
In July, BP announced plans to invest £3bn in redeveloping two oil fields in the North Sea, a move that was expected to create hundreds of new jobs.
But Trevor Garlick, head of BP's North Sea operations, said the company could struggle to fill the available roles.
"Getting hold of the right people is a real issue for us," Mr Garlick told the Sunday Telegraph.
"We are hiring a lot of people, but we are also an exporter of a couple of hundred people to other regions [in BP]. We are a centre for recruiting elsewhere."
The rest of the company viewed its North Sea operations as a "training ground", with talented workers snapped up to fill posts overseas, Mr Garlick said. (more)