HC Deb 20 April 1978 vol 948 c294W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of total United Kingdom North Sea oil is likely to be under BNOC control by 1985; and how he proposes the corporation should dispose of it (a) on the international market, (b) on a Government-to-Government basis, (c) on the United Kingdom market, through the private sector refiners and (d) under sale-back arrangements.

Dr. Mabon

I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 2nd December 1977 and 9th February 1978.—[Vol. 940, c.429; Vol. 943, c. 629.]

Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, under the 50 participation agreements so far negotiated, what percentage of the total oil to become available at peak development will be sold back to oil companies and what percentage will be retained by BNOC for disposal.

Dr. Mabon

Definitive participation agreements have been concluded so far with 55 companies, seven of which have provisions in their agreements for BNOC to sell oil back. However, because of variations in the detailed terms of the sale-back arrangements, some of which are conditional or involve swapping with crude oil from other sources and because of differences in the timing of peak production for the fields involved, it is not possible to provide figures in the form requested.