HC Deb 16 June 1975 vol 893 c304W
Mr. Normanton

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the annual capacity of the United Kingdom for manufacturing North Sea oil rigs.

Mr. John Smith

Six contractors are currently engaged in the production of 10 platforms. In addition, one concrete platform site is being developed at Portavadie and four other sites have planning permission.

Mr. Normanton

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many oil rigs for the North Sea are currently under construction in the United Kingdom. and where.

Mr. John Smith

Ten oil production platforms are currently under construction in the United Kingdom as follows:

Steel Platforms
Constructor and Site No. being built
Highlands Fabricators, Nigg Bay 2
McDermott Scotland Ltd., Ardersier 2
RDL (North Sea) Ltd., Methil 1
John Laing Construction Ltd., Graythorp 2
Concrete Platforms
McAlpine, Ardyne Point 2
Howard Doris, Kishorn 1
10

Mr. Normanton

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the extent to which United Kingdom-manufactured oil rigs are competitive with those currently being constructed in EEC countries.

Mr. John Smith

To be successful, competitive tenders must be based on price, quality and delivery, and the 10 oil production platform orders won by the United Kingdom have been successful on these criteria against competition from other EEC countries. At present only three oil production platforms for the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea are being constructed elsewhere in the EEC.