Read the full story on Andrew Hyde, Daniel Leeman and Kenny Robertson via the following link to the Press & Journal’s specialist oil and gas supplement, Energy:

http://energy.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/958532

Talisman’s UK Senior Vice President Nick Walker was joined by Wood Group CEO, Allister Langlands as the respective companies handed out their 2008 Scholarship Awards. It marked the third year of Talisman’s £800,000 programme, and the first for Wood Group.

A total of 22 students were honoured at the gala dinner at Aberdeen’s Art Gallery in the presence of their families and friends, senior management from each company and representatives of the University of Aberdeen and The Robert Gordon University.

Talisman’s Nick Walker said: “Since launching the Talisman Scholarship Programme in 2006, we have received a great deal of positive feedback from the industry, the universities and the young people we are supporting.

“Course applications are rising at the University of Aberdeen and The Robert Gordon University, and this is good news for our respective organisations. However perhaps the biggest vote of confidence in the initiative has been the willingness of our peers in Aberdeen to make their own investment in scholarships..

“Talisman works very closely with all of its key contracting partners to deliver our business objectives. People are a key component of any company and scholarships are a fantastic way of investing in the future of energy in this key area.

He added: “It also helps to ensure Aberdeen retains its place at the top table of the global oil and gas industry by nurturing the next generation of skilled professionals.”

The success of the Talisman scheme is further borne out by fact that three scholars – Daniel Leeman, Kenneth Robertson and Andrew Hyde – have joined the operator in 2008 as graduate recruits.

Talisman Scholars 2008

University of Aberdeen

The Talisman Energy Enhanced Scholarship:
Mr Andrew Ellis - MEng Chemical Engineering

The Talisman Energy Postgraduate Scholarship:
Mr Zbigniew Labencki - MSc Oil & Gas Enterprise Management

The Talisman Energy Specialist Undergraduate Scholarships:
Ms Nana Totoe - MEng Chemical Engineering
Mr Rory MacDonald - MEng Chemical Engineering
Ms Hayleigh Pearson - MEng Chemical Engineering
Mr Neil Taylor - MEng Mechanical Engineering
Mr Mark Imlach - MEng Chemical Engineering
Ms Laura Bruce - MEng Chemical Engineering

The Talisman Energy Undergraduate Scholarships:
Mr Euan Murdoch - BEng Chemical Engineering
Mr Jonathan Cassie - MEng Engineering
Mr Ryan McIntosh - BEng Chemical Engineering
Ms Leilla Farkhondeh - BSc Geology & Petroleum Geology
Ms Christina Laing - BSc Geology & Petroleum Geology
Ms Jennifer Stewart - BSc Geology - Physics

The Robert Gordon University

The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Post Graduate Engineering:
Mr David Smith - MSc Oil & Gas Engineering

The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Engineering:
Mr Stephen Kelman - MEng Mechanical Engineering
Mr Ian Adamson - MEng Electronic & Electrical Engineering

The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Business:
Mr Ciaran Marshall - BA (Hons) Management with Finance

At the dinner, Nick Walker, Vice-President, Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, cited the first year’s success of the Scholarship Programme as evidence that the oil and gas industry is set to reap the benefits of developing long-term partnerships with higher education.

As he made awards totalling almost £100,000 to 20 promising students from the University of Aberdeen and The Robert Gordon University, he noted that demand for degree courses in engineering and related disciplines at the city’s two universities had grown by almost 30% on average over the past year.

Awards to this year’s scholars ranged from £1,000 per year for undergraduates to £15,000 for masters scholars. The scholarships are designed to remove some or all the financial burden of full-time study from candidates viewed as having outstanding potential for the energy sector.

Mr. Walker said: “I am delighted on two fronts – firstly to be handing out the 2007 Scholarship Awards and secondly to reflect on a hugely successful first year in partnership with the city’s two universities.

“Talisman launched this industry-leading programme back in 2006 with an £800,000 commitment to the young people who will be the lifeblood of our business in the years to come. The results speak for themselves. Applications for degree courses are substantially up, the scholars value the awards and another outstanding group of students is now about to benefit from Talisman’s financial support.

“I genuinely believe we are making tremendous inroads in areas where we will need quality people by substantially investing in their education.”

Professor Mike Pittilo, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of RGU said: “We are extremely pleased to be working in partnership with Talisman to produce graduates who will excel in the energy sector and these awards have already generated interest from talented individuals, who might not have considered a career in the sector. This scholarship programme will alleviate some of the financial pressures students face, allowing them to concentrate fully on building the specialist skills and knowledge which make them globally sought-after.”

Professor C Duncan Rice, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen said: “We are proud to be working with Talisman to enhance our degree courses through this scholarship programme. The partnership enables talented students to concentrate on their studies with fewer of the financial worries that often accompany student life. They will also have the added advantage of contact with a dynamic international business.”

The 2007 awards were handed out to the students at a special dinner at Aberdeen Art Gallery in the company of staff from Talisman and both universities, invited guests and parents and partners of the winners.

Talisman Scholars 2007

University of Aberdeen
The Talisman Energy Enhanced Scholarship:
Mr Gordon Russell – Chemical Engineering

The Talisman Energy Undergraduate Scholarship:
Mr Adam Downie – BSc Geology
Mr Jamie Davidson – BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology
Mr Ian Garioch - BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology
Miss Charlene Geddes – BSc Geography and Geoscience
Miss Kirsten Ferguson – BSc Geoscience
Mr Cameron Clark – MEng Chemical Engineering

The Talisman Energy Specialist Undergraduate Scholarships:
Mr Euan Cargill – MEng Mechanical Engineering and Diploma in Management
Mr Grant Stephen – MEng Mechanical Engineering
Mr Neil Thomson – MEng Mechanical Engineering and Diploma in Management
Mr Jeremy Watt – BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology
Miss Rebecca Miller – MEng Mechanical Engineering with Materials
Miss Jillian Dingwall – BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology

The Talisman Energy Postgraduate Scholarship:
Mr Kenneth Robertson – MSc in Integrated Petroleum Geoscience

The Robert Gordon University
The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Business:
Mr James Smith – BA (Hons) Management
Mr Greg Wilson – BA (Hons) Management with Human Resources
Miss Jade Denby – BA (Hons) Management and Marketing

The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Engineering:
Mr Stuart Leggat – MEng Mechanical and Offshore Engineering
Mr David Murray – MEng Mechanical Engineering

The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Post Graduate Engineering:
Mr Andrew Hyde – MSc in Oil and Gas

The 18 successful scholars from The Robert Gordon University (RGU) and the University of Aberdeen collected their awards at a ceremony held at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

As part of the ambitious programme Talisman will provide financial support totalling almost £800,000 for students from both universities during the next decade.

As well as supporting the students throughout their studies, Talisman will also consider offering internships at its Aberdeen headquarters, depending on academic performance.

Talisman’s UK Vice-President Nick Walker said: “We’ve worked hard in recent years to forge a strong partnership with both the University of Aberdeen and The Robert Gordon University and I’m confident we’ve developed one of the best scholarship programmes in the North East of Scotland.

“Energy is a vital business, which offers exciting and challenging career opportunities and we hope through this scholarship programme to attract talented young people to forge a career in the energy business. Last night was a celebration of 18 talented individuals and we look forward to helping them fulfil their ambitions and aspirations.

“I was delighted with the quantity and quality of applications received for this debut programme - a clear indication we still have many young people keen to enter the industry. We believe this significant investment in Aberdeen’s universities will help foster excellence among those who aim to forge a career in the oil and gas sector.”

Around 100 people turned out for the prestigious awards dinner, including a number of local councillors, key figures from the city’s academic community, senior management at Talisman and the successful scholars and their families.

The scholarships were awarded to: Liam Pirie, Barry Mitchell, Andrew Black and David Wilson from The Robert Gordon University; and Michael Adams, James Arnold, Kiri Neal, Kinnon Dear, Ashley Fyffe, Shaun Morgan, Emily Kay, Paul Hodson, Martin Chalmers, Susanna Clark, Christopher Cruickshank, Daniel Leeman, John Mill and Mark Wood from the University of Aberdeen.

Professor Mike Pittilo, Principal and Vice Chancellor of RGU said: “We are extremely pleased to be working in partnership with Talisman to produce graduates who will excel in the energy sector and these Awards have already generated interest from talented individuals, who might not have considered a career in the sector. This scholarship programme will alleviate some of the financial pressures students face, allowing them to concentrate fully on building the specialist skills and knowledge which make them globally sought after. The programme will also continue to position Aberdeen as a hub of training excellence for the oil and gas industry now and in the future.”

Professor C Duncan Rice, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen added: “We are proud to be working with Talisman to enhance our degree courses through this scholarship programme. These scholarships will enable talented students to concentrate on their studies with fewer of the financial worries that often accompany student life. They will also have the added advantage of contact with a dynamic international business.”

Scholarships worth a total of £47,000 will be awarded annually to students at RGU for the next ten years. These will comprise a mix of engineering undergraduate, engineering post-graduate and business school undergraduate awards.

The University of Aberdeen will receive an annual scholarship package worth £50,000 for the next six years. This includes entry-level undergraduate, specialist undergraduate, enhanced and post-graduate scholarships in Engineering, including Safety Engineering, Geoscience, and Chemistry.

This scholarship programme represents just one of Talisman’s many community involvement activities across the world, and is a component of the Company’s strategic commitment to youth and education. As part of this commitment, Talisman Energy Inc. also recently established major scholarships at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta. More information about this programme and other Talisman community involvement activities can be found at www.talisman-energy.com.

Ends Monday, 27 November 2006

Note to Editors

Scholarships were awarded to the following students at The Robert Gordon University:

The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Business: Liam Pirie, BA Hons Business Studies
The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Engineering: Barry Mitchell, MEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering
The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Engineering: Andrew Black, BEng Mechanical Engineering
The Talisman Energy Scholarship in Post Graduate Engineering: David Wilson, MSc in Oil and Gas Engineering

Scholarships were awarded to the following students at the University of Aberdeen:

The Talisman Energy Enhanced Scholarship: Michael Adams, BEng in Engineering

The Talisman Energy Undergraduate Scholarships:
James Arnold, MChem Chemistry for Offshore Industry
Kiri Neal, BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology
Kinnon Dear, BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology
Ashley Fyffe, BSc Geography and Geoscience
Shaun Morgan, BSc Geology and Petroleum Geology
Emily Kay, BSc Geology and Physics

The Talisman Energy Specialist Undergraduate Scholarships:
Martin Chalmers, MEng Mechanical Engineering and Diploma in Management
Susanna Clark, MEng Mechanical Engineering and Diploma in Management
Christopher Cruickshank, BSc in Geology-Petroleum Geology
Daniel Leeman, MEng Mechanical Engineering and Diploma in Management
John Mill, MEng Mechical Engineering with Materials
Mark Wood, BSc in Geology-Petroleum Geology

The Talisman Energy Postgraduate Scholarship: Paul Hodson, MSc in Petroleum Geology

Talisman Energy Inc. is an independent upstream oil and gas company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Talisman has operations in Canada and its subsidiaries operate in the North Sea, Southeast Asia, Australia, North Africa, the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. Talisman’s subsidiaries are also active in a number of other international areas. Talisman is committed to conducting its business in an ethically, socially and environmentally responsible manner. The Company is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact and included in the Dow Jones Sustainability (North America) Index. Talisman’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and the New York Stock Exchange in the United States under the symbol TLM.

Issued on behalf of Talisman Energy (UK) Limited by Weber Shandwick Worldwide. For more free images, information or to arrange an interview contact Claire McCabe on 01224 806600 or 07770 886 922 or email on cmccabe@webershandwick.com

Talisman will provide financial support totalling almost £800,000 for students at both universities during the next decade, as part of the ambitious project.

“Although the energy sector is vital to the ongoing economic success of the world, general industry training and recruitment has not kept pace with its needs,” said Dr. Jim Buckee, President and Chief Executive Officer, Talisman Energy Inc. “Surging demand for energy coupled with the need for new, properly qualified entrants means that career opportunities in the energy sector are particularly favourable. These scholarships represent a long-term investment in our youth and will help to foster high level study, leading to careers in a challenging and rewarding industry which increasingly requires innovation and advanced technology.”

Talisman’s UK Vice-President Nick Walker commented: “This is an exciting opportunity for Talisman to play its part in supporting education in the city. Talisman has worked in partnership with RGU and the University of Aberdeen to develop this scholarship programme, which we are confident, will be of benefit to both the academic and oil and gas sectors. We take our commitment to helping students achieve their potential seriously and as such, we believe this significant investment in Aberdeen’s universities will help foster excellence among those who aim to forge a career in the oil and gas sector. ”

Professor Mike Pittilo, Principal and Vice Chancellor of RGU said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity of working with Talisman. It is fantastic to see international companies such as Talisman take an interest in encouraging and supporting students in Aberdeen.”

“The possibility of a scholarship is a great incentive for promising students who can sometimes be put off applying for a place at university because of the costs involved. Talisman’s Scholarship Scheme is one way of helping youngsters access the many opportunities that a university qualification can offer.”

Professor Duncan Rice Principal of the University of Aberdeen said: “We wholeheartedly welcome Talisman’s Scholarship Programme. It will enable some of our most able students to concentrate on their studies without many of the financial worries that can sometimes accompany university life.”

“The Scholarship Scheme has been specifically geared towards attracting those students who may wish to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry. This will in turn encourage more students to remain in Aberdeen and contribute to the city’s economy once they have completed their course.”

Scholarships worth a total of £47,000 will be awarded annually to students at RGU for the next ten years. These will comprise a mix of engineering undergraduate, engineering post graduate and business school undergraduate awards.

The University of Aberdeen will receive an annual scholarship package worth £50,000 for the next six years. This includes entry-level undergraduate, specialist undergraduate, enhanced and post graduate scholarships in Engineering including Safety Engineering, Geoscience, and Chemistry.

The scholarships will support students throughout their studies with possible internships at Talisman also being offered, depending on academic performance.

This scholarship programme represents just one of Talisman’s many community involvement activities across the world, and is a component of the Company’s strategic commitment to youth and education. As part of this commitment, Talisman Energy Inc. also recently established major scholarships at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta. More information about this programme and other Talisman community involvement activities can be found at www.talisman-energy.com.

Ends 24th April 2006

Note to Editors
Talisman Energy Inc. is a large, independent upstream oil and gas company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Talisman has operations in Canada and its subsidiaries operate in the North Sea, Southeast Asia, Australia, North Africa, the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. Talisman’s subsidiaries are also active in a number of other international areas, including Colombia, Gabon, Peru, Romania and Qatar. Talisman is committed to conducting its business in an ethically, socially and environmentally responsible manner and is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative that brings together companies, governments, civil society and other groups to advance human rights, labour and environmental principals. Talisman’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and the New York Stock Exchange in the United States under the symbol TLM.