In line with the global green shift and increased investment in renewable energy, Equinor has developed a new learning initiative: Developing Energy Projects (DEP). The course is a response to the growing need for internal competence in navigating new and complex energy markets, and aims to prepare future project leaders to handle the challenges of this transition.
Equinor is an international energy company with roots in the oil and gas sector. In recent years, the company has increased its focus on offshore wind, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and hydrogen. With an ambition to become a leading player in the energy transition, the need for a course that goes beyond traditional field development has become increasingly clear.
DEP is a week-long course that combines lectures, group work, and simulation-based learning. It covers the full capital value process, with a particular emphasis on early-phase projects, giving participants insight into how Equinor positions itself in new and unfamiliar markets. Through casework, participants develop projects and business models within offshore wind, hydrogen, and CCS, while gaining experience in managing regulatory challenges and market uncertainties.
A central part of the course is the Norway Energy Hub – Equinor’s vision of placing Norway at the center of the global energy transition. The course also features an updated version of the simulation tool The Future of Energy, set in the fictional country of Exlandia, a region designed to reflect the real energy market. In this world, participants work in groups taking on the role of energy companies, where they must collaborate and compete with the other teams. They are challenged to define their company strategy and build a sustainable energy portfolio over a simulated 25-year period, responding to market shifts and real-world dilemmas.
Two years after the first pilot, the group work has evolved to focus more on cases from the real world and on specific energy types, particularly offshore wind. The goal is to provide participants with hands-on experience in project development and the specific challenges related to this market. The simulation tool is still used to give participants a taste of the dynamic and fast-paced energy landscape Equinor is operating in.
Specifique has been responsible for designing and facilitating the course structure and group work, while Equinor has provided the subject-matter experts and content. DEP is a result of over 20 years of collaboration between the two companies, and is a natural continuation of our previous projects, such as the Field Development course, which focused solely on oil and gas.
The course is not only designed to deliver technical and strategic insight, but also to challenge participants in areas such as collaboration, decision-making, and sustainable project development. It is a demanding and intensive program, but the feedback has been very positive. In the next phase, DEP and Field Development will be merged into a single course, highlighting the synergi between Equinor’s traditional and emerging business areas.
The DEP course reflects Equinor’s new corporate strategy and vision, and emphasizes the importance of collaboration, innovation, and commitment in driving the energy transition forward. It represents an important and strategic upskilling initiative for the company.
