About
Professor Alexander Kemp is a leading academic in petroleum economics at the University of Aberdeen, where he holds the position of Professor of Petroleum Economics and serves as Director of the Aberdeen Centre for Research in Energy Economics and Finance (ACREEF) within the Business School. He has a distinguished career spanning decades, with expertise in energy policy, taxation, licensing, and investment in the oil and gas sector, particularly focused on the UK Continental Shelf.
- MA with First Class Honours in Economic Science, University of Aberdeen (1958–1962)
His research interests center on petroleum and energy economics, with a strong emphasis on fiscal systems, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable resource management. He has extensively analyzed topics such as the economic impact of windfall taxes, decommissioning costs, marginal field development, and the transition to low-carbon energy systems. His work bridges academic rigor with practical policy application, influencing both industry practices and government decision-making.
The recent trends in his publications reflect a continued focus on the evolving challenges facing the UK oil and gas sector, including energy transition, carbon pricing, investment incentives, and regulatory effectiveness. His articles frequently address policy implications, combining economic modeling with empirical analysis to assess the viability and sustainability of upstream operations.
- Principal's Award for Excellence, University of Aberdeen, 1993
- Alick Buchanan-Smith Memorial Award, 1999
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE), 2001
- OBE for services to the oil and gas industries, 2006
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2012
- Lifetime Achievement and Hall of Fame, Press and Journal Gold Awards, 2015
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Al-Attiyah Foundation, 2022
Professor Kemp has played a significant advisory role throughout his career, serving as a specialist adviser to UK parliamentary committees, a member of the Scottish Government’s Council of Economic Advisers, and a consultant to numerous governments and international organizations. His research has been supported by major funding from oil companies, Scottish Enterprise, the European Union, and public bodies. He leads ACREEF, a key research center producing influential working papers and policy analyses on North Sea energy economics. He has also contributed to major collaborative projects on CO₂ storage and sustainable development in emerging oil-producing nations.
