Hundreds of North Sea oil and gas licences granted under Conservative governments have produced only 36 days' worth of gas, according to new analysis. The research, conducted by energy consultancy Voar and campaign group Uplift, examined seven licensing rounds between 2010 and 2024.
The study found that 20 new and relicensed fields from these rounds have the potential to supply the UK for just six months over their lifetimes. To date, they have produced the equivalent of 36 days of extra gas, casting doubt on claims that new drilling would cut bills or boost energy security.
Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, said politicians and the oil industry are misleading the public. 'Some politicians are trying to sell us a dangerous fantasy of endless gas reserves, when the truth is – after 50 years of drilling – we have already burned most of it,' she said. 'A month's worth of gas from 14 years of licensing by the last government shows the complete folly of pursuing this policy.'
The debate over energy security has intensified amid rising prices linked to the US-Israeli war in Iran. Labour's ban on new North Sea licences, focusing instead on renewables, has been criticised by Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage. However, experts note the North Sea is a 'mature basin' with 90% of reserves depleted, and new licences would have minimal impact on bills or import dependency.
Campaigners argue that energy security is better achieved through renewables and home improvements. Jess Ralston of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said: 'The reality is that we've drained dry around 90% of oil and gas there. To stop the UK being so vulnerable to energy crises, often sparked by war, lowering fossil fuel demand through electric vehicles, heat pumps and renewables remains the most credible long-term solution.'
