“From a childhood passion for engineering, to a career in structural engineering and project management, Thomas Gourlay is now Apollo’s Engineering Director, managing a multi-disciplinary engineering team to deliver technical projects for clients across oil and gas and renewable energy.”

From observing the various oil platforms being built and maintained at the RCG offshore construction yard in my hometown of Methil, to watching National Geographic’s Megastructures on TV where I could wonder at the scale and complexity of the world’s tallest building and longest bridges, I have always been fascinated with engineering.

I gained my Master’s degree in civil engineering and management from the University of Dundee, and knowing that I wanted to get into an industry that was complex and offered a variety of challenges, accepted a graduate position with Wood in Aberdeen as a Structural Engineer, progressing to Lead Engineer. During this time I gained experience working with on and offshore clients including BP, Shell, BG and EnQuest.

Looking for my next challenge, I made the move to energy advisory and engineering consultancy, Apollo. The company had only been operating for six years when I joined in 2018, and I could feel the energy from everyone in the business about how exciting it was to be part of such a fast-growing organisation. In my then role as Senior Engineer, I continued to be involved in the structural engineering side of things, but as I gained exposure to new projects and progressed to the position of Head of Engineering, I discovered new interests in people management and operations.  

I was honoured to have been made a Director at Apollo in 2023, and now my day-to-day role involves supporting the 140+ engineering team to deliver a quality service to our clients. Although I am no longer producing engineering deliverables, I am very much involved in the spectrum of engineering projects we perform at Apollo, managing teams and contributing to wider business decisions.

Reflecting on the projects I’ve been most proud of to date, it’s impossible to select just one given the variety of the work we do in embracing a secure and diverse energy future. For example, we are continuing to support oil and gas operators in production, late life extension, decommissioning, decarbonisation, electrification, flare gas recovery, alternative fuels, and plant optimisation. While at the same time also working on wind, wave and tidal projects. We also innovate with R&D projects across all sectors and are continuing to look at new energy hubs and hydrogen projects.

It is this willingness to change and embrace new energy systems that makes me feel truly positive about the future of our industry. Over the past few years, we have seen a significant increase in alternative fuels and new technologies enabling us to create a sustainable energy mix. No one size is going to fit all going forward, and each comes with its own set of unique challenges, however we are an industry of highly skilled individuals who enjoy solving these challenges. I believe that being one of the first major industries to commit to a roadmap to net zero, and with the talent and determination to decarbonise, we can demonstrate to not only the UK, but to the world, that a secure and sustainable energy future is possible.

If you're looking to join the energy industry, my advice is to showcase what you can bring to the table. Whether you're a recent graduate or someone looking to make a career change, there has never been a better time to be a part of this industry. With the continuous advancement of technology and the evolution of fuel sources, your fresh ideas and perspectives are welcomed. We are here to innovate, and the energy industry is an exciting place to work where you can be challenged. It's not just about oil and gas, but the entire energy mix, and being a part of it allows you to shape the future.