Industry-leading training facilities located in the north of England have helped to support the growth of the offshore oil and gas sector.

According to the Journal, the northern offshore industry is now in a strong enough position to support the regional and national economy during this difficult period.

It noted that facilities such as Falck Nutec's training and development centre in Billingham provides more than 100,000 local and overseas workers with the skills to enter the energy industry every year.

So too, courses operated by Teeside University have provided students with practical hazard simulation training, the paper noted.

Last month, Jamie Brown, managing director of regional engineering firm Francis Brown, told the paper that in times of economic difficulty, awarding contracts to skilled local businesses can help to stimulate the economy.

"The area is a potential goldmine for spin-off work from huge projects like Sonhoe's oil refinery and work at Teesport," he explained.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development