70,000 jobs boost as UK gives green light to oil and gas drilling
… while SNP STILL refuses to lift ban on fracking
NEW licences to drill for oil and gas in the North Sea will be approved by the UK Government in a move that will support 70,000 jobs.
More than 100 licences to extract fossil fuels could be granted and a ban on fracking will be lifted in England – although SNP ministers will block the move in Scotland.
Conservative ministers have announced a new round of licensing to allow energy firms to explore the North Sea.
Energy Secretary Jacob ReesMogg has said increasing domestic fossil fuel extraction is a key way of ‘strengthening our energy security’ in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis.
Boris Johnson had banned fracking in 2019 due to opposition in Tory seats in the north of England and concern over earthquakes caused by the drilling.
But yesterday Mr Rees-Mogg lifted the moratorium and said he will review whether the level of seismic activity allowed at fracking sites is too low. He said: ‘It is safe. The scare stories have been disproved time and again.’
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack welcomed the decisions and said: ‘The Prime Minister is moving swiftly to ensure the security of our energy supply and exploring the further potential of the North Sea is crucial to this.
‘This new round of oil and gas licensing, which is expected to lead to more than 100 new licences, will not only safeguard our domestic supwe ply and protect UK households, businesses and public services from volatile global prices, it will also support more than 70,000 energy sector jobs in Scotland.
‘Supporting this sector has always been a vital part of our net zero strategy, ensuring have energy resilience while investing in renewable sources such as wind, tidal and solar power.’
Under the new licensing round, which follows the outcome of the climate compatibility checkpoint, the North Sea Transition Authority is expected to make a number of new ‘blocks’ of the UK Continental Shelf available for applicants to bid for licences.
These will allow developers to search for commercially viable oil and gas sources within the areas of their licences. Developers will still need regulatory approval for any activities conducted within their licensed area, such as drilling or construction of infrastructure.
Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Energy Michael Matheson said: ‘The impression that some try to give that simply by extracting more oil and gas we can in some way reduce our energy costs is seriously wrong. The reality is that that will not happen.’
Reacting to news of the fracking moratorium being lifted south of the Border yesterday, he tweeted: ‘To be clear – this policy change does not apply in Scotland. Fracking can only happen here if licences are issued by the Scottish Government and we do not intend to issue any.’
A spokesman for the First Minister later said the ban on fracking in Scotland would not be reviewed.
Asked about the position earlier this month, Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs: ‘This is a devolved matter and our position is unchanged.
‘We do not intend to grant licences for fracking.’
Scottish Conservative energy spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘We are lucky to have enough oil and gas resources in the North Sea that we don’t need fracking in Scotland.
‘However, the SNP have consistently opposed increased oil and gas production in the North Sea, jeopardising thousands of jobs and our energy security.’
Mr Kerr added: ‘If SNP ministers won’t support our vital oil and gas industry, then they must urgently reconsider their opposition to building new domestic nuclear power stations.’
‘Strengthening energy supply’