyer for.

Finally, Ryan discusses mergers and acquisitions after Viaro called time on its takeover of Deltic and TotalEnergies completed its buy-in to Neo Next+. This happened while Floyd March observed the unfortunate truth about M&A, it often results in job losses. He explained how another swathe of roles had been cut at the Lindsey refinery this week as Philips 66 edges closer to completing its purchase of the facility.

This week’s edition of Energy Voice Out Loud reflects on a busy news week for the UK energy sector.

Host and Energy Voice news editor Erikka Askeland and renewables reporter Michael Behr discuss the announcement that Danish wind turbine maker Vestas is in, and Chinese manufacturer Ming Yang is out. Some are relieved that the UK has backed the European wind sector but not all are pleased, including Scotland where Ming Yang was looking to build a factory creating 1,500 jobs.

Aberdeen features lead Ryan Duff is at the Offshore Energies UK much anticipated business outlook breakfast event to speak to Ben Ward, market intelligence manager. OEUK wants the UK to cut LNG imports and use North Sea gas instead, but will the NSTA help?

As the FSPO Petrojarl Rosebank makes its passage to the UK, Energy Voice reporter Mathew Perry explains why Greenpeace wants to paint its protest on the vessel’s hull and how the debate about whether the UK should or shouldn’t go ahead with the UK’s largest undeveloped oil field is now at the heart of Westminster.

As the US-Isreal war with Iran rages on, Donald Trump has threatened to "massively blow up" the South Pars gas filed on a scale "of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before". This came as Ithaca provided an update on its West of Shetland assets.

In this week's episode of Energy Voice Out Loud, Ryan Duff is joined by Michael Behr, Floyd March and Erikka Askeland as they discuss this week's biggest headlines.

Up first, Michael gets us caught up on the situation in the Middle East as Erikka draws attention to Trump's latest social media tirade. As the situation continues to escalate, the US president appears to be threatening yet more violence.

Next, Erikka discusses the West of Shetland after Ithaca announced it will make a financial decision on its Cambo field within the next 12 months. This sparked a wider conversation about UK hydrocarbon production and the importance of the West of Shetland region as well as the future of the Northern Gas Hub.

Finally, Floyd tells us about the Rehip event in Teesside. He hosted a panel at the conference and came on the show to tell all about hydrogen's optimistic outlook for pipeline, but also the ever-looming question of end use cases for the fuel source. Ultimately, positivity was in the air in Teesside, although it's fair to say that some questions remain unanswered when it comes to the deployment of hydrogen.

The war in the Middle East is approaching the two week mark as oil prices have hovered around $100 per barrel. This came as Sidara finally competed its acquisition of Wood.

In this week's episode of Energy Voice Out Loud, Ryan Duff is joined by reporters Michael Behr and Mat Perry while news editor Erikka Askeland catches up with what was happening at the Scottish National Investment Bank event in Aberdeen.

First, Mat discusses the Rosebank FPSO's journey to the UK as it narrowly avoided conflict in the Middle East. This prompted a wider discussion on the impacts the war is having on the global energy market.

Next, Erikka speaks to Tim Cullen from Great British Energy and Ana Stewart, Scotland's chief entrepreneur, about how to secure the UK's energy supply chain in a busy lunch time break at the Scottish National Investment Bank conference in Aberdeen

And last, but by no means least, Ryan and Michael discuss Wood becoming 'a Sidara company' and what may change with the Aberdeen services giant now that it is under new ownership. Is there a Penspen merger on the horizon? It is certainly possible.

It's been a busy ol' week in the world of energy this week, not least due to the news from last weekend that the US and Isreal had bombed Iran.

In the Episode of Energy Voice Out Loud, Ryan Duff is joined in the studio by Micheal Behr and E-FWD editor Ed Reed.

First up, Ed discusses the headlines that have been dominating front pages all of this week and the impact attacks across the Middle East are having on the UAE, energy workers in the region, and oil prices as the trio get into a discussion about how global turbulence will impact the UK North Sea.

Next, news editor Erikka Askeland headed down to London for the Future of the North Sea event the day after chancellor Rachel Reeves' spring statement.

There she spoke with OEUK CEO Dave Whitehouse who was guarded ahead of an industry summit with the Chancellor. She also spoke to  Myles Allen, head of atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics at the University of Oxford who explained his "simple" solution to global climate change while delivering a UK carbon capture and storage industry beyond Acorn's wildest dreams.

Finally, Ryan discusses Aberdeen services giant Wood and its string of ups and downs this week after it announced a court date to sign off on its takeover at the hands of Sidara and the Financial Conduct Authority slapped it with a £13 million fine, although it has managed to make the fee smaller since.

Could the end of the Wood acquisition saga be coming to an end? Some industry commentators certainly think so.

From whale songs to tv remotes, Taqa's Keith Elphinstone and Energy Voice's Ryan Duff discuss all in this conversation that largely focusses on down well technology.

In this week’s edition of Energy Voice Out Loud, your genial host Ryan Duff, features lead for Energy Voice, introduces some of the main topics of interest in the UK energy industry.

First, news editor Erikka Askeland and renewables reporter Michal Behr tackle rising discontent over the state of the UK’s network charging system – should we cann it TNUoS or Tenuous? And why is it that energy producers in Scotland have had to pay £2.9bn more than their counterparts in England and Wales?

North correspondent Floyd March then gives the latest update in the Lindsey refinery in Immingham. Can a new, late stage court action prevent the whole facility from being mothballed by Phillips 66?

Finally, Ryan and Erikka talk about calls made at the OEUK HSE conference for a new regulator – another one? As oil and gas competes with offshore wind, CCS, not to mention fishers and other users of the UK’s rich waters, someone should take charge, but who?