§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current daily oil and gas production from the Scottish jurisdiction area of the North Sea; what is now the estimated production for the next 12 months; and what are the foreign exchange benefits, market values and revenue yields for both aspects.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonThe figures given below are for the United Kingdom Continental Shelf where there are no sectors.
United Kingdom oil production during September, the latest period for which detailed figures are available, was 303,176 barrels per day—bpd. And by the end of the year is expected to be over 400,000 335W bpd. Total United Kingdom oil production in 1977 is forecast to be 35 to 45 million tonnes.
The quotation of a current daily production rate for gas would be misleading. Average production in the first nine months of 1976 from United Kingdom North Sea gasfields was 3,500 million cubic feet per day—mcfd. The average is expected to rise to 3,900 mcfd for the whole of 1976 and to be a little higher in 1977.
The foreign exchange benefit of the United Kingdom's 1977 production of oil and gas, measured in oil equivalent, is estimated to be over £4,000 million. The market value of the United Kingdom's 1977 production of oil and gas is estimated to be over £4,000 million.
§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many oil and gas well tests and completions in the Scottish jurisdiction area of the North Sea have been reported since the enactment of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipelines Act 1975.
§ Dr. J. Dickson MabonAs my predecessor said in answer to a Question on 22nd January—[Vol. 903, c. 552–3.]—there are no sectors within the United Kingdom Continental Shelf, but, because of the three systems of law in the United Kingdom it is necessary to define the areas of their respective jurisdictions. The resulting divisions are solely for this purpose.
Records of well activity are kept on a geographical basis. In the area of the Northern North Sea and the area West of Shetland, 31 wells have tested oil with associated gas since 1st January 1976 when the Petroleum and Submarine Pipelines Act 1975 came into force. In addition, 21 wells have been completed as oil producers; none have tested gas alone.