§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment she has made of how much gas the UK will import in each of the five years from 2006; and if she will make a statement; [168052]
(2) what assessment she has made of the UK's total gas requirements in each of the five years from 2006; and if she will make a statement; [168053]
(3) what assessment she has made of the likely level of production of indigenous gas in each of the five years from 2006; and if she will make a statement. [168054]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Department periodically produces projections of UK gas production and demand. Recent projections of both were published in the third report of the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group (available for download from http://www.dti.gov.uk/ energy/jess/index.shtml). Chart 3 shows of projection of annual gas production from the UK Continental Shelf together with demand projections by both DI and National Grid Transco. Later production projections for the years through to 2009 have been made and are available on the Department's Oil and Gas website at http://www.og.dti.gov.uk/information/bb_updates/ chapters/section4_17.htm. These and updated projections of gas demand, which are currently being prepared by DTI for publication in a working paper next month, are expected to be included in the fourth JESS report, which is also expected to be published in May 2004.
We currently export gas to Ireland, from the Markham and Windermere fields directly to The Netherlands and, at time of low UK demand, through the Bacton-Zeebrugge Interconnector to the Continent. However, at times of peak demand, the UK is already a net importer of gas, with imports direct from Norway and through the Interconnector. Recent projections indicate that we are likely to be net importers of gas on an annual basis by around 2006 with a growing import 1157W requirement thereafter. The Department has not made a projection of gross imports, which will be significantly higher than net imports.