Innovative approaches to oil training and development plays a key role in business profitability and productivity during times of economic turbulence, Total has claimed.

Christophe Binot, e-learning manager for the French energy major, said that by implementing remote learning, oil firms can broaden the scope of their education programmes and reach employees across the globe.

"The rising costs of employee travel to businesses and the environment coupled with the growing number of unemployed mean a strong need for low-cost, remotely accessible learning and development," he told Training Zone.

He said that in certain circumstances, distance training and development programmes have delivered stronger return on investment than classroom-oriented oil training.

Over the course of 2007, Total held an average of 13 day-long oil training courses per employee operating in Africa, while workers in Asia, the Middle East, Pacific and French overseas territories received an average of 10.8 training days.

Employees in all regions received more oil training sessions in 2007 than were offered in 2006.