§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the present proven reserves of British natural gas expressed in years remaining calculated(a) at 499W 1990 consumption rates, (b) forecast consumption rates for 2000 and (c) forecast consumption rates for 2020, as forecast in DTI Energy Paper 59, October 1992.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 4 December 1992]: My Department's most recent estimate of the United Kingdom's proven reserves stood at 540 billion cu m1. The total consumption of gas onshore in the United Kingdom during 1990 amounted to 53 billion cu m of gas, which included approximately 7 billion cu m of imported gas2.
These proven gas reserves are the known reserves in existing discoveries regarded as almost certain to be technically and economically producible following extensive appraisal work. Proven reserves represent some 30 per cent. of all discovered recoverable reserves. In addition, it is likely that further reserves will be proven to be recoverable from significant discoveries made but so far poorly appraised and from geologically identified prospects which have yet to be tested by drilling. It is not normal practice for the gas industry to carry out the expensive exploration and appraisal work required to add to the stock of proven reserves far in advance of production.
My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced on 26 October that the coal review would look into the latest estimates of likely reserves of gas and draw conclusions.
Energy Paper 59 presented some possible gas consumption scenarios in the context of a discussion of energy and the environment, in particular, climate change.
These are scenarios, not forecasts by my Department.
1Source: The April 1992 report to Parliament "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom" (The Brown Book).
2Source: The April 1991 report to Parliament "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom".