§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many miles of pipe are represented by the figures of £6.1 million for 1974 and £1.6 million for the first 727W half of 1975 which were stated to be the value of orders placed with the United Kingdom producers in the Secretary of State's reply to the hon. Member for Gosport's Question to which an answer was given on Wednesday 15th October.
§ Mr. John SmithIt is not possible to quantify the mileage of pipe involved in these orders since much of it is used in comparatively short lengths in terminal facilities, on production platforms and for conductor pipes, casing and associated drill pipe.
§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the approximate cost of the 1,200 miles of submarine pipeline stated by the Secretary of State to be required to complete the development of existing commercial discoveries in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea in his answer to the hon. Member for Gosport's Question to which a reply was made on 15th October.
§ Mr. John SmithThe cost of the pipe itself would be about £300 million at today's prices. The cost of pipe-coating, trenching, laying and covering would add at least a further £600 million.
§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his best estimate of the percentage of submarine pipeline required in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea which is being provided by British producers.
§ Mr. John SmithBritish producers have supplied some 20 per cent. of the submarine pipeline installed so far in this sector. No orders have yet been placed with British producers for any of the 1,200 miles of submarine pipeline that may be required to complete the development of existing commercial discoveries of oil and gas in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea. Many of the pipelines involved are still at the planning stage.