Offshore Oil Research and Development

HC Deb 21 July 1975 vol 896 cc11-2W

Mr. Woof

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what research his department has carried out for developing equipment and technology to withstand severe North Sea conditions in prospecting for new petroleum reserves;

(2) what progress his Department has made towards a progressive scientific development of the Continental Shelf;

(3) what research and surveys his Department has carried out designed to stimulate continuous growth and development of oceanology in the search for oil.

Mr. John Smith

The search for oil is primarily a matter for the oil companies My Department is involved through its overall responsibility for defining licensing and depletion policy, ensuring the thorough, safe and effective exploitation of the country's petroleum resources, and developing the capability of British companies to participate as contractors to the oil companies.

My Department commissions surveys aimed at identifying those areas in which oil may lie in the United Kingdom sector of the Continental Shelf, in order to help in defining present policies. Further work is done to help assess the reserves that may lie outside the present limits under the control of Her Majesty's Government. All these surveys and geological evaluation involve an element of research and also require some further background research. This work is carried out for the Department by the Natural Environment Research Council at the Institute of Geological Sciences and the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences.

Additionally, consideration has been given to the question of research aimed at encouraging British manufacturers or service companies in the oil-drilling field, but it has first been necessary to assess the likelihood of such support being effectively exploited. It is one of the functions of the newly-founded Offshore Energy Technology Board to advise on future policy in this respect. However, some support has already been given to British companies for research and development of equipment for controlling the positioning and vertical movement of drilling apparatus in North Sea conditions and I am pleased that some orders have since been received.