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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Friday, 20 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 March 2026. It was answered by Michael Shanks (Labour) on Monday, 30 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.


Fossil Fuels: North Sea

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.

Answer

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.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
122612
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Imports Foreign companies Oil Natural gas North Sea Reserves
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk