UK to continue offshore drilling operations

Britain has declared that it will continue to expand its offshore drilling operations along the west coast of Shetland despite the BP oil spill disaster that has gripped the US. This announcement comes despite the six-month moratorium President Obama has placed on deep-water drilling in the US. Norway has also called a temporary halt to offshore drilling activity until an investigation into the current spill catastrophe has been investigated.

Charles Hendry, the Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, recently claimed that, "We think it's in our national interest to get the most out of our own indigenous resources . . .That means getting the best resources we can out of the North Sea, and that means developing west of Shetland." The government has deemed that the potential risks are not enough to impose a ban over drilling although Hendry assures that "safely considerations will be paramount" in the exploration for new oil.

Chris Huhne, the UK's Energy Secretary, announced that the UK Government will increase its monitoring of offshore drilling to help prevent any accidents, it wants inspections to be doubled throughout the year. Although it is believed that the precautions in place are adequate, safety measures are being increased due to the recent catastrophic events that have unfolded off the shores of the US. Huhne announced that, "I've had an urgent review undertaken to reassure myself and the public that all appropriate measures are in place around our shores." Bearing in mind the recent oil spill he added that, "In addition, I will review our new and existing procedures as soon as the detailed analysis of the factors which caused the incident in the Gulf of Mexico are available."

Alongside continuing its quest for oil, the UK's new coalition government also faces the issue if nuclear power. As it stands nuclear plants are due to be closed by 2023 as plants reach the end of their lifespan. However, there are presently ongoing discussions as to whether to extend the lives of these plants in order to maximise the production of energy in the UK. Hendry asserts that, "Our goal is to make Britain the most attractive place in Europe and beyond Europe to invest in energy, to provide secure the low-carbon energy we need to keep prices affordable."

There is also a drive for renewable energy resources to be expanded upon, such as solar and wind power. Business leaders assert that in order to secure affordable and diverse energy nuclear power is needed alongside these renewables. Ian Parrett of energy consultants Inenco states that, "Without a more balanced programme, including nuclear capacity, wind power will not solve all our energy ills."

 

Author: Rachael Bristow | Climate Action

Image: mikebaird | Flickr