§ 96. Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Minister of Power what he estimates to be the overall cost of the pipeline required to lay the trunk grid for North Sea gas distribution; and how much of this overall cost will be in foreign exchange.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Gas Council's preliminary estimate for the main transmission system is about £110 million but this will need to be revised as planning proceeds. Some of the pipe will have to be imported but it is not yet possible to say how much.
§ Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Minister of Power what is his latest estimate, in thousands of millions of cubic feet a day, of the probable offtake of North Sea gas by 1970, and by 1975.
§ Mr. MarshThe gas industry is planning to take some 2,000 million cubic feet a day by 1970, or soon after, dependent, of course, on the satisfactory conclusion of the current negotiations with the producing companies. I cannot at present give an estimate for 1975.
§ 100. Mr. Blakerasked the Minister of Power what is his latest estimate, in thousands of millions of cubic feet a day, of the probable amount of gas available from the North Sea fields by 1970, and by 1975.
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§ Mr. MarshI estimate that at least 2,000 million cubic feet a day could be produced from the North Sea by 1970 or soon after. It is too early to estimate how much could be produced by 1975, since this will depend on the results of further exploration.