UK oil and gas, USA News (London): More than six in ten people believe Britain should produce its own oil and gas ahead of importing it, according to a Government survey on Net Zero.
When asked whether the UK should produce less of its own oil and gas even if that means needing to buy more fuel from other countries, just 13 per cent of respondents agreed. A total of 61 per cent disagreed, with 43 per cent disagreeing strongly. The findings were revealed in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Public Attitudes Tracker, a survey of more than 3,000 adults across the UK.
Domestic oil and gas production has proved a controversial issue for the Government. Recently, Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh approved Jackdaw, a giant gas field 155 miles east of Aberdeen. She still has to decide on Rosebank, Britain’s largest untapped oil field, which lies in the North Atlantic. Drilling at both sites was halted after legal challenges on climate grounds, and environmentalists oppose both projects. Following Jackdaw’s approval, Green Party leader Zack Polanski said the move was a betrayal of all of our futures. However, industry experts have said the fields would boost energy security and the economy.
Kathryn Porter, an energy consultant at Watt-Logic, stated that the government’s own figures show the public understands that energy produced at home is more secure than energy bought from abroad. She noted that approving Jackdaw was a welcomed first step, but urged ministers to keep backing local gas production.
The Government tracker also showed that a warming planet remained a worry for the public, with eight in ten people concerned about climate change. Almost four in ten, or 38 per cent, said they were very concerned, marking a rise of four points from Spring. Overall concerns about climate change have fallen from a high of 85 per cent in Autumn 2021.
Renewable energy remained popular, with 79 per cent supporting it and just four per cent opposed. However, nearly four in ten, or 39 per cent, believed Net Zero policies would have a negative short-term impact on the UK economy, compared to 22 per cent predicting a positive impact. Over the longer term, defined as ten years or more, more respondents expected a positive economic impact at 51 per cent than a negative one at 24 per cent.
The most important aspect of energy policy was having a reliable, uninterrupted supply of energy available, with 92 per cent of respondents giving this a high or very high priority. This was followed by the cost of energy and the UK becoming self-sufficient. Regarding energy security concerns in the next 10 to 20 years, 92 per cent feared steep price rises, 83 per cent worried about over-dependence on other countries, and 82 per cent worried about increased power cuts.
David Whitehouse, chief executive of trade association Offshore Energies UK, called for the upcoming Budget to support the North Sea. He suggested that the Energy Profits Levy, or windfall tax, should be replaced next year. Operators currently pay a total rate of 78 per cent on profits under the levy, which is due to be replaced in 2030 by the Oil and Gas Revenue Levy. Mr Whitehouse argued that a pragmatic fiscal approach could unlock billions in private investment.
