Is the North Sea running out anyway?

Official figures show there is still material oil and gas potential to develop in the North Sea.

The North Sea Transition Authority estimates that the UK still has a significant amount of oil and gas left in the North Sea. Around 2.9 billion barrels are already known and considered likely to be recoverable, with another 6.2 billion barrels discovered but not yet developed. There is also potential for a further 4.6 billion barrels from identified prospects, plus an estimated 11.2 billion barrels in wider, less-explored areas. To put this into context, the UK produced around 401 million barrels in 2024, meaning the North Sea still holds substantial resources.

Focusing only on current reserves gives an incomplete picture of what remains. Resources only become reserves through drilling, appraisal, investment and approvals.

The University of Aberdeen’s West of Shetland research supports that wider picture, identifying substantial yet-to-find potential in a technically difficult but important region, associated with major fields and projects including Clair, Rosebank and Cambo.