Fossil Fuels: North Sea
The question
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.
Answered by Michael Shanks
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-effective for UK refineries to process imported crude oils that are better suited to their configurations.
In 2024, 92% of oil production and 34% of UK natural gas production was exported.
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