Fossil Fuels: North Sea
Commons · Question 122612 · Tabled 20 Mar 2026 · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero · Official record
Answered 30 Mar 2026
Question
Asked by James McMurdock
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the volume of UK-origin oil and gas reserves that are currently being extracted by foreign operators and subsequently re-imported into the UK.
Answer
Answered by Michael Shanks, 30 Mar 2026
Oil and gas produced in the North Sea is traded on international markets, regardless of whether the operator is UK-based or otherwise. Due to the physical characteristics of UK North Sea Crude, such as density and sulphur content, it is often more cost-ef...