How skills shortages and outdated systems are holding back the UK pipeline sector
Published by Emilie Grant,
Assistant Editor
World Pipelines,
In the UK and Europe, pipelines are central to critical infrastructure, carrying everything from energy supplies to carbon capture flows.
Today, we’re seeing two persistent challenges, such as the loss of experienced staff and slow adoption of modern technology, that are beginning to limit the sector’s performance. And a clear plan for renewing skills and upgrading systems is still missing./p>
A recent Parliament briefing shows 49% of engineering and technology businesses report recruitment difficulties stemming from skills shortages, costing the economy around £1.5 billion annually. Pipeline operators are seeing this problem first-hand: technical staff are ageing out, few qualified replacements are entering the field, and uptake of modern systems remains patchy even where the business case is clear.
Danny Peachey, Manager at HTL Group, the leading provider of hydraulic cutters, looks at the factors creating uncertainty in the pipeline sector, from an ageing workforce and STEM recruitment gaps to resistance to change, and why tackling them now is vital for its future.
Ageing workforce and a shortage of new talent
The UK engineering workforce is ageing, and nowhere is that more visible than in pipeline maintenance, inspection, and operations. Scotland alone is projected to face a shortfall of 5800 engineers by 2027. Across other regions, companies report increasing delays in recruiting for roles like pipeline integrity, pigging operations, flow assurance, and diagnostics.
It’s not only a volume problem, but the knowledge also held by long-serving specialists is often undocumented, and tied to specific sites, projects, or custom systems. Without a structured handover, that knowledge is lost when they retire, leaving junior staff to take on complex responsibilities before they are fully equipped to manage them.
STEM talent supply falling short
Current figures suggest around 9.4 million people work in STEM fields in the UK. But that number has stayed largely static in recent years, and pipeline-specific disciplines make up a small fraction of the total. At secondary level, engineering careers are often overlooked or poorly explained. By the time students reach higher education, the pool of interested candidates is already narrow, and even narrower still for specialist infrastructure roles.
In pipeline operations, this translates to unfilled posts in digital monitoring, sensor diagnostics, leak detection, and structural modelling. Even where companies offer apprenticeships, they’re often generalist schemes that don’t prepare recruits for the mix of field work, safety standards, and systems integration pipelines require.
The consequence is a growing disconnect between what infrastructure companies need and what the labour market supplies. That disconnect is most visible on smaller, regional projects, where staffing gaps stretch limited resources further.
Sector hesitation on emerging technologies
Tools that could ease the staffing burden already exist. Predictive maintenance platforms, remote inspection systems, AI-assisted pressure monitoring and automated leak detection are all commercially available and proven in other infrastructure sectors, but adoption in pipeline operations has lagged behind.
Many operators still rely on legacy SCADA systems, manual inspection routines, and reactive maintenance triggered only when faults appear. Digital twin systems are in pilot across a few newer sites, but remain the exception rather than the rule. Operators with large legacy networks often view modernisation as risky or overly disruptive, despite evidence that the opposite is true.
Projects like HyLine Gogledd in North East Wales, a hydrogen pipeline set for integration into broader decarbonisation strategy, show what’s possible with modern tools. But without wider uptake, these projects remain isolated examples.
Cultural and structural barriers to change
Safety rules in the pipeline sector are strict, which makes operators careful about new methods. In some cases, that caution turns into resistance, with engineers relying on routines they know and managers holding back on upgrades unless regulations demand them.
Systemic challenges also play a part, from procurement rules that make it difficult for new suppliers to enter, to older data systems that are hard to integrate with modern tools, and training budgets that leave frontline teams without the resources to adapt. Large projects like HySpeed show innovation is possible, but rolling it out across the wider network remains a challenge.
Uncertainty as a strategic focus
The talent gap and tech hesitation in pipeline operations are becoming strategic threats. The workforce is shrinking, and the incoming generation expects digital tools as standard. Failing to modernise leaves operators more exposed to risk, not less. Treating recruitment as a secondary concern leaves the sector with fewer skilled workers in the future and fewer options to replace those retiring.
Addressing this uncertainty starts with basic actions: clearer recruitment pipelines, high-quality apprenticeships, targeted training, and selective rollout of tools like AI-driven diagnostics, remote inspection, and digital twins. Many of these changes don’t require new infrastructure, just a willingness to do things differently.
The question isn’t whether the sector can adapt. It’s whether it will do so in time to avoid crisis. Because the longer uncertainty is left unmanaged, the more disruptive its consequences become.
Sources
https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0746/
(Article courtesy of HTL Group)
Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/05112025/how-skills-shortages-and-outdated-systems-are-holding-back-the-uk-pipeline-sector/
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