One of the largest challenges facing companies in the oil and gas industry is winning the continual war for talent, Production Services Network (PSN) has claimed.

Speaking earlier this week, the group's chief executive Bob Keiller said that in Australia, the importance of this battle was particularly apparent as firms need to come up with innovative ways to develop energy resources such as coal seam gas in order to meet the country's burgeoning demand for fuel.

"With the Australian government forecasting a shortfall of 22,000 graduates by 2018, the answer for recruiting in the oil and gas sector is to think differently. Importing talent from overseas is not the entire answer," he said.

He added that the oil and gas industry must familiarise itself with synergised sectors such as telecoms, the armed forces and the civil nuclear industry in searching for the top talent.

PSN last month scooped two awards at the cHeRries Awards 2009, which were held in Aberdeen and celebrated groundbreaking work in the field of human resources management.

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