Will new North Sea oil and gas improve energy security?

Domestic oil and gas makes us more independent - supporting energy security while demand remains high.

Fossil fuels still meet 75.2% of UK primary energy demand, while Britain imports 43.5% of all the energy it uses. Renewables and electrification are the long-term route to lower exposure, but while oil and gas demand remains high, producing less at home means relying more on overseas supply.

Norway is a vital and reliable partner, but it cannot fill every future gap. Equinor has said it has no spare oil and gas capacity, with production already nearly maxed out.

The faster UK production declines, the more Britain will rely on liquefied natural gas bought on global markets. The NSTA estimates that, before combustion, LNG has around three times the production-and-supply-chain emissions of UK-produced gas.

The North Sea is declining, but it is not empty. The North Sea Transition Authority estimates 2.9 billion barrels of oil equivalent in proven and probable reserves, plus 6.2 billion barrels in discovered but undeveloped resources. 

Continued North Sea activity also helps retain the offshore skills, infrastructure and supply chain needed for wind, carbon capture, hydrogen and decommissioning. New North Sea production can reduce the amount Britain needs to import and help keep strategic energy capability in the UK.