North Sea Gas May Be Enough For U.K.

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 19

North Sea Gas May Be Enough For U.K.

f.V.Z.PA. Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, May 10. Britain’s natural gas discovery under the North Sea may be large enough to supply the country with all its gas requirements—and leave some over for export.

This is the latest assessment of scientists who are keeping a daily watch on the progress of drilling by oil

companies off the east coast of Britain. This week they reported to the Minister of Fuel and Power, Mr Richard Marsh, that the oil-field about to be tapped should be capable of supplying about 1200 million cubic feet of gas a day. This is more than sufficient for the present gas requirements of British homes and factories. When more wells have been sunk and the area extended, the experts believe the field will produce as much as 2000 million cubic feet a day—twice present-day requirements.

Pipeline Prepared Hundreds of miles of pipeline are now being prepared to pump the gas from the ocean bed to the mainland. Once there, some will go into the existing gas pipeline which already feeds some industrial areas. Other natural gas will be pumped into underground storage units which are being hurriedly built at Canvey Island, near the mouth of the Thames, at a cost of £4.000.000. Shell-Esso and British Petroleum have already struck gas and are now preparing to start pumping. British Petroleum, which made the first find, expect to be extracting gas for consumption by the end of this vear.