Consultancy Services - ‘ Spotlight On ’: Gary Tootill Senior Advisor - Technical & Asset Management Gary’s career at a glance. 43+ Years of Experience Gary has built a long-standing career across the full upstream lifecycle — from seismic interpretation to senior technical and operational leadership. His experience spans the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and North America, with a proven ability to deliver value in both stable and late-life operating environments. Leadership Across UKCS Operators He progressed to subsurface and asset leadership roles at Talisman/Repsol Sinopec, Jersey Oil & Gas and Eland Oil & Gas. His responsibilities covered multi-asset delivery, greenfield development and late-life value optimisation across fields such as Clyde, Buchan and Bleo Holm. Executive Responsibilities at TAQA UK In his most recent roles as Technical Director and Northern Operations Director, Gary oversaw Wells, Subsurface and Engineering, and later the transition of mature assets from production to decommissioning — ensuring safe, efficient and value-driven end-of-life planning. Decisive, People-Focused Leadership Gary is known for sound judgement and timely decision-making in complex settings. He builds strong, trusted teams and creates clarity around priorities, enabling safe, confident and efficient project delivery. Late-Life Operations & Decommissioning Strength He brings significant experience in balancing late-life optimisation with structured decommissioning readiness — helping companies protect near-term value while preparing effectively for asset removal. Energy Transition & Strategic Advisory Gary provides pragmatic guidance on the realities of the energy transition, drawing on experience in CCS/EOR, strategic reviews and asset assurance. His focus is on helping organisations navigate production, optimisation and decommissioning in parallel. Gary has over 40 years’ industry experience driving Oil & Gas companies (Shell, Talisman Energy, Repsol Sinopec, Jersey Oil & Gas, Eland Oil & Gas, TAQA) to deliver full spectrum of growth activities. He has served on the leadership teams for several E&P companies, helping to formulate strategy and drive delivery. Whilst initially from a reservoir background, Gary’s personal strengths focus on cross-discipline understanding of the Upstream business, managing multiple issues at the same time, with an ability to motivate people towards the finish line. Can you provide an overview of your career in the energy sector? I have over 43 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, primarily in the UK but with significant international exposure. My career began as a subsurface professional with a seismic contractor, including leading their Egyptian interpretation centre in Cairo. I then joined Shell, where I specialised in production optimisation and infill planning, contributed to the Brent re-development team, and supported multiple greenfield projects across the North Sea. During my time with Shell, I also worked in the UK Unitisation team, providing global support on complex unitisation issues and agreements, before taking on senior subsurface management roles for projects such as Goldeneye and Corrib, as well as leading global CO₂ EOR and CCS assessments. I was also part of the NL-based Sakhalin team during its formative period. In 2008, I moved to Talisman UK as Subsurface Manager. Over a decade with Talisman/Repsol Sinopec, I progressed to the senior leadership team, accountable for all aspects of a number of UK assets including Clyde, Buchan and Bleo Holm. I later joined Jersey Oil and Gas as a senior leader, playing a key role in securing the Greater Buchan Area licences, followed by Eland Oil and Gas as Development Manager, where I led active greenfield development, infill planning and execution. For the past five years, I have held senior leadership positions at TAQA UK. As Technical Director, I was responsible for Wells, Subsurface and Engineering, as well as a period as Northern Operations Director. I was instrumental in managing the complex transition of late-life assets from production through to decommissioning, maximising remaining value while ensuring safe, efficient preparation for asset removal. Throughout my career, I have consistently delivered value in both technical and leadership capacities. My experience spans field development, late-life optimisation, greenfield planning, CCS and EOR assessments, and large-scale decommissioning. I am driven by the challenge of solving complex technical and operational problems, while leading teams to achieve safe and successful outcomes across the full lifecycle of oil and gas assets. SPOTLIGHT SERIES: GARY TOOTILL There are a number of projects where I believe my leadership was instrumental in achieving successful outcomes, not least because of my ability to make clear, timely and effective decisions. In an industry where delays or indecision can carry significant cost and risk, I have consistently demonstrated the judgement and confidence needed to move projects forward. My approach combines technical knowledge with a pragmatic, outcome-focused mindset, ensuring that decisions are not only made swiftly but are also well-founded and aligned with long-term business goals. I work well with people and place a strong emphasis on building and maintaining constructive relationships at all levels of an organisation. By understanding and assessing the strengths, skills and reliability of teams, I am able to create an environment of trust and accountability. This allows me to delegate effectively, while retaining the ability to step in and guide when necessary. My leadership style is collaborative yet decisive, enabling teams to perform at their best while ensuring that critical decisions are made quickly and with confidence. Can you share an example of a project where your leadership significantly impacted the outcome? Having spent the majority of my career working for Operators, I have developed a clear and practical understanding of their priorities and challenges. One of the most pressing issues facing many UK companies today is decommissioning, an area that for too long has been viewed as something that can be postponed indefinitely. The reality is that decommissioning is unavoidable, and delaying it only increases complexity, cost and risk. Early and structured planning is absolutely key to ensuring safe, efficient and cost-effective outcomes, and I have seen first-hand the benefits that proactive preparation can deliver. I bring extensive experience in balancing the twin priorities of late-life production optimisation and decommissioning readiness. I have been directly involved in maximising value from mature assets while laying the groundwork for their eventual removal, helping organisations approach this transition with confidence. My goal is to support teams in making well-informed and timely decisions, ensuring they are not only protecting value in the near term but also setting themselves up for long-term success. By combining operational insight with strategic foresight, I aim to help companies navigate this complex phase of the asset lifecycle with clarity and assurance. What unique value do you bring to companies in the energy sector, particularly in a consultancy role? SPOTLIGHT SERIES: GARY TOOTILL Whilst the decommissioning effort in the UK is undoubtedly gathering pace, I firmly believe the oil and gas production sector retains a critical and viable role for the foreseeable future. Significant resources remain undeveloped or under-produced, and it will take courageous leadership combined with technical ingenuity to fully mature what is still in the ground. The challenges of late-life operations and the transition to decommissioning are not opposites but complementary processes that can and should run in parallel. This dual-track approach is essential as the UK continues to balance its commitment to net zero with the reality of energy security and affordability, while the world strives to scale up non-hydrocarbon energy production at a commercial level. My career has placed me at the heart of both production optimisation and decommissioning preparation, giving me a unique vantage point on how to extract value and manage risk across the full asset lifecycle. I have led teams tasked with maximising recovery from mature fields through infill drilling and production efficiency, while at the same time laying the groundwork for safe, compliant and cost-effective asset removal. I am passionate about bringing this perspective to help organisations face the dual challenge of sustaining viable production while preparing responsibly for decommissioning, ensuring both short-term gains and long-term resilience. What is your vision for the future of the energy sector, and how do you plan to contribute to its evolution? Please reach out to Peter Bottomley to discuss your Consultancy & Advisory requirements across the energy sector. 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