§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the recoverable reserves of natural gas by field likely to be connected to the North Sea pipeline system, giving any revision of estimates since the Brown Book was written and including unnamed fields likely to be added to the network.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonThese are matters which I hope will be clear after further detailed studies have been completed. As the hon. Member knows it is not the practice to publish revised reserve estimates except in the official Brown Books.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate what percentage of total funds required for the North Sea natural gas pipeline network 299W are likely to be derived from Government sources, or whether it is contemplated that all the moneys in his opinion are expected to be derived from the private sector and the international market.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonIt is too early to say. As my right hon. Friend said in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Campbell) on 13th May—[Vol. 911, c. 252–4]—more detailed studies will be needed before any decision to go ahead with a project can be taken. And I have invited the views of interested parties on a number of important aspects including organisation and financing.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he envisages a Crown Company for the construction and operation of the North Sea natural gas pipeline project.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonAt present all options are open. I have invited all interested parties to let me have their views by the end of July, and this includes those of the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the market price for natural gas in Europe in pence per therm and the approximate retail prices paid for the product in the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, France and Italy.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonThere is no single market price for natural gas in Europe. Close international comparison of retail prices can be very misleading because of differing national consumption patterns, wide variations in prices within individual countries and fluctuating exchange rates. The latest published figures for industrial tariff users of 40,000 therms a year were given in the reply to the hon. Member for Caernarvon on 23rd March.—[Vol. 908, c. 168–70.]
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the approximate difference in the price paid by the BGC for natural gas from the southern fields and that agreed to be paid for gas supplied from the northern sector of the Continental Shelf: (a) to the United Kingdom and (b) to the Continent.
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§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonBeach prices both in the United Kingdom and on the Continent are commercially confidential matters for the buyers and sellers concerned.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate in reference to the Williams-Merz Report relevant to the pipeline network for North Sea gas his estimate of the upper range of costs; and what increment would have to be added to the price of gas if the lower figure of £1.59 billion were accepted as the cost of the project.
§ Dr. L Dickson MabonIt is not possible at this stage to give an estimate of the upper range of costs. But, using the same simplifying assumptions in each case, the cost of most of the gas from the proposed gathering systems is calculated as no greater than that of some of the gas recently brought under contract to British Gas.