From starting his career in ship design with Harland & Wolff – famous for building the Titanic – to delivering complex engineering and operational projects across the globe, Mike Wooldridge’s journey in the energy sector has been anything but ordinary.
With over 28 years of experience spanning oil and gas, offshore renewables, naval architecture and IT, Mike brings an extensive depth of knowledge to Scapa Energy as a Principal Consultant. His expertise allows him to partner closely with clients to understand their challenges and guide them towards sustainable improvement strategies.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background.
I began my career as a graduate naval architect at Harland & Wolff in Belfast, where I worked on several shipbuilding projects, gaining an understanding of structural and hydrodynamic design principles. From there, I transitioned into floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units and floating drilling rigs, which set the foundation for my move to Aberdeen, where I became a junior subsea engineer.
As my career progressed, I worked for Pegasus International (UK) Ltd for many years, first as an Engineer and then in progressively senior roles, eventually becoming Operations Manager and then Managing Director. During this time, I was responsible for leading major projects worldwide, including offshore oil and gas developments for clients such as ONGC in India and Eni in Mozambique. These experiences allowed me to grow as a leader while honing my skills in project and engineering management, particularly in the subsea and offshore sectors.
Midway through my time at Pegasus I worked as engineering manager for a new offshore installation contractor that included a five vessel build program, installation equipment design and build as well as delivering offshore wind and marine renewables and power distribution projects.
In 2019, I joined i3 Energy North Sea Limited as Engineering & IT Manager, overseeing the Liberator and Serenity developments in the UKCS area and serving as acting COO when needed.
After the pandemic hit, I decided to pursue independent consultancy, which led me to my current role with Scapa Energy. It’s a role that I find incredibly rewarding as it gives me the freedom to apply my diverse experience to a range of client challenges, helping them navigate the complexities of scaling, restructuring, and improving operational efficiency.
What attracted you to the role at Scapa Energy?
During the pandemic, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Scapa Energy’s owners, Graham and Stephanie. It became evident that I could use the breadth of my industry experience to help clients take an honest look at their operations and improve upon them. Working with Scapa Energy gives me the chance to offer clients a fresh perspective on their challenges and guide them to adapt effectively—whether they’re looking to scale or streamline operations in a more agile environment.
Many companies are still identifying with where they were a decade ago, not where they need to be today. Whether it’s about growing with added structure or becoming leaner and more agile, the ability to adapt is key—and that’s where my experience comes into play.
You’ve had a broad career; how do those experiences and insights help Scapa’s clients?
My career has spanned multiple facets of the energy industry – ranging from oil and gas and maritime to renewables and covering both technical and corporate roles. This diverse background has equipped me with the ability to quickly understand what drives performance and what holds it back. I believe in having honest, respectful conversations with clients. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to make organisations better.
I often find that companies are either burdened with excessive processes or, on the other hand, lacking the structure or personnel needed to grow effectively. It’s a delicate balance, and I enjoy helping organizations strike that balance—ensuring compliance without hindering agility.
What career highlights can you share?
One of my proudest career moments was delivering Eni’s Mamba project in Mozambique, where we scaled a team from 50 to 150 personnel and delivered 160,000 man-hours of work in FEED engineering – a huge result. Another highlight was managing ONGC’s first deep-water development in India from concept to operations. These experiences have not only been technically challenging but have also been immensely rewarding in terms of leadership growth.
What do you enjoy doing when not at work?
Becoming a consultant has given me the flexibility to spend more time with my family. We have six children, ranging in age from 7 to 26 years old, so they keep me on my toes!
I also have a passion for cycling and run a small bike workshop where I build custom bikes and wheels for a regular client base – it’s a hobby that’s been part of my life for a long time. You can often find me in the workshop or out on the roads and trails across Aberdeenshire.