§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry what were the total steel requirements of companies connected with the British North Sea oil and gas operations, including pipelines and storage facilities in the last year for which figures are available and the percentage supplied from United Kingdom sources.
§ Mr. StrangI have been asked to reply.
A large number of engineering manufacturers in the United Kingdom supply finished or semi-finished components for use in North Sea oil and gas development and production as part of their normal sales. Exact figures on the usage of steel in North Sea activities are therefore not available. The British Steel Corporation have, however, advised that in 1973 they supplied 76,000 tonnes of land pipelines for use in connection with North Sea oil and gas which they estimate to be 144W 100 per cent of the total requirement for that year. In the case of submarine pipelines BSC were unable to supply any of the 250,000 tonnes required as they did not make pipe to the special requirements of the oil companies for use in submarine service. The demand for well casing pipe was about 30,000 tonnes of which BSC supplied some 80 per cent. As regards steel plate and sections, mainly for production platforms, BSC supplied 40,000 tonnes which they estimate represents some 50 per cent. of the demand. Steel known to be supplied for storage facilities amounted to around 4,000 tonnes.