Should Britain become More Energy Self-Sufficient?

<p>Should Britain Become More Energy Self Sufficient? | North Sea Oil, Gas, Net Zero and Britain&#39;s Energy Future</p><p><strong>Should Britain become more energy self-sufficient? Should we drill for more North Sea oil and gas, or continue importing energy from abroad while pursuing net zero?</strong> With the Jackdaw gas field finally approved, Donald Trump congratulating Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Britain&#39;s energy security back in the headlines, it&#39;s time to ask a rather obvious question. Why are we buying so much energy from other countries when we&#39;ve got rather a lot of it under our own feet? Well, seabed. You know what we mean.</p><p>Welcome to <strong>Mark and Pete</strong>, where we&#39;re discussing North Sea drilling, Britain&#39;s energy independence, gas prices, climate change and the peculiar business of trying to save the planet by importing fossil fuels from somewhere else.</p><p>Because here&#39;s the thing.</p><p>Britain currently imports more than half its natural gas. Some arrives by pipeline from Norway, which is perfectly sensible. Some arrives as liquefied natural gas, or LNG, transported on enormous ships, having first been cooled to approximately minus 162 degrees Celsius. Then we warm it up again.</p><p>Rather a lot of effort to get something we already have.</p><p>And here&#39;s the environmental surprise. <strong>British-produced gas has roughly one-third of the production and delivery emissions of imported LNG.</strong> Yes, really. Norwegian pipeline gas is cleaner still, but shipping gas halfway round the world isn&#39;t exactly carbon-free. Who would have thought?</p><p>Meanwhile, Andy Burnham&#39;s government has approved production at the controversial Jackdaw gas field, around 150 miles east of Aberdeen. The project could increase British gas production by approximately 6% at its peak and contribute an estimated £2.9 billion to the economy.</p><p>Donald Trump is delighted. He wants Britain drilling enthusiastically, although he appears to have confused the Jackdaw gas field with an oilfield. A minor geological inconvenience.</p><p>But is Trump right?</p><p>Should Britain exploit its remaining North Sea oil and gas reserves? Could we create British jobs, improve energy security, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and possibly reduce some emissions along the way?</p><p>Or are we simply prolonging our dependence on fossil fuels when we ought to be investing in nuclear power, offshore wind, solar energy a