The offshore sector faces a looming skills gap, warns a top name in recruitment.

George Gourlay, ceo of Dubai-based OCB Oilfield Services, warns that the oil price rout could wipe out a vast seam of much needed experience in offshore.

"What we will see is the older generation move towards retirement at a much earlier age than planned, which will potentially leave a huge skills gap," Gourlay predicts.

The fall in oil prices has already seen more than 300,000 people laid off in the past 12 months.

Unsurprisingly, Gourlay relays that supply far outweighs demand at the moment when it comes to offshore manpower needs.

What's more, clients are looking to cut all possible costs. "As with the rest of the supply chain in O&G," Gourlay says, "we are feeling pricing pressures and all clients are requesting discounted rates in existing and new contracts."