The Department of Energy and Climate Change has released new figures showing that imported coal is replacing gas and oil from the North sea in the UK fuel mix. The newly released data shows that North sea oil and gas production fell by 16% and 25% respectively in the second quarter of 2011, while coal imports rose 36% in the … Read More
Full extent of shale gas reserves revealed
Cuadrilla Resources estimates that up to 200 trillion cubic feet of gas lies underground near Blackpool. The company that halted the controversial ‘fracking’ process after a minor tremor near Blackpool earlier this year says that the resources found beneath the Northwest of England are extremely vast. Hydraulic Fracturing, or ‘fracking’, is a process which is enabling companies to extract gas … Read More
Waste and biomass plants get go ahead
a waste conversion plant in Billingham and two new biomass power stations in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have been given the go ahead by the government. UK Energy Minister Charles Hendry announced the acceptance of the proposal from Drax, who owns the country’s largest coal-fired power station. The two plants are of 299MW capacity each, but the plans will reportedly be … Read More
Huhne outlines electricity market reform
UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne unveiled proposals set to bring about the biggest reforms since privatisation. The UK government announced on Tuesday that the UK’s energy infrastructure will need £110bn of investment to keep the lights on. Chris Huhne told parliament that without reform and substantial financial investment, the country will be facing blackouts.
Centrica close Morecambe Bay gas field
Centrica have taken the decision to leave Britain’s largest gas field shut. The Morecambe Bay gas field in the North Sea, owned by British Gas parent company Centrica, is to remain closed. Centrica blamed the new taxes on profit gained from North Sea production as the reason for the closure.
MPs support UK shale gas drilling
A committee of MPs has urged the government to allow drilling for shale gas A commons committee said on Monday that there is no need for a moratorium on shale gas hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”. Just two weeks ago France recommended freezing shale gas drilling permanently, based on environmental concerns about the fracking process.
Centrica warns of price rises
British Gas owner Centrica has released a statement warning of higher energy prices for its customers. Centrica specifies the forward wholesale gas prices for the coming winter, which are 25% higher than the prices from last winter, as the main reason for the probable price rises. Centrica said in the statement that the earthquake and nuclear crisis in Japan, coupled … Read More
Chris Huhne defends North Sea tax
Energy secretary Chris Huhne has spoken against concerns that North Sea taxes will jeopardise the UK’s energy security and cost jobs Chris Huhne faced fellow MPs yesterday regarding the taxes on North Sea oil and gas companies, put into place by George Osborne’s recent budget . Huhne argued that the impact on jobs and and investment would only be “marginal”. … Read More
Centrica threaten North Sea gas field closure
Centrica has threatened to close one of the UK’s major gas fields over a tax dispute Centrica has closed three gas fields in Morecambe Bay for one month of maintenance, but has claimed it may not re-open one of them due to increased taxes. George Osborne increased the tax on supplementary gas production from 20% to 32% in this year’s … Read More
UK Coal reports third year of losses
The UK’s biggest coal producer has reported a third consecutive year of losses Doncaster based company UK Coal has reported a losses for a third year running, the last two of which have seen losses of over £100m. UK Coal has three deep mines in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and the West Midlands.