Nearly a year after a significant leak was found, a gas field operated by Total Gas & Power is to be restarted. Production at the Elgin gas platform, which is situated 240 km east of Aberdeen, was suspended when gas was found leaking last March. The investigation into what caused the leak is still ongoing, but the Health & Safety … Read More
Budget 2012: New carbon taxes for businesses?
In the budget today, the Chancellor George Osborne announced plans for a new “alternative environmental tax”, as a result of reforming or scrapping the Carbon Reduction Commitment. The Carbon Reduction Commitment, also known as the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, is designed to reduce the energy consumptions of the largest businesses in the UK, by placing them in a league table … Read More
North sea oil and gas outputs decrease
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
North Sea oil leak “substantial” says DECC
Shell gas has announced a ruptured pipeline has spilt a substantial amount of oil into the North Sea The spill, coming from the pipeline leading to the Gannet Alpha oil platform 113 miles (180 km) off Aberdeen, is said to have been releasing oil into the North Sea since last week. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said: … Read More
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.
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
Chris Huhne has talks with oil companies
The Energy Secretary yesterday met with the major oil companies to discuss the new taxes on oil and gas extraction in the North Sea Executives from the big oil companies are said to have had “Full and Frank discussions” with Chris Huhne, in a bid to get their concerns over last week’s budget recognised. They have warned that tens of … Read More