Since 2005, the UK has been a net importer of energy, with 46% of our gas supply being imported from countries such as the Netherlands and Russia. Gas is a crucial contributor to the UK’s energy mix, accounting for 44% of all energy in 2016.
After your have read the article you may wish to think about the following questions:
- Why is natural gas typically found under seas/oceans?
- Why has natural gas production in the North Sea been declining since the late 1990’s?
- Why is the gas being extracted by a consortium of companies (Chinese, Italian and French)?
- Will the UK has access to the new gas reserve if the consortium own the extraction project?
- Why are environmentalists so against the use of natural gas, despite its importance for the country?