Search for oil off Western Isles 18/8/14
The seas around the Western isles are to become the new frontier for oil exploration.
The Scottish Government has announced a collaboration with industry and scientists to examine the potential for conventional oil and gas resources west of the Outer Hebrides and around Rockall.
Exploration for oil is also earmarked for the sea area between Barra and the mainland, in the Sea of the Hebrides.
Untapped oil and gas resources are widely thought to be unexplored off the Western Isles.
Over 3,000 exploration wells have been drilled in the North Sea and West of Shetland
yet only around 20 exploration wells have been drilled to the west of the Scottish
mainland -
It raises the prospect of the Western Isles being in a strategic location to economically benefit from any new oil boom.
The industry and its suppliers presently provides employment for over 200,000 people.
Scotland’s energy minister Fergus Ewing highlighted any new finds off the Hebrides could boost the industry and provide jobs beyond 2050.
Other maritime areas to be looked at include the Solway Firth, the Firth of Clyde and the North Channel.
Over the longer term, if future exploration of the inner seas to the west of the Scottish mainland proves successful, which could be further sustained by an examination of vast underexplored land towards Rockall, the potential for a new hydrocarbon province could help boost oil and gas production from Scottish waters.
The Scottish Government will co-
Involving the oil and gas industry, it will examine the potential for conventional oil and gas resources in these offshore waters.
Attendees will also discuss the requirement for new research to help stimulate exploration off the west coast.
The ‘West of Scotland Oil and Gas Workshop’, which will be held in late Autumn, further emphasises the long term future of the oil and gas industry in Scotland.
Fergus Ewing said: “Stimulating oil and gas activity to the west of Scotland could create employment and further increase the longevity of the industry in the country.
“Furthermore, any future activity will be supported by Scotland’s world-
Mr Ewing added: “However, only with independence will the Scottish Government have the full economic powers to stimulate exploration activity in Scotland’s waters to fully develop the country’s oil and gas resources.”
Professor Dorrik Stow, Head of the Institute of Petroleum Engineering said: “We look forward to being part of a wide collaboration with industry, universities and government to gain a better understanding of the prospects for oil and gas in the West of Scotland.
“The institute has world-
Professor John Howell, chair in petroleum geology at Aberdeen University said: "The offshore area to the west of Scotland includes several major basins with hydrocarbon potential.”
He pointed out there is “significant future potential which can only be appraised with detailed scientific study. This workshop is the first step along the path to unleash that potential."