§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what volume of condensate has been discovered on the United Kingdom continental shelf; and what percentage of the 26 discoveries is economically recoverable under the current tax regime.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI shall answer my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what he estimates will be the production of condensate in the next five years; and what targets have been established for 1985 and 1990.
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Planning appeals submitted in terms of sections 33 and 34 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972 Planning Authority Number of Appeals 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 Borders Regional Council 16 4 15 10 16 Clackmannan District Council 3 2 6 4 3 Falkirk District Council 6 14 11 16 8 Stirling District Council 10 13 22 11 13 Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council 12 12 19 24 22 Dunfermline District Council 9 11 10 7 12 Kirkcaldy District Council 17 16 26 28 15 North East Fife District Council 2 10 12 7 6 City of Aberdeen District Council 20 16 34 34 32 Banff and Buchan District Council 1 4 11 8 7 Gordon District Council 18 14 18 16 14 Kincardine and Deeside District Council 10 23 22 7 13 Moray District Council 3 8 11 10 8
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithAt present condensate output is limited to the byproducts from the treatment of dry gas and northern basin associated gas. Production from this source amounted to approximately 500,000 tonnes in 1982 and is expected to continue at or slightly above the level for the next few years. Total production will increase significantly from 1987 onwards when the first condensate reservoir on the United Kingdom continental shelf is developed as part of the North Alwyn field.
No targets for condensate production have been established.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on condensate development on the United Kingdom continental shelf and the use of constituent gases as a feedstock for the petrochemical industry.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithAt present the production of condensate is mainly as a byproduct from(a) dry gas fields and (b) associated gas in oilfields. Between 1977 and 1982 inclusive the quantities produced per year were of the order 500,000 tonnes (mt).
At present there is no condensate production from officially listed condensate fields, but these will start to come on stream towards the end of the 1980s.
North Alwyn field is already approved for development and the development plan for North Brae is under consideration. A number of other discoveries which could contain significant quantities of condensate are currently being appraised.
The disposal of the heavier natural gases — ethane, propane and butane — plus fractions of the condensate stream is a commercial matter for the companies involved.